The Return on Investment of Social Inclusion: An Evidence Gap Analysis from Developing Countries

Investing in diversity and social inclusion makes good business sense. Yet, the current state of evidence is overwhelmingly drawn from developed countries (in particular the United States). The evidence also has not been systematically mapped, making it hard to establish the business case for firms in developing countries whose capacities and circumstances can be very different. This research has therefore focused on gathering and mapping evidence on the firmlevel benefits of workplace diversity and inclusion in the developing country context and highlighting the evidence gap analysis for the return on investment (ROI) of social inclusion. This work is the foundation for building a business case and providing practical guidance on social inclusion strategies relevant to the private sector in developing countries.

Key Takeaways

• Three pathways from investment in social inclusion to tangible business returns have a significant evidence base in developing countries: safety and gender-based violence prevention, workplace culture and benefits, and talent.

• Evidence was limited for leadership, supply chain diversity, and targeting female consumers.

• Resources continue to emerge and the evidence has not yet caught up with an ongoing global push for greater inclusivity. Five data issues emerged including: limited data availability, quality of existing literature, and limited evidence from micro, small and medium sized companies.

• Five recommendations for the way forward – including expanding the evidence base past gender and women’s empowerment into broader areas of social inclusion and findings ways to document and share “hidden data” from companies – are highlighted.

Source: USAID
Year: 2021