Diversity as a Driver for Innovation

The reason why diversity is becoming more relevant for society as a whole can be attributed to two factors in particular: An increasingly diverse society and working world, and the rising shortage of skilled workers and demographic change. Diversity and innovation are key drivers for responding to this change and creating pioneering cultures for the future of work. This creates an enormous opportunity space for the event industry to actively shape this change. Diversity is the foundation of successful companies. Companies that have recognized the value of diversity and are successfully managing diversity are those that understand that diversity is not a one-time hiring exercise, but an opportunity to transform the future of work.

One of the most important factors driving innovation is a workplace culture that promotes a continuous flow of ideas and leverages the knowledge of the many. A culture in which each individual's voice is heard and an appreciative work environment prevails, will translate directly into employee motivation and willingness to perform. Identification with the company's values, meaningful relationships with colleagues and meaningful work will become more and more central. A culture that is appreciative, recognizing and inclusive is an increasing priority for employers and employees and is reflected in measurable values. According to a McKinsey study, a strong workplace culture not only inspires higher engagement, but also drives performance. In another study by Deloitte, 94% of executives and 88% of employees* consider a distinct workplace culture essential to business success. A study by the Diversity Charter shows that 60% of signatories and respondents believe that diversity is the foundation for economic growth in the future.

Diversity strives for the unrestricted equal treatment of all people in the first place, but beyond that promotes creativity and ensures the growth of ideas and the economy. Diversity is a real business case for the event world that includes a social dimension, but above all an economic success factor.

The character of success lies primarily in the diversity of teams, because the more diverse the teams are in many respects - culture, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, age, experience level, educational background, expertise, etc. - the more likely it is that new ideas will emerge, creativity will be spurred, and new approaches to solutions will be generated as a result of differing opinions and perspectives. These combinations of ideas lead to more unlikely and innovative ideas. Companies with diverse teams are also more likely to understand and serve diverse customers and their needs. In the face of a fluid future with complex challenges, this factor in particular is becoming increasingly important in generating new solutions for Germany as a meeting location. Diversity has the potential to unleash innovations and promote market growth for companies.

At the GCB, we consistently pursue the goal of using the wealth of ideas of the entire team to transform innovative thoughts into concrete projects and drive them forward. In addition to our open innovation platform "Response Room", where everyone can contribute ideas and opinions on innovation topics even outside the GCB and participate in the creation of new concepts, we rely on regular exchange, flexible working time models and an open and appreciative feedback culture. We regard diversity as an important prerequisite for working together and learning from each other. We are convinced that we will be more successful if we use the potential of each individual in order to develop creative future models for Germany as a meetings destination together with our partners. 

https://www.diversity-trends.de/#inhalt  

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nataliapeart/2021/03/17/how-diversity-and-innovation-drive-great-cultures-in-the-future-of-work/ 

https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-organization-blog/culture-4-keys-to-why-it-matters  

https://innovationmanagement.se/2020/10/19/how-does-diversity-and-inclusion-impact-innovation/ 

https://hbr.org/2013/12/how-diversity-can-drive-innovation