A WORD FROM...
ELLENA AUSTIN
F
or the first time in the UK, all companies, charities and public sector departments of 250 employees or more were required by law to publish their gender pay gap figures. The results showed that 78% of companies reported a pay gap that favours men, with the transportation and storage sector averaging at 6.8% – by far not the worst industry for gender pay gaps but still a way to go! Yet, these
figures only scratch the surface of workforce diversity. Diversity is more than gender pay gaps, it is about bringing together people of all backgrounds, beliefs, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical ability and, yes, gender. It’s become one of the latest business buzzwords, but that’s because diversity also makes business sense. As the world becomes increasingly globalised
workforce that could have otherwise been
and interconnected, so does the importance
overlooked. There’s another benefit of
of true diversity within the workplace.
promoting diversity in workplaces too.
A diverse workforce brings, by nature, more
Workplace diversity has a further extended
diverse viewpoints and perspectives that
impact on our societies, as organisations
better reflect the international customers
demonstrate and act upon the importance
that organisations now serve, providing
and acceptance of diversity which is then
a deeper insight and understanding of
reflected in our local communities.
customers’ needs and motivations. By aligning closer with these, companies
Diversity in our everyday lives will only
can better reflect their customers’ values
continue to grow. So, isn’t it time that
–enhancing brand loyalty and driving sales.
diversity in our workplaces does too?
What’s more, with attaining and retaining
Ellena Austin, Yusen Logistics
talent a growing challenge across a number of industries, understanding
linkedin.com/company/yusen-logistics-europe-
the importance of diversity broadens
linkedin.com/in/dreambigger-digitalmarketing
the talent pool and provides access to a
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FORWARDER magazine
ISSUE40