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Definition
We are all different and bring different views and skills to the workplace. More and more companies recognise that this diversity is critical to business success. Nowhere is this more true than Asia. With the focus on continued growth and enhanced business performance, companies in Asia need to ensure they have access to the best ideas and the brightest talent ¡V regardless of what shape or form it comes in. Inclusion is about creating a workplace environment free from prejudice and discrimination so that all ¡V regardless of gender, culture, religion, age for example - can contribute their full potential.

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Our Expertise
Community Business has established itself as a leader in the field of diversity and inclusion in Asia. We are dedicated to progressing the discussion on diversity, understanding the challenges and issues facing companies operating in the region and making the link between diversity and enhanced business performance. We look to raise awareness of issues ¡V often ones that are rarely addressed, in order to facilitate discussion and bring about change. We look at gender issues, Asian culture, generational differences and the impact of Generation Y, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity in the workplace. We publish research and hold events around the region. In addition to providing member companies with access to our Diversity Briefing Series we provide diversity training and consultancy for members and non-members including: facilitating focus group discussions, conducting company specific research on diversity, delivering diversity training and developing diversity case studies for use in Asia.

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Key Initiatives

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION IN ASIA CONFERENCE
Community Business successfully launched the first Diversity & Inclusion in Asia Conference in November 2005 and has held subsequent conferences in June 2007, November 2008 and November 2010. The event attracts senior business leaders and diversity professionals from across the region and has become the primary forum for discussion on diversity in the workplace in Asia.

Diversity & Inclusion in India Forum
Community Business organised the first Diversity & Inclusion in India Forum in 2011 with the theme ¡§Leveraging Diversity in Asia to Drive Performance ¡V India Voice¡¨. The goal of this forum was to bring a truly Asian perspective to the discussion of diversity with a focus on business issues specific to India. For further information, please refer to the Forum website.

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DIVERSITY & INCLUSION IN ASIA NETWORK
Community Business launched the Diversity & Inclusion in Asia Network (DIAN) in March 2008 in direct response to interest expressed by the growing number of companies looking to develop their diversity strategies in Asia. It was felt that there was a need for a professional forum that focused on diversity issues specifically as they relate to companies operating in Asia. 

DIAN has grown over the years from 13 Founding Members in 2008 to 30 member companies in 2011, spanning all industries. The Network meets regularly to network, learn and share best practice.  Member companies also work together to produce a tangible output each year that will go some way to progressing the discussion of diversity and inclusion in the region. To date this has included the first ¡¥Gender Diversity Benchmark Report for Asia¡¦, research on ¡¥Ageing: Impact on Companies in Asia¡¦ and a study on culture entitled ¡¥Bringing Out the Best in Asian Talent¡¦ to be launched in March 2011.

To become a member of the Network or to find out more, please click here.


GENDER DIVERSITY BENCHMARK FOR ASIA
In March 2009, Community Business launched the first Gender Diversity Benchmark for Asia (link). This research tracks the participation of women at different levels of the organisation within 10 leading multinational companies in China, India, Japan and Singapore, providing a valuable starting point for companies looking to track their own performance in terms of promoting gender diversity.

In July 2011, thanks to sponsorship from Shell International BV, Community Business has conducted the second Gender Diversity Benchmark for Asia.  Adopting the same methodology, the study has been extended to six geographies in Asia ¡V the original four plus Hong Kong and Malaysia and includes 21 participating companies. To access the report of the latest study, please click here.

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Country Views

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION IN ASIA COUNTRY VIEWS  - REPORTS AND WEBINAR SERIES 2012
 With sponsorship from Bank of American Merrill Lynch, Community Business is launching a brand new series of reports covering key diversity and inclusion issues in 5 markets across Asia.  The Diversity & Inclusion in Asia Country Views include: China, Hong Kong, India, Japan and Singapore.

These new reports are designed for business managers and those responsible for their D&I strategies in Asia.  Each one provides an overview of the cultural and legal context for diversity and inclusion in each market and focuses on the key areas of gender, culture, generations, disability and sexual orientation and gender identity.

To promote these reports, Community Business is running a Webinar Series during February – March 2012. Participants of the Webinars will receive a complimentary copy of the related report. To register please click here. For more information contact Amanda Yik at amanda@communitybusiness.org.
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Disability Campaign
Community Business believes that companies can do more to promote disability equality within their organisations. As such it is running a disability campaign to help the corporate sector understand how disability affects every aspect of business. For More information, please visit the Disability Campaign Website.
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Campaign: Creating Inclusive Workplaces for LGBT Employees
Following the launch its LGBT Resource Guide for Employers in Hong Kong, Community Business ran a ¡¥Creating Inclusive Workplaces for LGBT Employees¡¦ Campaign in Hong Kong. This Campaign involved a programme of activities designed to raise awareness of LGBT as a business issue and drive the adoption of best practice by companies in Hong Kong. For more information, please visit the LGBT Campaign Website.

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Publications

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Gender Diversity Benchmark for Asia 2011
Sponsored by: Shell
Author: Shalini Mahtani and Anne Marie Francesco
Published: July 2011
Available in English

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Disability Towards Disability Confidence - A Resource Guide for Emplouyers in Hong Kong and Singapore
Sponsored by:
Lead Sponsor: American Express
Other Corporate Sponsors: Accenture, Barclays Capital, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, Herbert Smith, Moody's, Nomura, PepsiCo AMEA
Author: Kate Vernon
Published: April 2011
Available in
English
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Bringing Out the Best in Asian Talent
Sponsored by: Accenture, American Express, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital, Bloomberg, Cisco, Coca-Cola, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, Herbert Smith, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Linklaters, Moody's, Nomura, PepsiCo International- Asia, The Royal Bank of Scotland, Shell International BV, Standard Chartered Bank and Thomson Reuters.
Author: Aparna Banerji, Kate Vernon, & Amanda Yik
Published: March 2011
Available in English
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Standard Chartered Bank: Women on Corporate Boards in India 2010 Report
Sponsored by: Standard Chartered Bank
Authors: Shalini Mahtani & Aparna Banerji, Community Business and Dr Ruth Sealy and Professor Susan Vinnicombe, International Centre for Women Leaders, Cranfield School of Management
Published: September 2010
For more information
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Creating Inclusive Workplaces for LGBT Employees
Sponsors: Goldman Sachs and IBM
Author: Shalini Mahtani & Kate Vernon
Published: June 2010
For more information
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Ageing: Impact on Companies in Asia
Sponsored by: American Express, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital, Cisco, Coca-Cola, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo International- Asia, The Royal Bank of Scotland, Pfizer, Shell and Standard Chartered Bank.Author: Kate Vernon
Published: March 2010
For more information

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Women on Boards: Hang Seng Index 2009
Sponsored by: Standard Chartered Bank
Author: Shalini Mahtani & Kate Vernon
Published: Nov 2009
For more information

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Mentoring Programmes in Asia - A Summary of Facilitated Discussion
Author: Shalini Mahtani & Kate Vernon
Published: May 2009
For more information


Gender Diversity Benchmark Report for Asia
Sponsored by: American Express
Published: March 2009
For more information

Hong Kong Disability Resource Guide
Sponsored by: Merrill Lynch
In Partnership with: The Hong Kong Council of Social Services, Hong Kong Joint Council for People with Disabilities
Published: November 2008
For more information

The Power of Employee Networks ¡V Experiences in Asia
Sponsored by: Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Thomson Reuters
Author: Kate Vernon
Published: November 2008
For more information

Diversity & Inclusion: A Lever for Solving Talent Pool Dilemmas in India and China
Author: Shalini Mahtani
Published: June 2007
For more information

Diversity Priorities in Asia: Challenges and Ways to Impact Change
Author: Kate Vernon
Published: January 2008
For more information

Diversity in Asia: Pressing Issues and Barriers
Author: Shalini Mahtani & Kate Vernon
Published: March 2006
For more information

Women Leaders in Hong Kong ¡V Insights into their workplace experiences
Sponsored by: BP
Author: Shalini Mahtani
Published: March 2005
For more information


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Key Contact
To find out more information about Diversity & Inclusion, please contact:

Winnie Ng, Diversity and Inclusion Manager
Tel: +852 2152 1889
winnie@communitybusiness.org

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