By Brian Grim
I’ll make a presentation, Unity in Diversity: Daring to Overcome the Barriers that Divide. Indeed, polarization is on the rise In countries around the world often fueled by narratives that suggest minorities are a threat to historic majorities. Such narratives view diversity as a liability rather than an asset. What is often overlooked is the economic benefits of engaged pluralism, which we refer to as covenantal pluralism.
In societies where people’s right to belief and behave according to their beliefs are protected and respected, development is much more sustainable largely because such societies are not only more innovative, but are more peaceful – a critical condition for sustainable development. These findings not only apply at the macro level, but at the micro level. Specifically, a growing number of businesses are embracing culturally inclusive workplaces, celebrating the backgrounds and cultural identities of all employees.
Indeed, in a business (or any organization), a culture of belonging and inclusion is associated with high performance, less attrition, better recruitment of talent, and bottom line success. This presentation will give examples from some of the biggest and best global corporations, showing how these principles work and can position any organization, community or country for success.