DUBAI: Fast Company Middle East and regional advertising group Middle East Communications Network have released a new white paper highlighting the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion as a powerful driver of creativity, business performance and sustainable economic growth across the Middle East.
Titled “The Middle East’s Inclusive Economy,” the white paper draws on proprietary survey data, statistics and regional case studies to explore the impact of DEI across sectors such as finance, oil and gas, hospitality, healthcare and retail.
The survey, conducted in the first two quarters of this year, found that 85 percent of respondents believe that DEI has had a strong positive impact on industry and regional economic performance.
More than half (53 percent) reported increased participation from underrepresented groups in their workforce, and 76 percent observed higher retention rates when DEI is embedded into company strategy.
A further 76 percent also said that DEI directly contributes to gross domestic product growth and long-term resilience.
