ƒ Tailor the I&D strategy to maximize local impact. Lastly, leading companies we spoke to recognize that while there is an imperative for an overall consistent direction for their I&D strategy, there is both the opportunity and the need to adapt this to different parts of their businesses and the varying geographic and sociocultural contexts in which they operate. Across several of our researched companies, this translated to a degree of local customization of overall I&D goals and priorities (e.g., reflecting varying regulatory contexts and differing starting points), and differing extents of wider local stakeholder engagement and cross-sector collaboration. In some companies this took the form of active pursuit of an advocacy and anti-discrimination agenda that not only motivated employees but also fostered local partnerships with other companies in the industry. In each instance, global I&D teams were careful to ensure ownership by local teams and business units, while providing adequate central support. While rigorous attention to all four imperatives helps position I&D as an effective enabler in support of a company’s growth agenda, our experience suggests that there are critical areas companies tend to fall short on: these include leadership and management accountability, a fact-based and compelling business case for I&D, and the coherence and prioritization of the resulting action plan. We also found that while progress on representation can be brought about relatively rapidly with the right set of initiatives, embedding inclusion sustainably within the organization can take many years, often requiring action outside the organization. Companies that do this well are able to create a strong corporate ethos that resonates across employee, customer, supplier, investor, and broader stakeholder groups. Companies succeeding on I&D are able to articulate the link between their I&D goals and specific business growth priorities. Delivering through Diversity Delivering impact through I&D 28