As society takes an increasingly open-minded approach towards race , sexuality , gender , disability , age and religion , it is also becoming increasingly essential to understand the difference between true inclusion and true diversity .

Individuals and organisations that attempt to be diverse and inclusive without adequate training / knowledge , may cause a reverse effect . Unintended harm to unprotected groups may result .

True inclusion means ensuring that diverse and under-represented groups or minorities are included in communities , decision-making processes in a company , in government and in general . Being inclusive means that minorities also have decision-making authority .

But what really is INCLUSION and DIVERSITY ?

Inclusion A definition of Inclusion : the act of including someone or something as part of a group , a list , etc and ensuring everyone has equal access to resources .

When discussing minority or discriminated groups , inclusion means having practical methods in place to ensure these groups are included in every level of employment , government , education and in the wider society . This can be in the form of recruitment drives , policy changes or changes to company culture .

Diversity A definition of Diversity : many different types of things or people / a variety of different things or people being included in something .

To embrace diversity , one must include people from different social and ethnic backgrounds , different sexual orientations , gender and also people with disabilities .

The goal of organizations should be to build diverse teams . There have been many studies conducted to understand the benefits of having a diverse team , the results of which have shown improved productivity , progressive brand identity and decreased employee turnover when this is done .

Diversity and Inclusion should be an ongoing conversation for the betterment of underrepresented groups in society .

All of the themes and issues that undermine minority groups in society cannot be solved with a few recruitment drives , or by holding an awareness month here and there .

It can be solved by addressing systemic blockades and removing them , starting with government policy change , employment restructuring from the top down and introducing effective educational tools in educational institutes .