Economic Development Now

“Diversity is more than just a buzzword, it’s at the root of innovation and technological advancement,” says Dr. Gary May, chancellor of the University of California, Davis, and national commissioner of the Council on Competitiveness. “Without diversity we see design flaws and innovations that omit women and people of color.”

May points to airbags designed for men and automatic faucets and soap dispensers designed to recognize lighter skin tones as examples of innovations without inclusion in mind. Other products that were historically designed without a diversity perspective include crayons, bandages, hair and beauty products, clothing, and eyeglasses.

May emphasizes the need to grow diversity in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, where currently only 6 percent of working scientists and engineers are Hispanic and only 5 percent are Black. Delaware presents examples of programs that are targeting this issue: the Delaware Prosperity Partnership recently received a grant to create a more diverse tech talent pipeline at all levels and in a variety of industries across the state, and the Future of Chemistry Scholarship provides $40,000 awards to students pursuing STEM degrees at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Fortune echoes May’s sentiments and offers three ways corporate leaders can ensure workplace diversity and inclusion efforts have a lasting impact:

Have honest conversations. Begin the process of removing unconscious bias by encouraging employees to share their challenges and experiences both in and outside of the workplace.

Diversify your board with members of varied backgrounds and skills.

Integrate diversity and inclusion into long-term strategy. Diversity and inclusion should be treated like any important business objective, with measurable goals and progress reports.