Gender and Diversity Made e-Easy

The online Inclusive Workplace e-Resource Center puts the System’s best foot forward regarding developing and managing diversity in the workplace

The Gender and Diversity Program (G&D) of the System Office of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) has launched its most comprehensive project ever. The Inclusive Workplace e-Resource Center is an online tool featuring the CGIAR’s best ideas for developing and managing diversity across a global workforce.

“I’m happy to acknowledge that many of the featured practices are drawn from the good work of CGIAR Centers,” reports G&D leader Vicki Wilde. “We’ve put them all together in one place and made them easy to access. No more long documents — each topic is available in a short downloadable file. Our users can go straight to the information they need.”

The Inclusive Workplace e-Resource Center was created to support Centers’ efforts to achieve their own gender and diversity goals. But, in the same spirit of Centers’ sharing their scientific information globally, G&D has made this new resource freely available to all. It is designed to strengthen the hand of senior management, human resource professionals and all staff working in international organizations who wish to help create the best possible multicultural workplaces.

Although the e-resource center is still a work in progress, the launch of two major sections, Diversity-Positive Recruitment and Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination, e licited many positive responses from users within and beyond the CGIAR. It also saw a tremendous 65% increase in usage of the G&D website.

“Many congratulations on the Inclusive Workplace e-Resource Center,” comments Pamela Warnock, social advisor for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. “This is a true demonstration of G&D’s commitment to issues of diversity. Once again, the beauty and scope of G&D’s work is an inspiration.”

“Congratulations!” adds John Fitzsimon, director of the CGIAR Internal Audit. “The glorious G&D inclusive workplace ‘onion’ is now there for one and all to enjoy. I’ve admired it as an organizing method from the minute you unveiled it as a prototype last year.”

Each section of the e-resource center is a hot topic in itself, providing a model policy, a series of related good practices, and tips and tools for implementation. The Diversity-Positive Recruitment section features world-class recruitment practices and step-by-step advice on everything from drafting job announcements that will attract responses from women and nationals of developing countries, to conducting interviews that are both fair and diversity-positive. It also features G&D’s top ten recommendations for posting CGIAR job announcements.

In the section on Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination, users can tap into guidance about the interlinked roles of senior management, line supervisors and human resources. It also features a victim’s guide, but G&D’s advice emphasizes practices that should help prevent harassment and discrimination from occurring in the first place.

“When it comes to workplace harassment, prevention is best,” stresses Wilde. “Most Centers already have a policy for dealing with harassment after it occurs. But, without more attention to prevention, Centers are open to a fair amount of risk.”

Several additional diversity topics are under development and will be progressively loaded into the e-resource center. Coming later this year are G&D’s recommendations for providing a flexible workplace and accommodating spouses and other partners. For more information please visit http://www.genderdiversity.cgiar.org/inclusiveworkplace/index.htm.