Diversity, equality and inclusion are good for the car business

14 months have passed since we entered Automotive news Presents our first monthly report dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion in the industry, DE&I at Work. And in today’s issue, we celebrate 18 difference makers in our second annual Diversity Awards.

While corporate offices, factories, showrooms, service and repair shops, and financial institutions that underwrite auto purchases are all corners of the automotive industry that recognize why creating a diverse, fair, and inclusive workplace is key, efforts still need to be met at times. with resistance.

We hear arguments suggesting that DE&I policies are a form of reverse discrimination that may violate the rights of others. I’m not a lawyer, but I’m sure multi-billion dollar corporations, each with an army of qualified lawyers, would be quick to deny DE&I’s illegal actions.

Many companies that are interested in DE&I – General Motors, Honda Motors, and Mercedes-Benz, to name a few – have released publicly available reports detailing the demographics of their workforces and executive ranks, and setting goals for doing business. Minority and women-owned vendors.

Let’s make one thing clear: it is discriminatory and exclusionary treatment. not at all DE&I score. The point is to open the door to qualified people of different races, genders, religions, sexualities, geographic regions and professional backgrounds who cannot even get a foothold due to the implicit biases of decision makers. Why is it so important to have a diverse workforce? Because customers and business partners and competitors come from different backgrounds and understanding them is good business.