Business Imperative
Diversity embodies all the differences—life experiences, work experiences, perspectives, cultures, ethnicity, gender, and other aspects of life—that make us unique individuals. Inclusion is about building an environment where these differences are welcomed, valued and appreciated. An inclusive environment encourages all employees to contribute their unique perspectives and capabilities; it helps to fully engage a diverse workforce in achieving superior business results. Inclusion fosters trust, the cornerstone for risking new ideas and for generating employee perceptions of win-win value creation for themselves and Duke Energy. It allows employees to end the day with a sense of accomplishment and having made a difference—powerful motivators that draw out each person’s best performance.
Diversity and inclusion are hallmarks of top performing companies.
According to the Academy of Management Journal, companies with diverse management teams show superior performance. In a survey of Fortune 1000 firms and “Top 100 Companies to Work For” by the Society for Human Resource Management and Fortune magazine, respondents reported gains in culture, morale, productivity, creativity, and the bottom line from diversity efforts. Ample evidence on employee preferences shows that perceptions of diversity and inclusion impact a person’s work satisfaction and company commitment—which translates into lower retention and recruiting costs and higher organizational performance.
