248789_diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

248789_diversity - Essay Examplenot only includes the traditional categories of race and gender but also commonwealth with disabilities, gays & lesbians and other non-traditional categories considered having diversity of thought or those from the different disciplines, college degrees, socio-economic backgrounds etc.It was Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. who inspired the concept of diversity when he advocated that people should be judged by their character, not by the color of their skin. This propelled lawmakers to come up with laws that provide equal opportunity to all. (MOR BARAK, M. E., 2000)These laws have been designed protect anyone from being discriminated against by reason of sex, married status, ethnic or national origin, color, race, nationality, age, disability, religion, and differing terms of employment, including pay for jobs of equal value.As of now, an escalating number of European firms are implementing diversity and equality strategies not only for principled and lega l reasons but also for the trade benefits they are anticipated to deliver. Amongst the most imperative of these benefits are enhanced employee recruitment and employee retention from a broad puss of superior quality workforce, better corporate icon and repute, better innovation and improved promotion opportunities.The term Equal opportunity refers to a situation where a person is entitled to equal access in society. Equal opportunities approach is premised on the principle that all people are eligible to avail real rights or privileges like education, employment, health care or other welfare services without any discrimination or any preference. Different organizations now maintain various equal opportunity practices which consist of a number of means adopted to provide fair conditions for all their members in the process of employment and work. (GILL KIRTON, A. M. G., 2000) This electric current trend of the embracing of diversity has given birth to the concept of the inclusive