-Deloitte survey: 49% of business leaders believe that innovation and idea generation top outcomes from inclusive leadership

26 March 2013 - According to Deloitte's fifth annual International Women's Day (IWD) webcast survey, innovation and idea generation are the most significant  advantages to organizations that embrace inclusive leadership to improve gender diversity (49 percent of respondents), followed by increased employee engagement (28 percent), and greater retention and advancement of women (15 percent).

The survey of 720 business leaders from 42 countries across the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the Americas explored the concept of inclusive leadership - behaviors, policies and practices designed to successfully manage diversity and allow for greater inclusion - and its impact on improved gender equality and organizational performance.

Fifty-one percent of those surveyed said inclusive leadership is a key area of focus for their organization.  However, 41 percent felt the main barrier to inclusive leadership was a failure by organizations to recognize the return on investment from having a diverse workforce.

Rana Ghandour Salhab, Talent and Communications partner at Deloitte Middle East commented: "The survey respondents indicated that companies that recognize the importance of gender diversity will reap the rewards. Traditional approaches to diversity are getting women in the door and fostering retention and development, but we are still not seeing women advance to leadership positions quickly enough.

"Inclusion is a critical element required to better empower and advance women to top-level positions in the private and public sectors. In the Middle East, these transformations are just getting started, and there is a lot more to be done. It is important to involve men in the conversation, and continually challenge long-held assumptions and traditional ways of working in order to accelerate progress. Businesses simply will not be able to remain competitive and innovative if they do not employ a diverse workforce."

Women in the boardroom report

In addition, Deloitte released the third edition of the "Women in the Boardroom: A Global Perspective," report, which outlined that organizations would benefit from increased participation from shareholders on gender diversity discussions in the boardroom.

The report examined initiatives in 25 countries aimed at increasing the number of women in boardroom positions around the world, highlighting a variety of approaches to support diversity on boards, including requiring more disclosure on diversity policies, setting targets, and implementing quotas. The report found a large discrepancy among countries regarding the most efficient way to increase the number of women occupying boardroom positions.

International Women's Day

Deloitte has long championed International Women's Day (IWD) in the Middle East, using it as a platform to raise awareness both within the firm and amongst external communities on women empowerment and advancement.  During the March 4 to 10 week, Deloitte ME promoted women advancement as well as leveraged the 2013 Deloitte IWD webcast by creating a two-way engaging social media campaign. .On the Deloitte Middle East Facebook page, women leaders and employees at the firm shared their stories on career challenges, advancement, achievements, family and community work. In addition, the Deloitte Middle East Matters blog hosted Deloitte women leaders in the Middle East region who authored blogs to share their views and experiences on women advancement.  These included:

-          'The other face of Saudi Women' by Kholoud Mousa, Audit partner

-          'Arab women role models or no role models, that is... the dilemma?' by Rana Salhab, Talent and Communications partner

-          'Being a successful professional or a home maker' by Arati Marya, Audit principal

-          'Do it properly, or not at all' by Cynthia Corby, Audit partner

-          'It's not CSI - A woman in the world of forensic accounting' by Jacqui Record, Financial Advisory director

-          'The Promise of Work/Life Balance' by Nada Maalouf, Audit partner

-          'Family Business - survival of the fittest' by Paula Morris, Head of Private Client and Family Office Services International and M&A Tax

-Ends-

About DTTL's commitment to diversity and inclusion
DTTL was a founding signatory to UN Women's Empowerment Principles (WEP), launched by the United Nations Women and the United Nations Global Compact. DTTL is also a member of the IM WEP Leadership Group, which was created to help further promote the principles.

DTTL and its member firms also contribute to the ongoing diversity and inclusion dialogue via thought leadership. This year, the DTTL Center for Corporate Governance issued its annual report, Women in the Boardroom: A global perspective. Additionally, the DTTL Global Diversity team collaborated with Forbes Insights on its report Diversity & Inclusion: Unlocking Global Potential, which features a Deloitte member firm case study.

For more information about the Deloitte global network's IWD and diversity and inclusion activities, and to access a recording of the webcast, visit www.deloitte.com/iwd

About Deloitte & Touche (M.E.):
Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) is a member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL) and is the first Arab professional services firm established in the Middle East region with uninterrupted presence for over 85 years. Deloitte is among the region's leading professional services firms, providing audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services through 26 offices in 15 countries with over 2,500 partners, directors and staff.  It is a Tier 1 Tax advisor in the GCC region (International Tax Review World Tax 2010, 2011 and 2012 Rankings) and was recognized as the 2010 Best Consulting Firm of the Year in the Complinet GCC Compliance Awards. In 2011, the firm received the Middle East Training & Development Excellence Award by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

About Deloitte:
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see www.deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and its member firms. Deloitte provides audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. With a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries, Deloitte brings world-class capabilities and high-quality service to clients, delivering the insights they need to address their most complex business challenges. Deloitte has in the region of 200,000 professionals, all committed to becoming the standard of excellence. Deloitte's professionals are unified by a collaborative culture that fosters integrity, outstanding value to markets and clients, commitment to each other, and strength from cultural diversity. They enjoy an environment of continuous learning, challenging experiences, and enriching career opportunities. Deloitte's professionals are dedicated to strengthening corporate responsibility, building public trust, and making a positive impact in their communities.

Contact: Ceem Haidar
Title: Public Relations Regional Leader
Deloitte Middle East
Tel: 00961. 1. 748 444
Email: chaidar@deloitte.com

© Press Release 2013