Diversity still important in recession

Employers still see diversity as an important priority despite the downturn, according to the latest benchmarking survey from Opportunity Now, the business-led organisation that promotes gender equality and diversity.

Its 2008-09 analysis finds that 86% of employers say they are still commiting financial resources to helping create more diverse workplaces, up from 81% in 2006.

The report, Measuring progress: meeting challenges, surveyed practices in 77 major employers in the private and public sectors. It also found that three-quarters (74%) of organisations can make a link between their diversity initiatives and employee engagement.

Meanwhile almost all employers (96%) said they had a senior level leader championing the importance of diversity in their organisation – in almost a fifth (19%) this was the chief executive.