Explore the CIPD's collected perspective on key inclusion and diversity issues, including recommendations, supporting evidence and links to resources for policymakers and employers.
Inclusion and diversity
Learn how to promote equal opportunities and manage inclusion and diversity in the workplace

Diversity recognises that, though people have things in common with each other, they are also different many ways. Inclusion is where those differences are seen as a benefit, and where perspectives and differences are shared, leading to better decisions. Everyone should have a right to equal access to employment and, when employed, should have equal pay and equal access to training and development. Here you’ll find information on equal opportunities, managing inclusion and diversity.
CIPD viewpoint
Reports
Managing multicultural teams
This report highlights the role managers play in helping to facilitate more inclusive, empathetic working styles in multicultural teams
Flexible working, teleworking and diversity
Examine the evidence behind the claim that flexible working arrangements support inclusion and diversity
Race inclusion reports
This series of reports outlines how employers can act to improve race inclusion in the workplace
Inclusion at work: perspectives on LGBT+ working lives
CIPD research highlights the key barriers and enablers to help people professionals improve LGBT+ workplace inclusion
Diversity management that works: summary of recommendations
Develop an evidence-based view of D&I by exploring our research report and practitioner-focused recommendations
Diversity and inclusion at work: facing up to the business case
Our new report assesses the evidence on the outcomes of diversity at work and how organisations can tackle these to make work an equal business
Barriers to BAME employee career progression to the top
Offers insight, support and guidance for employers and examines barriers to access and progression within their business context
Creating longer, more fulfilling working lives
Discover the policy frameworks and initiatives on offer to support older workers in the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany and the UK
The impact of quotas and targets on diversity
A discussion of the pros and cons of quotas and other affirmative action policies, reviewing evidence from politics education and the workplace
Insights into managing an age-diverse workforce
Employee perspectives on age diversity at work, with recommendations for employers and summary interviews from case study organisations
Gender diversity in the boardroom
Explore HR practitioners’ perspectives on gender diversity in the boardroom
Age diversity in SMEs: reaping the benefits
Explore SME attitudes to mature employees and an age-diverse workforce, age diversity benefits and challenges, and support for the extension of working lives
Views on managing an age-diverse workforce
An examination of the issues relating to managing an age-diverse workforce, comparing employee and employer/HR perspectives
Guides
Ethnicity pay reporting: a guide for UK employers
Guidance on navigating voluntary ethnicity pay reporting
Inclusion top tips for hybrid working
Make use of our top tips on inclusion for hybrid working
Developing an anti-racism strategy
Explore the six principles the CIPD recommends to help you create a racially inclusive workplace
How to set up an ERG for black and ethnic minority employees
Eight steps to help employers establish an employee resource group (ERG) for black and ethnic minority employees, including the business case for doing so
How to talk about race at work
Principles, steps and considerations for organisations on how to have conversations about race with their employees
How to source diverse suppliers
Advice for organisations on how to source diverse suppliers for your business
A guide to establishing staff networks
Practical advice and case studies for organisations and their employees working to establish, improve or run an effective staff network.
Meeting the BITC Race at Work Charter
Practical advice to meet the seven calls to action and tackle ethnic disparities in the workplace
Five actions you can take to foster inclusion
We outline five areas in which people professionals can take action to build inclusion in the workplace
Anti-racism guide for line managers
Advice for line managers on how they can play their part in tackling racism in their organisation
Engaging with leaders on anti-racism strategy
Advice on how people professionals can engage with senior leaders on inclusion and anti-racism strategy
Understanding inclusion in your organisation
Use our inclusion health checker tool to help you build an inclusive workplace
Neurodiversity at work
Learn more about neurodiversity, the benefits for organisations, and how to support neurodivergent people to be comfortable and successful at work
Course: Working inclusively
This course explains the importance of working inclusively. It will help you to develop this key behaviour to achieve positive outcomes in your role
Podcasts
Neurodiversity: a vital aspect of workplace inclusion
Episode 152: What is neurodiversity, what are the benefits for your organisation, and how can you create a neurodiverse-friendly workplace where people can thrive?
Why is it so hard to talk about BAME?
Episode 137: We look at why organisations find it more difficult to talk about BAME diversity than gender diversity and HR’s role in supporting change.
LGBT+ at work
Episode 112: The episodes in this month’s mini-series focus on the experiences of professionals in the LGBT community, the challenges they’ve faced and the role they believe HR can play in developing inclusive workplaces.
Boardroom diversity
Episode 104: Should businesses have mandatory quotas for women in senior positions? HR and diversity experts give their views on gender diversity, how far businesses have come and how far they have still to go.
Thinking strategically about age diversity
Episode 88: Are different generations really that different in the workplace? This episode discusses how organisations can support different generations of workers and think strategically about age diversity.
Have employers got the skills to employ young people?
Episode 78: Does your organisation have the skills to support young workers? This episode looks at what businesses and HR could and should be doing to boost working opportunities for young people.
Factsheets
Inclusion and diversity in the workplace
Understand what inclusion and diversity mean in the workplace and how an effective I&D strategy can support business
Inclusion Calendar
Inclusion Calendar 2022
This online calendar, produced in partnership with Diversiton, is for individual CIPD members’ own personal use and highlights over 240 important dates including holy days, religious festivals, health and well-being awareness days, special events and bank holidays.

Disability Confident employer
The CIPD is a Disability Confident Leader. We work with the DWP and lead the way in changing attitudes towards disability, and to encourage all employers to provide opportunities to ensure that people with disabilities and those with long-term health conditions are able to fulfil their potential at work. We regularly review our own people practices and approaches to ensure that our workplace is as open, diverse, accessible and inclusive as possible.
The CIPD's EmbRACE group
Encouraging conversations about race, to promote understanding and to collaborate with the wider organisation to create a healthy and inclusive working environment
Championing inclusion of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities
The LGBT+ and Friends group came together in August 2016 to improve diversity and inclusion of LGBT identities at the CIPD