1. By Julie O’Mara, Alan Richter, and 80 Expert Panelists
Global Diversity and Inclusion Benchmarks: Standards for Organizations Around the World  
General Purpose slides for:
Global Diversity and Inclusion Benchmarks: Standards for Organizations Around the World By Julie O’Mara, Alan Richter and 80 Expert Panelists
Note to users of this slide deck: These slides and notes have been created to help you describe the important elements of the GDIB. You are welcome to add, delete, alter, and re-order the slides based on the goals of your presentation and the needs of your audience. There are no activities built into this presentation. It is simply information giving. Additional slides and notes may be available at
The notes for these slides are either instructions of what to cover or key points to make when discussing each slide. Of course, it is best if your presentation is delivered in your own words. And also it is best if you are familiar with the entire GDIB before making a presentation on it.
With this first slide on the screen, you may want to:
• Describe the goals and agenda of your presentation.
• Say “The GDIB is a tool for helping organizations of all types and sizes in all sectors / industries, world regions, cultures, and approaches to D&I – determine strategy and measure progress in managing diversity and fostering inclusion.” It is universal in scope and not limited to multinational organizations or any one sector or approach to diversity.
• Say “It is based on work done by TVA, Tennessee Valley Authority in the US in the 1990s. Julie O’Mara and Alan Richter working with Expert Panelists (more about them later) used that work as a base and in 2006 published GDIB. Then it was updated in 2011 and 2014.”
By Julie O’Mara, Alan Richter, and 80 Expert Panelists
© O’Mara and Richter, 2014

2. Helping to ensure that diversity and inclusion work is done at the highest quality level possible
• The goal for publishing these Benchmarks is to encourage high-quality work in the D&I field, regardless of type of organization or where located.
• Sometimes people in organizations think that diversity and inclusion refers only to how well people get along and/or how much people know about customs and cultures and holidays.
• But high-quality diversity and inclusion can deliver organizational results:
that spark the development of innovative products and services and give the organization a competitive advantage,
that strengthen collaboration which results in smoother operations,
that literally saves lives in some healthcare instances where differences in beliefs can have negative consequences,
that inspire peace building in communities, and
that foster environments where people are retained and able to work at their full capacity.

3. Diversity Definition
The variety of differences and similarities / dimensions among people, such as:
Gender Race/ethnicity
Tribal/indigenous origins Age
Culture Generation
Religion Class/caste
Language Education
Geography Nationality
Disability Sexual orientation
Work style Work experience
Job role and function Thinking style
Personality type
There are three important definitions to know to fully understand Global Diversity and Inclusion Benchmarks: diversity, inclusion, and global.
• All three of these definitions were agreed to by the Expert Panelists (more on them later). You will find – literally – thousands of definitions of diversity and inclusion as well on the Internet. However, this definition has been agreed to by the Expert Panelists, so it is a pretty solid definition worth using.
• Diversity is the wide variety of differences and similarities – referred to as dimensions – among people.
• Listed here are some of the key dimensions.

4. Inclusion Definition
How diversity is leveraged to create a fair, equitable, healthy, and high-performing organization or community where all individuals -- are respected, -- feel engaged and motivated, -- and their contributions toward meeting organizational and societal goals are valued.
The term inclusion has been described by practitioners and scholars in several different ways.
In Global D&I Benchmarks the important quality of inclusion is that it helps create a fair, equitable, healthy, and high-performing organization or community.
And in that organization or community, people are valued.
These are the end-goals.

5. Global Definition and Scope
These Benchmarks apply to all organizations around the world. They are not limited to multinational organizations that work internationally. They are not specific to a country, culture, D&I approach, sector, industry, or size of organization.
• For Global D&I Benchmarks, the definition of global simply means that these Benchmarks can be used around the world by all organizations and communities.
• These benchmarks are not just for organizations that have customers or locations around the world. They apply to all organizations no matter where they are located.

6. GDIB Sponsor: The Diversity Collegium
Think Tank of practitioners, scholars, and leaders Mission: To advance the field of D&I through dialogues, symposia, research, and publications.
• The Diversity Collegium is a group of 25 professionals that has been meeting for more than two decades for the purpose of advancing the work that has come to be known as the field of Diversity and Inclusion.
• Its mission is to advance the field of D&I though dialogues, symposia, research, and publications.
• The Collegium members meet face-to-face twice a year to discuss current issues in the field. They conduct research and prepare papers on current and cutting edge questions.
• Membership in the group is by invitation only and is managed so that a balance of diversity is created among its members including such dimensions as race/ethnicity, industry, gender, and how one practices in the field.
• In late 2013 the membership voted to sponsor GDIB.

7. A Comprehensive Tool
“The Diversity Collegium is particularly pleased to sponsor the GDIB because it is one of the first comprehensive tools to explain what creating inclusive systems and managing diversity entails. We appreciate that the tool represents the best thinking of 80 experts around the world.” “Extremely significant is that it is free for anyone to use.”
• The Collegium was especially pleased to sponsor the Benchmarks, not only because it helps meet the Collegium mission, but because it is one of the first comprehensive tools to explain what creating inclusive systems and managing diversity entails, but also because it is free and available to be used by anyone in the world. Permission to use is required, though – more about that later.

8. Research / Expert Panelists
GDIB represents the collective viewpoints of the Expert Panelists.
Selected by the authors from recommendations based on criteria of breadth and depth in D&I.
Practitioners, scholars, authors from a variety of diversity dimensions, backgrounds, and areas of expertise.
Research process involved several rounds of review and analysis.
• The Expert Panelists (EP) were carefully selected by the authors based on their collective experience – many being well-known practitioners, authors, and researchers in the field. Most of the EP are doing comprehensive D&I work in aspects of their environment around the world. A few were added because of their special expertise in compensation, measurement or supplier diversity for example.
• The research is based on the collective opinions of the EP. The research process involved several rounds of review, discussion, editing, and reaching consensus. The authors take responsibility for final decisions made.
• The diversity in background and experience of the EP greatly enhances this collective viewpoint. Some are practitioners, some are scholars, and some are both. They represent a significant array of diversity dimensions as listed earlier in the definition of diversity.
• The next round of research is planned for 2015 with a new version to be published in 2016.
Note to presenter: Be prepared to name a few EP. They are listed in the GDIB. We suggest naming EP that you believe your audience would know and respect most. At times you may be presenting to an audience where one of the EP might be present. Try to determine that in advance and notify the EP that you plan to acknowledge that they are present.

9. D&I Conceptual Frameworks
Social Justice / Social Cohesion / Fairness and Equity / Overcoming Oppression
Cultural Competence / Multiculturalism / Interculturalism
Organization Development / Strategic Diversity Management
Legal and Compliance
Social Responsibility
• In addition to the Global D&I Benchmarks covering a variety of organizational sizes, sectors, industries, regions of the world, dimensions of diversity, and so forth …. It also applies to a variety of ways that individuals and organizations use to approach D&I work.
• Here are the five major Conceptual Frameworks that the EP focused on for this work.

10. A benchmark is: An organizational standard of performance,
Usually stated as an end result or outcome.
Benchmarking helps people in organizations achieve high-quality results or aspirations.
Presenter: Please read the slide completely as many people are not really clear what benchmarks are. •  Synonyms for the word benchmark, as we use it in GDIB, include standard, milestone, yardstick, and criterion for success. •  Usually an organization sets annual goals designed to move steadily toward reaching higher benchmarks.  It may take several years and many activities to achieve the highest level benchmarks. •  For example the very first benchmark at 100 percent in the first Category on Vision, Strategy, and Business Case states that “D&I has become embedded in the culture of the organization.”  For that benchmark to be reached, many specific activities will need to have been completed — including those in training, accountability, ongoing communication, and so forth. • Once a benchmark is reached, the organization must be committed to maintaining that standard in the years to come – or it may set even higher standards. • Benchmarks at the highest levels are called best practices. In GDIB they are those at the 100 percent level. • Because organizations are different types and sizes and in different sectors and sometimes  locations, the specific benchmarks will vary for each organization. Therefore the Global Diversity and Inclusion Benchmarks may need to be adjusted given your specific organization. •  We should mention competencies in this discussion.  They are not the same as benchmarks.  Competencies are important markers to assure that quality work is done.  Competencies are the skills, knowledge, and ability that people need to achieve the benchmarks.

11. 5 Benchmarks at 100% Level in Leadership and Accountability
Category 2: LEADERSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY 100% level  Management performance, pay, bonuses, and promotions are tied to a variety of D&I indicators. Leaders are accountable for implementing the D&I strategy in all areas of the organization.  Senior leaders are seen as change agents and role models and inspire others to take individual responsibility and become role models themselves. They routinely discuss the importance of D&I as a core organizational strategy, and provide consistent, visible leadership.
On the next two slides we show 5 benchmarks. They are from Category 2: Leadership and Accountability and are at the 100 percent level.
These five benchmarks describe the end result or outcome of the highest quality leadership and accountability in an organization or community.

12. 5 Benchmarks … (continued)
 Leaders and board members publicly support diversity-related initiatives, even if they are perceived to be controversial.  Leaders and board members understand that the work of D&I is systemic and designed to strengthen the organization’s culture. They are fully committed to the organization’s D&I work.  In surveys, a large majority of employees across a range of diversity dimensions rate their leaders as treating them fairly and inclusively.
Continued…

13. More Benchmark Examples
Category 1: D&I VISION, STRATEGY, AND BUSINESS CASE
At 50%
 D&I individual behaviors and expectations that help achieve the strategy are known by all employees.
Category 4: RECRUITMENT, DEVELOPMENT, AND ADVANCEMENT
At 75%
 Recruitment includes advertising on diversity-focused career websites, using social media, and networking with internal and external diversity groups.
These next two slides show 4 more examples of benchmarks. While the previous slide showed 5 benchmarks that are all at the 100 percent or best practices in one category, this slide shows one of the several benchmarks in 4 different categories.
We’ve selected benchmarks at the 50, 75 or 100 percent level so that you can see the difference.
We aren’t showing benchmarks at the 0 or 25 percent level as they are starting points. Work at the 50 percent level is considered adequate and will be quite acceptable in many organizations, but those desiring to do best practices work will want to be at the 75 or 100 percent level.

14. More Benchmark Examples (contd.)
Category 9: D&I COMMUNICATONS
At 100%
 Annual reports objectively cover progress on reaching D&I vision and goals.
Category 11: PRODUCTS AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
At 75%
 The organization leverages diverse teams knowing that it will greatly improve the quality and innovation of products and services.
Continued ….
Now, let’s paint a picture of the entire scope of Global Diversity and Inclusion Benchmarks by showing you the GDIB Model which brings the elements of GDIB together.

15. GDIB Model
• We selected the equilateral triangle to depict the GDIB for the following reasons:
-- It demonstrates approaching D&I systemically—many parts working together.
-- It symbolizes equality and strength – two tenets of diversity and inclusion.
-- It shows the relationship among the four groups of the Benchmarks and their 13 categories.
-- The lines separating the four groups are dashes symbolizing permeability emphasizing that all four groups operate as a system interacting with each other.
• Most organizations will need to determine priorities based on the importance of each category to its mission.

16. 13 Categories in Four Groups
Foundation
Bridging
D&I Vision, Strategy, and Business Case
Leadership and Accountability
Infrastructure and Implementation
Assessment, Measurement, and Research
D&I Communications
Internal
External
• Foundation Benchmarks are those used initially and throughout to build and sustain a D&I initiative.
• Internal Benchmarks focus on systems and processes that strengthen how the organization operates and how the effectiveness of people is increased.
• Bridging Benchmarks are critical linkages that bridge foundational work with the internal and external focus of D&I in the organization.
• External Benchmarks relate to how the organization offers its products and services and interacts with its customers and other stakeholders.
Let me give you two examples of what we mean by D&I working as a comprehensive system.
Example 1 of operating as a system: For recruitment (Internal) to be successful, the organization must have excellent relationships with the community (External), and communications efforts (bridging) both inside and outside the organization need to strong.
Example 2 of operating as a system: Customer Service (External) will be enhanced with excellent D&I education and training (Internal) that is reinforced when leaders are held accountable (Foundation) for the relevance and effectiveness of the training.
For most organizations work will need to be done in all categories simultaneously as activities must reinforce each other. The groups and categories are not sequential – you don’t start with one, then go to two and three and so forth. The benchmarks in various categories interact to support or reinforce each other.
Recruitment, Development, and Advancement
Benefits, Work-Life, and Flexibility
Job Design, Classification, and Compensation
D&I Education and Training
Community, Government Relations, and Social Responsibility
Products and Services Development
Marketing, Sales, Distribution, and Customer Service
Supplier Diversity

17. The Levels 0% D&I work not done
Each Category has Benchmarks in 5 levels:
0% D&I work not done
25% Compliance mindset
50% Beginning programs
75% Seeing D&I systemically / a robust approach
100% Current best practices
• Identifying the level the organization has attained in each category can help the organization determine how fully it is leveraging D&I to make it a more successful organization.
• The levels indicate progress toward the best practices in that category.
• Through either an intuitive or statistical scoring process (Note to presenter: This is described in the GDIB. If you make this statement be sure you understand the mechanics of the scoring process in case someone asks a question.) you are able to indicate which level the organization falls into on each of the categories. Then a decision as to which level – for each category – the organization desires to be within in a specific period of time can be made and then actions selected to make progress.
• We suggest avoiding making a general statement that the organization is at a certain level overall. This probably isn’t accurate as most organizations will be a different level in different categories. It is also highly likely that in medium and large organizations there will be differences between divisions, regions, and other organization groups.
• There are a total of 280 Benchmarks. Each of the 13 categories contain from 18 to 27 Benchmarks in five levels. The levels indicate progress toward the best practices – 100 percent – in each category. The 13 categories are in 4 groups: Foundation, Bridging, Internal and External as shown on the GDIB model. In total there are 74 best practices – benchmarks at the 100 percent level -- among the 13 categories.

18. Uses of Benchmarks in Your Organization:
To set and stretch standards
To assess the current state of D&I
To engage employees
To determine short-term and long-term goals
To measure progress
To assist in hiring D&I staff & consultants
There are at least six ways to use the Benchmarks.
(Read the six ways.)
These uses include strategic assessments and planning for your organization to enable you to do quality D&I work and thereby improve the overall performance of your organization.
Another important aspect of the GDIB is that the authors allow organizations to customize it to adjust to language that the organization uses – such as replacing the word “employees” with “associates” or changing terms or statement so they contain more “corporate” language or “community” language or specific industry language. However changes such as moving a benchmark that is currently in the 50 percent level into the 100 percent level would change the integrity of GDIB. If you have questions about customizing, please contact the authors.

19. Use and Permissions
Global Diversity and Inclusion Benchmarks (GDIB) is distributed as a PDF document. Permission to use this tool will be granted at no cost by signing an agreement with the authors.
To download the GDIB, for the Permissions Agreement, and additional tools and resources, go to:
Julie O’Mara Alan Richter .
The goal of the authors, the Expert Panelists, and The Diversity Collegium is to see the Benchmarks used as a tool to increase the quality of diversity and inclusion work.
Global Diversity and Inclusion Benchmarks: Standards for Organizations Around the World is meant to be shared. Please distribute widely. You are encouraged to forward it to others around the world. You may do that without asking permission.
However, because The Diversity Collegium and the authors want to ensure appropriate and consistent use and track and engage users for the purposes of continuous improvement, you are required to get permission to put it on your website or use it in any way.
And they also ask you to keep them posted on how you are using the GDIB and to offer suggestions for updates or additional tools that would help you.
We wish you well in advancing the quality of D&I work around the world.
Questions?