The Inclusion Imperative: How Real Inclusion Creates Better Business and Builds Better Societies

by Stephen Frost

Overview

The Inclusion Imperative showcases the inspiring commitment to inclusion the London Olympic and Paralympic Games' organizing committee espoused, and details the techniques and frameworks that enabled it to truly deliver a 'Games for everyone' at London 2012. Diversity and inclusion expert, Stephen Frost, challenges preconceived ideas and strives to inspire professionals to tackle inclusion in their organizations with courage, creativity and talent. With highly relatable examples, The Inclusion Imperative constitutes the best argument to convince sceptics that real diversity and inclusion can deliver more engaged employees and customers, improved employee recruitment and retention, increase productivity and better group decision-making processes. Real inclusion saves money and improves efficiency in the systems of an organisation, making the world a better place as a by-product. Building on concepts that include Diversity 3.0, detailed process journeys, and procurement governance, this is a must-read for HR and diversity officers frustrated with the guidance currently available, as well as for anyone who recognizes the legacy of the 2012 Games in fostering a tolerant and diverse society.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780749471309
Publisher:	Kogan Page, Ltd.
Publication date:	02/03/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Stephen Frost is a leadership, communications and inclusion expert. He was formerly Head of Diversity and Inclusion for the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) 2007-2012, and is currently a Visiting Fellow with the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School. He is also Vice President (Diversity) of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Table of Contents

List of figures
List of tables
About the author
Acknowledgements

Foreword
Desmond Tutu

Introduction
Paul Deighton, Tanni Grey-Thompson and Jean Tomlin

PART ONE Courage
01 Inside the tent: the seven stages of life in an organising committee
02 Outside the tent: the Olympic and Paralympic movements
03 Re-defining Diversity and Inclusion
04 The real business case for action

PART TWO Creativity
05 The process
06 Understand
07 Lead
08 Deliver
09 The interventions
10 Workforce
11 Procurement
12 Service delivery

PART THREE Talent
13 200,000 people: the workforce story
14 2,700 footballs and 22 tape measures: the procurement story
15 Logo and mascots
16 Who got tickets?
17 Education and the Cultural Olympiad
18 The Torch Relay
19 Use your LOAF: accessibility inside the tent
20 Transport, screening and a walk along the South Bank: accessibility outside the tent
21 Trapped in polyester
22 The ceremonies

PART FOUR Legacy
23 The theory: what have we learned?
24 The tools: game-changers
25 The lessons: failures
26 The applications: no more excuses

Appendices
References
Index
Dedication

Editorial Reviews

"Phenomenal - I have never seen such a holistic, strategic and effective mandate for organisational change."

Harvard Kennedy School - Iris Bohnet

"One more sceptic converted, one more step to real inclusion, one step closer to improving the state of the world. I implore any senior executive who cares about wider society to read this book."

World Economic Forum - Klaus Schwab

"This is the book on diversity we've all been waiting for. The fact it has never been undertaken before is an indictment on business. The fact it now can be applied, offers me hope."

London Organising Committee of the Olympic & Paralympic Games - Lord Deighton

"Frost first describes how the concept of diversity has evolved from a zero-sum practice involving quotas and compliance into a proactive strategy of bringing people of diverse ethnicity, nationality, socio-economic backgrounds, physical capabilities, religious backgrounds, ages, and sexual orientations to the discussion to improve the quality of decision making and increase productivity. ...I strongly recommend this well-organized book to corporate managers, especially those who are involved in planning for expansion or staffing a workforce. I also recommend it to anyone who has an interest in how the notion of diversity in the workplace has evolved into a better concept of inclusion, a concept that puts people into an improved position where they can enjoy their work and increase their productivity."

Readers' Favorite - Michael McManus

"The Inclusion Imperative has opened up a whole new way of thinking about how we work together in the modern world. We are using it as a guidebook for how to organize large projects here in Minnesota, like our plans to host the 2023 World’s Fair EXPO, in ways that change the communities they touch for the better. ...It is inspiring because it is based on the actual experience of one of the largest and most successful global projects ever undertaken and it is so helpful by giving specific ideas, advice, and suggestions applicable to all of the challenges we face- no matter how small or large."

Secretary of State, Minnesota - Mark Ritchie

"The Inclusion Imperative has something for everyone. For executive leaders or those new to the Diversity and Inclusion profession, it is a definite read, especially those in the business/corporate sector. Frost's reporting of data and research helps anyone who is working on developing an inclusion strategy. For those like myself, who are from the higher education sector, the book adds to the chorus and volumes of diversity research that is decades old; however, Frost frames diversity and inclusion in new, compelling ways that can aid our mandates and give it new life. Overall, I highly recommend the book."

Institutional Diversity Blog