From McKinsey & Company. Diversity Wins is the third report in a McKinsey series investigating the business case for diversity, following Why diversity matters (2015) and Delivering through diversity (2018). This latest report shows not only that the business case remains robust but also that the relationship between diversity on executive teams and the likelihood of financial outperformance has strengthened over time. These findings emerge from their largest data set so far, encompassing 15 countries and more than 1,000 large companies. By incorporating a “social listening” analysis of employee sentiment in online reviews, the report also provides new insights into how inclusion matters. It shows that companies should pay much greater attention to inclusion, even when they are relatively diverse.

From Morgan Stanley. Building a truly inclusive society will require concerted action across governments, nonprofits, corporations and investors. We increasingly understand the benefits of advancing racial equity, but aren’t necessarily aware of the available tools for investors to pursue this goal. Whether considering restriction screening, promoting diverse ownership and representation, or delving into shareholder engagement and reporting, advancing racial equity through investment capital is a journey of discovery, understanding and action.

From Top 1000 Funds. Assessing, managing and changing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is set to become the data issue of the 2020s, as investors turn their attention to the power they have to advocate for change in the companies they invest in, and the firms that manage their money.

From the Bank of England. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Bank of England are seeking views on regulatory plans to improve diversity and inclusion in financial services.

In a discussion paper, the Bank of England has set out policy options including, among others, the use of targets for representation, measures to make senior leaders directly accountable for diversity and inclusion in their firms, linking remuneration to diversity and inclusion metrics and the regulators’ approach to considering diversity and inclusion in non-financial misconduct. The discussion paper also focuses on the importance of data and disclosure in order to enable firms, regulators and other stakeholders to monitor progress.

From EQUALS. ​​​ITU and UNU-CS have been conducting research since May 2016 to map projects that address the gender digital divide. The first output of this project is the Gender Digital Inclusion Map, an interactive visualisation tool which can be consulted to discover initiatives that are working towards bridging the gender digital divide around the world. The aim has been to identify key organizations working in this domain, and to eventually understand what constitutes best practice among such projects. This research is part of EQUALS, the Global Partnership for Gender Equality in the Digital Age.

From USAID. Countries around the world are in the midst of a historic digital transition. The rapid development and adoption of digital technology is transforming industries, governments, economies, and societies. Digital ecosystems—the stakeholders, systems, and enabling environment that together empower people and communities to use digital technology to access services, engage with each other, or pursue economic opportunities—hold immense potential to help people live more free and prosperous lives. At the same time, digital transformation comes with the risk of increasing inequality. Despite the global prevalence of mobile phones and the Internet, the reality in many communities does not yet reflect the potential of a digital ecosystem that drives sustainable and equitable growth, often excluding vulnerable and marginalized groups. The USAID Digital Strategy aims to strengthen open, inclusive, and secure digital ecosystems in each country where they work. Through the Digital Strategy, the Agency is further demonstrating its commitment to closing the gender digital divide, by building awareness and capacity of USAID staff, partners, and partner countries to overcome the barriers to women’s access and meaningful use of digital technology. No country will be self-reliant if all members of its citizenry cannot benefit equally from the gains of a global digital ecosystem.

From the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Today the digital transformation provides new avenues for the economic empowerment of women and can contribute to greater gender equality. The Internet, digital platforms, mobile phones and digital financial services offer “leapfrog” opportunities for all and can help bridge the divide by giving women the possibility to earn additional income, increase their employment opportunities, and access knowledge and general information. We need to seize this opportunity to foster greater gender equality in the labour market, boost economic growth and build a more inclusive, digital world.

This report explores a range of factors that underpin the digital gender divide, bolsters the evidence base for policy making and provides policy directions for consideration by all G20 governments. The report finds that hurdles to access, affordability, lack of education as well as inherent biases and sociocultural norms curtail women and girls’ ability to benefit from the opportunities offered by the digital transformation. In addition, girls’ relatively lower educational enrolment in disciplines that would allow them to perform well in a digital world – such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as information and communication technologies – coupled with women’s and girls’ more limited use of digital tools could lead to widening gaps and greater inequality.

By Alina Sorgner, Gloria Mayne, Judith Mariscal, and Urvashi Aneja. Despite the headway the world has experienced over the years in terms of a substantial increase in digital access, there are still significant challenges to overcome in ensuring women are included in the transformation to a digital society and leapfrogging productivity and social development. Efforts to increase internet adoption access through broadband plans and legislative reforms have yielded improvements in use and adoption. However, a stark gender inequality is pervasive in terms of access, ownership of digital devices, digital fluency as well as the capacity to make meaningful use of the access to technology. Even though affordability is a key source of exclusion, there are also significant socio-cultural norms that restrict access for women. This policy brief brings forward the argument that access alone is not enough, women need agency and capacity to leverage access. We thus highlight the need to make an assessment of the global gender gap and develop meaningful indicators that contribute to the design and implementation of effective policies that drive adoption. We need effective promotion of women´s digital adoption not only from the government but from the private sector and civil society to lead the digital adoption for women of best practices around the world.

From Root Capital. This report documents Root Capital’s GLI journey, capturing the organization’s goals and motivations, path toward realizing those goals, challenges faced, results of the work, factors behind success, and key learning. It describes Root Capital’s entry points to GLI, and how the organization gradually proceeded to embed gender across its programs and operations.

Key audiences for this report include those who aspire to increase their exposure to GLI practices and potentially adopt approaches in their own organizations, as well as the organizations they support and partner with. Insights will be most relevant for:

• Impact investors, especially those with an agricultural focus;

• Organizations promoting gender equity in rural communities; and

• Development donors and investors.

The report highlights best practice examples, tools, and strategies from Root Capital’s experience that investors and donors can tailor to their specific contexts and priorities.

From ImpactAlpha. Investors and executives can lead in many ways as they seek to fulfill their often heartfelt pledges to advance racial justice and dismantle systemic racism. One of the most effective and scalable: use their voices and lobbying power to advocate for policies that reduce racialized inequality and increase investments in Black communities, businesses, workers and people. Such policies, says Oakland-based think tank PolicyLink, are analogous to street corner curb cuts. Just as ramps and wheelchair access for people with disabilities benefit parents with strollers, travelers with roller-bags, skateboarders and bicyclists, “intentional investments in Black Americans have benefits that cascade out, improving the lives of all struggling people as well as regional economies and the nation as a whole.”

From Project Implicit. Here you will have the opportunity to assess your conscious and unconscious preferences for over 90 different topics ranging from pets to political issues, ethnic groups to sports teams, and entertainers to styles of music. At the same time, you will be assisting psychological research on thoughts and feelings.

Sessions require 10-15 minutes to complete. Each time you begin a session you will be randomly assigned to a topic. Try one or do them all! At the end of the session, you will get some information about the study and a summary of your results. We hope that you will find the experience interesting and informative.

From Rockefeller Brothers Fund. The trustees and staff of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund express their commitment to the values of diversity and equity in the Fund’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement adopted in 2010. This commitment recognizes the Fund’s moral obligation to do its part to address past and current injustices to groups that have been historically disadvantaged and socially, politically, and economically marginalized. Their commitment is shaped by our values, our work, and the philanthropic traditions of the Rockefeller family.

From Rockefeller Brothers Fund. The purpose of this policy is to guide the Rockefeller Brothers Fund Board of Trustees, Investment Committee, and Outsourced Chief Investment Office (Agility) in effectively and prudently managing, monitoring, and evaluating the Fund's investment portfolio. The Rockefeller Brothers Fund has worked over the last decade to align its financial portfolio with its programmatic interests in democratic practice, peacebuilding, and sustainable development. The Fund’s Mission-Aligned Investment efforts include divestment from fossil fuels, impact investments, investing using environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, and leveraging shareholder rights.

From the Urban Energy Justice Lab at University of Michigan’s School for Environment & Sustainability. At a moment when climate action and clean energy programs are expanding rapidly, it is imperative that access to the benefits of these programs are distributed equitably, particularly for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) and frontline communities historically overburdened by the costs and pollution of our energy system. Historically, the energy sector echoes racial and class disparities in housing, education, and economic development. Despite the semblance of uniform utility rates and ubiquitous service, the negative outcomes of power shut-offs and cost burdens— and the positive benefits of weatherization, retrofits, and renewable energy— are not evenly distributed.

The Energy Equity Project will create a framework for measuring equity across energy efficiency and clean energy programs among utilities, state regulatory agencies, and other practitioners, while engaging and centering BIPOC and frontline communities. An equity measurement framework, launching in beta form in 2022, will serve environmental and climate justice advocates, practitioners, regulatory agencies, and utilities to drive more equitable investments and outcomes in energy efficiency, distributed generation and storage (i.e. solar + batteries), demand response, electrification, and electric vehicle infrastructure.

From the Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and global protests against racial injustice have shed light on the deep and widening nature of structural racism in the European Union (EU). The EU’s increased attention and political commitments in response to BLM protests, including the adoption of the EU Anti-Racism Action Plan, are welcome developments after a decade of limited action in the field of racial justice.

This heightened grassroots, political and institutional attention to structural racism in Europe presents an opportunity for the EU to change course and provide a meaningful route toward equality and justice.

However, the actions undertaken will only be effective in achieving racial justice and meaningful progress if they address structural and institutional racism and include racialised communities in such efforts. This requires a significant shift in EU policy, to better reflect the needs and reality of the situation of racialised communities in Europe today.

To achieve this, Equinox proposes a new policy approach to addressing structural racism and inequality in the EU. This report focuses on specific recommendations for change within EU institutions. Equinox will soon release recommendations on the major “racial justice focal points” for EU policy: climate and environmental justice, gender, law enforcement, and migration.

This paper outlines the main institutional changes that need to take place for the EU to implement structural change for racialised communities in the EU.

From Commonfund. A U.S. capitalist system where approximately one percent of all capital is managed by women and people of color, who make up 70 percent of the population, perpetuates and increases inequality and drags down our whole economy. Recently, Ford Foundation and Commonfund Institute hosted a discussion with peers who are at the forefront of the investing in diverse managers effort. During this virtual session, panelists shared the experiences of their own institutions allocating capital to diverse managers, the benefits of investing in diverse managers, challenges they've encountered and resources they've found helpful.