The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in Innovation – Impact Hub Manila
Since the Stonewall Riots of 1969, June has been synonymous with Pride Month. That means uplifting LGBTQ+ voices, celebrating the community, and supporting their equal rights. While half a century has seen a lot of progress, there is still much more to do that goes beyond a single month a year.
The United Nations (UN) created the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a road map for a better world by 2030. Their central, transformative promise is to “leave no one behind.” They see equality and non-discrimination at the core of our better world.
“I will always fight for the equality of the LGBT members of our human family,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon once said. “There is no room in our 21st century for discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.”
He acknowledged how, despite our differences, we are all part of a single human family. But, today, there are still many who are discriminated against based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, and, or, gender expression (SOGIE). Individuals in the LGBTQ+ community may still struggle to feel included in the workplace and in life. Around the world, they fight against discriminatory laws and social prejudices. While many may see Pride as a month of celebration, there are still those who experience Pride as an everyday battle.
“The ‘leave no one behind’ principle is especially relevant for LGBT people who have been repeatedly left behind by national and international development initiatives,” writes the British LGBT rights charity Stonewall. “Discriminatory laws, projects that don’t acknowledge their specific needs and negative social attitudes have all combined to hold LGBT people back.”
It is SDG 10 that specifically addresses reducing inequality. The targets include promoting universal inclusion, as well as ensuring equal opportunities, and ending discrimination for all. All of this underlies the very essence of sustainable development.
There are various types of inequalities and forms of discrimination. People experience them every day. But they are all based on the false premise that we should be ashamed of, or shame others, because of what makes us different.
Recognizing and leveraging on our human differences. Drawing from both shared and individual experiences. Looking through a collection of our unique perspectives. Diversity has empowered society to innovate, create, and thrive. Discrimination and unjust treatment based on SOGIE can only hurt and hinder progress.
Just ask the CEO of the world’s most innovative company, Apple. In 2014, Tim Cook publicly came out in an opinion piece he wrote for Bloomberg Business. While acknowledging that he is usually a private person, through the piece and its openness he hoped to help provide comfort and strength to those struggling.
“I’ve had the good fortune to work at a company that loves creativity and innovation and knows it can only flourish when you embrace people’s differences,” he wrote at the time. “Not everyone is so lucky.”
Five years later, Cook shared he had no regrets about publishing the piece.
In an interview with People en Español, he continued to discuss how diversity is important to spur creativity and innovation: “We know that we create better products by being more diverse. We know the best products are created by the most diverse teams because products are created for everyone. So you want people with a different lens on the world and on different subjects to get together to create. And if you could have these ideas in a collaborative environment, there’s no limit to what you can create.”
By Kerry Tinga