Diversity is the Answer to High Performance By Sneha Shah, Managing Director for Thomson Reuters Africa After the volatility and unpredictability of 2016, most business leaders are concerned about ensuring strong performance in 2017 in an increasingly dynamic environment. Diversity, whether of gender, race, age, nationality or experience, can be the answer for many organizations. Research shows that companies that invest in talent, and focus on attracting and retaining diverse employees foster greater innovation, flexibility, stronger stock performance and better long-term profitability. Thomson Reuters launched a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Index in 2016, ranking the top 100 publicly traded companies globally with the most diverse and inclusive workplaces, as measured by 24 metrics across four key categories: Diversity, Inclusion, People Development and News Controversies. The index was driven by investor demand to look beyond financial data when making investment decisions in an increasingly globalized business environment. The correlation between diversity and performance is evident in this index as well as others such as the Diversity Inc Top 50, now in its 16th year. The connection is a logical one – the more different voices and perspectives at a leadership team table, or on a project team, the more likely it is that risks will be identified earlier, or that creative solutions to problems will be found. Although gender and race diversity are now focus areas for most organizations, some of the other aspects such as disability, sexual orientation and age are less well embedded. These are all important to bear in mind, and in Africa in particular, where 40% of our population is under the age of 14, it is vital to ensure our organizations are benefiting from the youth dividend of the continent.
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