Awareness of diversity started to develop within the Asia-Pacific region in the early 2000s, but in the present day, understanding and application of diversity and inclusion in Asia still varies widely across the region.
Executive Summary
Companies in the Asia-Pacific region are increasingly aware of the importance of having diverse and inclusive workplaces. In contrast to the Western World, however, inclusion and harmony were the initial focus in Asia, while Western companies started down this road with an emphasis on making their workforces more diverse.Even the meaning of the terminology can be a topic of debate. In some countries within Asia, diversity and inclusion as an expression and practice remains in the shadows, while in others, it is addressed under different names and translations. For example, Singapore-based companies use the phrase “fair employment practices,” while the mention of “diversity and inclusion” in Japan or India suggests gender-focused ideas.
