--- .... - ---------- -- - -- - -- - - -­ THE W 0 R LOB A N K G R 0 U P The Junction WHERE ALL THINGS DIVERSITY & INCLUSION COME TOGETHER FOR CHANGE Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized ...to Inclusion and Human Equity Diversity speaker Trevor Wilson animated a thought-provoking session during the Information Solutions Network (ISN) Forum in 2009 that challenged participants to value individual differences in their day-to-day work. Why would the ISN host a session on diversity and inclusion (D&I)? After all, this cluster of about 1,000 staff across the Bank Group is tasked with managing the institution's information and technology-no small feat. "IT at its best is a business enabler, not a compromise an organization's capacity to commodity," said Elisa Liberatori-Prati, achieve its goals. "You can have tolerance the Bank Group's Chief Archivist and, along without respect," said Wilson, who has with Ryan Jones, ISN's D&I Coordinator. been a professional diversity consultant "Along these lines, D&1 has this same for more than 20 years and worked with potential to breathe life into our operations thousands of companies. "We need to in a way that vastly improves what we do." value people because of their differences, and move way beyond mere tolerance." Just like a fickle network connection or ineffective firewall, a poor approach to Likewise, an organization can have nR. T kcaJ~C: I":ln I~:lv~ c:t::lff !:tvmi~d ::Ind div~r dtv withollt indlldnn Indllsinnl_____ is about creating a climate where diversity and make it part of our DNA , diversity is valued. In an inclusive we make valuable progress." environment each person is recognized and developed, and their talents are The end goal is to become an "inclusive routinely tapped into. The World Bank and equitable organization," which hires Group is poised at a threshold. Will the the right person for the job every time, institution continue to make progress and completely leverages the full talents integrating 0&1 issues, or revert of every employee. Are any organizations to past practices? there yet? "Well, there might be a few one-person companies that are doing the In the past, assimilation meant that job," he joked . differences were ignored, and organizations tended to treat employees the same. Wilson recounted personal vignettes that The focus was on fitting in . were both insightful and comic. Born in ((We need to value people because oftheir differences, and move way beyond mere tolerance." Trevor Wilson "Equality means sameness. When we treat England to a Jamaican father and Indian people equally, we ignore differences," mother, he became a Canadian citizen emphasized Wilson. as a schoolboy. As a result, negotiating the precarious fault lines of identity "On the other hand, equity is fairness . and belonging has proved a lifelong When we treat people equitably, challenge-and opportunity. we recognize differences." These days, organizations tend to require that staff The session turned interactive as Wilson tolerate diversity. The focus is likely opened up the floor: "Do we create a to be on righting historical wrongs, climate of inclusiveness within ISN? but the approach is still group-focused. Is ISN a place where talented people In the future, Wilson suggested, choose to work because they feel they reaching human equity-in which have 'a place at the organizational organizations value the breadth table' that matters?" of talents of all staff-will require true inclusion. Individual differences The packed Preston Auditorium hummed are not only recognized, but also with the distinctive sound of a hundred systematically valued, and therefore vigorous, hushed conversations. become fundamentally important. Here, the keepers of World Bank IT were reflecting, evaluating, reinventing. Wilson outlined an "equity continuum," "I don't care if diversity, inclusion, which provided historical perspective: respect, and dignity are on every wall "Affirmative action moved organizations of this place," concluded Wilson, slowly from denial to compliance. And corporate gesturing to the four winds. "I want social responsibility has moved us you to live it." peyond compliance. "More recently, a focus on diversity has moved us to acknowledge the business case. And as we continue to integrate 5 societal imbalance. Through the absence of option would be particularly impactful of a strong program of paternity leave, in the Bank Group's country offices, where organizations send a powerful message many staff commute long distances. to the employee: "A child is the wife's responsibility. We do not expect fatherhood Another is daycare, which has been to interrupt men's work, or to be a priority proven to reduce staff missed days for our male employees. For new fathers, by up to 30 percent and dramatically we expect business as usual." (The Bank reduce costly staff turnover. A workplace Group currently offers "up to five days" "sniffle room" allows a parent (usually of paternity leave for each childbirth the mother) to stay when a child is too or adoption.) sick to go to school, but not so ill that he or she requires a parent's undivided "It perpetuates an outdated and largely attention. Finally, dedicated physicians unviable paradigm," said Fels. For work, (either at work or nearby) reduce life, and balance Fels proposed options commutes and improve organizational to improve both the bottom line and health. This increases both work gender parity in the workplace, including efficiency and time with family. improved programs in housing, daycare, and health. Employees could opt to pay The choice is clear: a business culture that for the services that appeal to them . continues to place "a firewall between One such option is more housing avail­ work and home powerfully privileges male able close to the office, which reduces over female employees," concluded Fels. commutes and permits spouses to see family more. Ultimately, the rewards are manifold. "In this transformation," urged Fels, During a lively give-and-take after the "you can provide an international example keynote, it became obvious that this sort of gender equality in the workplace." 8 The event provided the opporlunity for interaction and' discussion between Bank staff and the panel. 10 and progress. The Ambassador-at-Large which focuses on women as drivers of called for a response that is commensurate economic growth. "The Bank has worked to with the seriousness of the problem: identify those obstacles in society, like the "First and foremost, we need to lack of land tenure rights, the lack of property understand violence against women as rights, all kinds of regulations and laws that not solely a woman's issue, but one that preclude women from participating as they is also about international human might in the economies of their country." rights, economic productivity, and social stability. This means that we Verveer used compelling examples from need everyone's engagement." the United States, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Verveer highlighted a Bank initiative, others. She closed by calling for successful Women's Equality Equals Smart Economics, programs to be scaled up worldwide. 11 isability and Development Team (D&D] is ta D&D Team Lead, Aleksandra Posarac, said we generate evidence-based knowledge on nsure that disability aspects are included i d third, we foster internal and external pa g the well-being of people with disability and their Entering World Bank Employment: Diversity & Inclusion At Work Bank orientations, as they go, are exciting times. New staff rush from event to event Learning the ropes and making new friends. These days, part of that process touches on diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the Bank. Back in the faLL, Senior Program Officer Joy Searcie and HR Officer Hamish Hay Led one of their customary interactive sessions with about 40 new staff. TIME, CULTURE, AND VIEW POINTS all difference is respected and valued, "If you have a rigid orientation to time, and where all staff can contribute to the please stand closer to the door, to the mission and achieve their full potential." right," declared Searcie, herself wasting no And corporate policies support that goal. time beginning the exercise. "If you have a more flexible time orientation, please stand WORLD BANK GROUP POLICY AND D&I closer to the computer, to the left. And if The Bank Group's Articles ofAgreement call ·'We should havemo re tim efo r you fall in the middle, move along the line for recruiting on as wide a geographical thissor t of thing :· sa id lilian Pena. to an approximate point." basis as possible. The Board has identified indicators and set targets. Beyond diversity After some interim jockeying, the united targets, there is an institutional em phasis colors of Bank staff stood at attention­ on inclusion-how our diverse workforce is willing participants in a time-continuum effectively managed in meeting that goal. exercise. Some predictable results emerged : a German to the far right, a couple of Latin Management teams of all Vice Presidencies ·· Know ing that lhere is a corpo rate Americans trending left. have signed a D&I Compact; and Senior view tos up por t dive rsity is important"· Management vets an annual strategy. The sa id Domin iqu eNj inkeu. "How you do feel working with people on strategy's four main elements are: leader­ the other side?" asked Hay, eliciting some ship and accountability; reform of key staff­ to the importance of being flexible knowing coughs and laughter. New staff ing processes, such as recruitment, perfor­ and understanding different cultures from Algeria, Brazil, Chile, the Dominican mance management, and mobility; learning of the Bank. Each of us needs to Republic, France, Germany, Kenya, and in support of behavior change, including adapt to fit into this organization." South Africa shared perspectives.