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Ensuring employees have the knowledge, skills and experience to fulfil individual and organisational needs and ambitions
Specialist knowledge
Diversity and inclusion
Creating inclusive cultures where individuals can thrive
This area is about creating an environment and practices where individuals can be themselves and be supported to work at their best. It’s about knowing and going beyond the basic legislative and compliance requirements to create and implement approaches that ensure individuals flourish, whilst also enabling organisations to fulfil their responsibilities.
Additionally, it’s about understanding and demonstrating the value that diversity and inclusion can bring to all stakeholders across organisations and societies.
Creating a truly inclusive environment requires the integration of inclusion and diversity into polices, processes and the wider organisation system.
Mencap case study: Recruiting from the heart
How a team with boundless dedication managed to transform the way the Royal Mencap Society finds and keeps its people. Read Mencap's story.
'As organisations have increasingly recognised the business benefits – and moral imperative – for diversifying their workforces, we have seen the rise of the D&I professional.'
Yetunde Hofmann, Leadership consultant and CIPD Board member
Diversity and inclusion standards
Each standard progresses through four levels of impact. Which level do you most embody in your day-to-day work?
Foundation level
At this level you'll understand:
- The difference between diversity and inclusion
- How diversity and inclusion principles are built into your organisation’s people practices
- Your organisation’s monitoring and reporting requirements for diversity and inclusion
- Diversity and inclusion legislation relevant to your organisation
- What is meant by creating an inclusive environment
Associate level
At this level you'll understand:
- Your organisation’s diversity and inclusion approaches and how to advise others on them
- How to integrate diversity and inclusion principles into people practices
- How to carry out your organisation’s monitoring and reporting requirements for diversity and inclusion
- Diversity and inclusion legislation, and how to advise others on application of legislation
- Factors which can positively or negatively impact inclusive environments
Chartered Member level
At this level you'll understand:
- How to design and deliver diversity and inclusion approaches which create shared purpose in the organisation
- How to integrate diversity and inclusion into wider organisation approaches
- How to assess organisation compliance of diversity and inclusion
- Diversity and inclusion legislation, and how to integrate into people and organisation policy frameworks
- How to create an inclusive culture where all individuals feel supported to work at their best
Chartered Fellow level
At this level you'll understand:
- How to integrate diversity and inclusion approaches into the people and organisation strategy
- How to drive a systemic approach to diversity and inclusion across the organisation
- How to use insights regarding diversity and inclusion compliance to assess risk and shape organisation priorities
- How to input into developments in diversity and inclusion legislation
- The value organisations place on inclusivity and the value it creates for organisations
Things to start thinking about
Use these prompts to reflect on your understanding of Diversity and inclusion and uncover areas for future professional development.
- Do employees, customers and the wider public view your organisation as inclusive? What measures do you use to understand this?
- What diversity and inclusion practices take place to enable all individuals to thrive?
- When did you last undertake an audit to ensure compliance with diversity and inclusion practices?
Resources to guide your work, career planning and development, available on the CIPD's main site.
- Barriers to BAME employee career progression to the top - Report
- Diversity and inclusion in the workplace - Factsheet
- Gender diversity in the boardroom - Report
- Neurodiversity at work - Report
- Thinking strategically about age diversity - Podcast
- The impact of quotas and targets on diversity - Report
Continue to Learning and development