In a tough economic climate, diversity programmes can be seen by some as a “nice to have” rather than an essential function of your business. But when the market is hard, it’s more important than ever to attract and retain top performers, keep your employees engaged and continue to foster innovation, agility and resilience.
As we watch diversity initiatives disappear in the US and learn about a new members bill to remove diversity, equity and inclusion regulations here in New Zealand, The Diversity Agenda is doubling down on DEI.
The evidence is clear – studies by McKinsey and Company show that companies with ethnic and gender diverse leadership are 36% more likely to outperform their peers financially. Companies that embrace diversity are better equipped to understand and serve a range of customers, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. Diverse teams bring different perspectives and ideas, fostering creativity and driving innovation.
When your people feel valued and included, they are more likely to be motivated and committed to their work. They’ll want to stay, which leads to higher productivity and better outcomes for your business.
In Aotearoa, we understand that diversity isn’t just a buzzword – it is a fundamental aspect of our identity and a key driver of success.
The Diversity Agenda’s commitment to DEI is unwavering, and we are proud to lead the charge in making engineering and architecture better professions for all – women, Māori, Pacific Peoples, LGBTQIA+, disabled, neurodiverse and others.
We know diverse teams consistently outperform, benefiting our people, our teams and our communities – at The Diversity Agenda, our members are leading the way.
More than 50 engineering firms and architecture practices across New Zealand have signed the Diversity Agenda Accord, which shows their commitment to creating inclusive workplaces where everyone feels valued and respected. These signatories, ranging from large firms to smaller practices, are actively breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for underrepresented groups in Aotearoa.
A key focus for these businesses is the retention of women in senior leadership roles, with a measure of this being no gender pay gap. In 2024, our signatories demonstrated their commitment to this goal by closing the gender pay equity gap (all genders in the same role receiving the same pay) – the gender pay equity gap fell from 5.6% in 2023 to 0.4% in 2024.
Change is possible, but it requires strong leadership and a variety of approaches to drive systemic, sustainable change. There’s still a lot of work to do, and The Diversity Agenda will continue to raise awareness and empower people by creating networks, sharing success stories, offering learning opportunities, and providing tools to help accelerate progress.
The time is now.
Let’s keep the momentum going. Your voice, your leadership, and your commitment matter more than ever.
