To effectively alleviate prejudices and promote unity at the workplace, diversity must be celebrated. Thus, we’ve compiled the top 100 diversity and inclusion quotes to help you create a bias-free workplace.
Fostering equality and cultural diversity is a top challenge that the entire society is facing at the moment. Businesses and specifically people management can play a significant role in this regard by focusing on the diversity and inclusion policies and strategies in the workplace.
The existence of differences within a particular frame is referred to as diversity. Differences in ethnicity, culture, religion and a variety of other factors can all play a role in the workplace. The practice of ensuring that people with these differences experience a sense of connection and encouragement from the company is referred to as inclusion.
In the workplace, equality is making sure people are given equal opportunities, equal pay, and are well accepted for their differences. It fosters a safe, secure, and inclusive workplace where people with diverse backgrounds can thrive.
Related Article: 15 Activities Of Diversity And Inclusion In The Workplace
Check out 10 Benefits of having workplace diversity:
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- Higher Innovation
- Variety of Different Perspectives
- Increased Creativity
- Faster Problem Solving
- Better Decision Making
- Increased Profits
- Higher Employee Engagement
- Reduced Employee Turnover
- Better Company Reputation
- Improved Hiring Results
Here are 100 Diversity and Inclusion Quotes to inspire a more robust company culture:
1. Edward Kennedy
What divides us pales in comparison to what unites us. ~ Edward Kennedy
2. Jacqueline Woodson
Diversity is about all of us and about us having to figure out how to walk through this world together. ~ Jacqueline Woodson
3. Marco Bizzarri
Diversity and inclusion, which are the real grounds for creativity, must remain at the center of what we do. ~ Marco Bizzarri
4. Arlan Hamilton
If you haven’t hired a team of people who are of color, female, and/or LGBT to actively turn over every stone, to scope out every nook and cranny, to pop out of every bush, to find every qualified underrepresented founder in this country, you’re going to miss out on a lot of money when the rest of the investment world gets it. ~ Arlan Hamilton
5. Martin Luther King, Jr
An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr
6. Catherine Pulsifer
We are all different, which is great because we are all unique. Without diversity, life would be very boring. ~ Catherine Pulsifer
7. Islamic Proverb
A lot of different flowers make a bouquet. ~ Islamic Proverb
8. Alan Joyce
We have a very diverse environment and a very inclusive culture, and those characteristics got us through the tough times. Diversity generated a better strategy, better risk management, better debates, and better outcomes. ~ Alan Joyce
9. Claudia Brind-Woody
Inclusivity means not ‘just we’re allowed to be there,’ but we are valued. I’ve always said: smart teams will do amazing things, but truly diverse teams will do impossible things. ~ Claudia Brind-Woody
10. Max Lerner
In the end, as any successful teacher will tell you, you can only teach the things that you are. If we practice racism then it is racism we teach. ~ Max Lerner
11. Bo Young Lee
D&I needs to be something that every single employee at the company has a stake in. ~ Bo Young Lee
12. Sundar Pichai
A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone. ~ Sundar Pichai
13. Maya Angelou
It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity, there is beauty, and there is strength. ~ Maya Angelou
14. Thomas Berry
The greater the diversity, the greater the perfection. ~ Thomas Berry
15. Mahatma Gandhi
Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization. ~ Mahatma Gandhi
16. Denise Morrison
The path to diversity begins with supporting, mentoring, and sponsoring diverse women and men to become leaders and entrepreneurs. ~ Denise Morrison
17. Mary Parker Follett
Unity, not uniformity, must be our aim. We attain unity only through variety. Differences must be integrated, not annihilated, not absorbed. ~ Mary Parker Follett
18. Audre Lorde
It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences. ~ Audre Lorde
19. Ola Joseph
Diversity is not how we differ. Diversity is about embracing one another’s uniqueness. ~ Ola Joseph
20. Doris Kearns Goodwin
Good leadership requires you to surround yourself with people of diverse perspectives who can disagree with you without fear of retaliation. ~ Doris Kearns Goodwin
21. Alexis Herman
Inclusion and fairness in the workplace… is not simply the right thing to do; it’s the smart thing to do. ~ Alexis Herman
22. Melinda Gates
We all want something to offer. This is how we belong. It’s how we feel included. So if we want to include everyone, we have to help everyone develop their talents and use their gifts for the good of the community. That’s what inclusion means – everyone is a contributes. ~ Melinda Gates
23. Josh Bersin
Companies that embrace diversity and inclusion in all aspects of their business statistically outperform their peers. ~ Josh Bersin
24. Malcolm Forbes
Diversity: the art of thinking independently together. ~ Malcolm Forbes
25. Sheryl Sandberg
We need to resist the tyranny of low expectations. We need to open our eyes to the inequality that remains. We won’t unlock the full potential of the workplace until we see how far from equality we really are. ~ Sheryl Sandberg
26. Stephen R. Covey
Strength lies in differences, not in similarities. ~ Stephen R. Covey
27. Jesse Jackson
Inclusion is not a matter of political correctness. It is the key to growth. ~ Jesse Jackson
28. William Sloane Coffin Jr.
Diversity may be the hardest thing for a society to live with and perhaps the most dangerous thing for a society to be without. ~ William Sloane Coffin Jr.
29. Inga Beale
Many conversations about diversity and inclusion do not happen in the boardroom because people are embarrassed at using unfamiliar words or afraid of saying the wrong thing — yet this is the very place we need to be talking about it. The business case speaks for itself — diverse teams are more innovative and successful in going after new markets.” ~ Inga Beale
30. Pat Wadors
When we listen and celebrate what is both common and different, we become a wiser, more inclusive, and better organization. ~ Pat Wadors
31. Inga Beale
We all have the ability to promote a culture of acceptance and inclusion — and that is something I believe every leader has a responsibility to do. It starts with having a dialogue until we are all comfortable and no longer have the fear of saying the wrong thing. ~ Inga Beale
32. Megan Smith
We know that diversity can sometimes be more uncomfortable because things are less familiar – but it gets the best results. ~ Megan Smith
33. Arlan Hamilton
I do think that treating everyone equally no matter where they come from, no matter who they are and what role they have is a big key because you never know who you’re talking to, really. You never know where they’ve been. You never know where they’re going. So, it just makes a lot of good sense to treat everyone the same and treat them well. ~ Arlan Hamilton
34. Stephanie Lampkin
Gender and racially diverse teams perform better, innovate more, and improve economic quality. ~ Stephanie Lampkin
35. Nellie Borrero
Diversity is a fact, but inclusion is a choice we make every day. As leaders, we have to put out the message that we embrace and not just tolerate diversity. ~ Nellie Borrero
36. Andrea Barrica
What’s often ignored is that diversity is not only a pipeline or recruiting issue. It’s an issue of making the people who do make it through the pipeline want to stay at your company. ~ Andrea Barrica
37. Verna Myers
Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance. ~ Verna Myers
38. Bill Crawford
Diversity, or the state of being different, isn’t the same as inclusion. One is a description of what is, while the other describes a style of interaction essential to effective teams and organizations. ~ Bill Crawford
39. Soichiro Honda
If you hire only those people you understand, the company will never get people better than you are. Always remember that you often find outstanding people among those you don’t particularly like. ~ Soichiro Honda
40. Alex Wilmot-Sitwell
If you haven’t got the best talent, you’re not going to be the best; if you’re not representing properly the available pool of talent, then you’re missing an opportunity. ~ Alex Wilmot-Sitwell
41. Bo Young Lee
Our company needs to be something that every single employee at the company has a stake in. ~ Bo Young Lee
42. Ken Robinson
Human communities depend upon a diversity of talent, not a singular conception of ability. And at the heart of the challenge is to reconstitute our sense of ability and intelligence. ~ Ken Robinson
43. Jordan Peele
We can convince ourselves to do things in conjunction with one another that we wouldn’t have been able to do as an individual. ~ Jordan Peele
44. Martin Luther King Jr.
An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity. ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
45. Jesse Jackson
When everyone is included, everyone wins. ~ Jesse Jackson
46. Maya Angelou
We allow our ignorance to prevail upon us and make us think we can survive alone, alone in patches, alone in groups, alone in races, even alone in genders. ~ Maya Angelou
47. Winston Churchill
Diversity is the one true thing we all have in common. Celebrate it every day. ~ Winston Churchill
48. Hillary Clinton
What we have to do… is to find a way to celebrate our diversity and debate our differences without fracturing our communities. ~ Hillary Clinton
49. Robert Kennedy
Ultimately, America’s answer to the intolerant man is diversity, the very diversity which our heritage of religious freedom has inspired. ~ Robert Kennedy
50. Julie Sweet
We believe our diversity makes us stronger, smarter, and more innovative, helping us better serve the needs of our clients, our people, and our communities. ~ Julie Sweet
51. Tim Berners-Lee
We need diversity of thought in the world to face the new challenges. ~ Tim Berners-Lee
52. Angelina Jolie
Our diversity is our strength. What a dull and pointless life it would be if everyone was the same. ~ Angelina Jolie
53. Jean-Philippe Courtois
While globalization will make the world smaller and more accessible, we must continue to appreciate its vibrant diversity. ~ Jean-Philippe Courtois
54. Antonio Guterres
The fact that societies are becoming increasingly multi-ethnic, multicultural, and multi-religious is good. Diversity is a strength, not a weakness. ~ Antonio Guterres
55. Sam Brownback
A democracy thrives on diversity. Tyranny oppresses it. ~ Sam Brownback
56. David Boies
Embrace a diversity of ideas. Embrace the fact that you can disagree with people and not be disagreeable. Embrace the fact that you can find common ground – if you disagree on nine out of 10 things, but can find common ground on that 10th, maybe you can make progress. If you can find common ground, you can accomplish great things. ~ David Boies
57. Edward Enninful
I can tell you, without diversity, creativity remains stagnant. ~ Edward Enninful
58. Aileen Lee
I think there are many things that we can do today to make it a better work environment that is more supportive and encouraging of diversity. ~ Aileen Lee
59. Juan Felipe Herrera
Diversity really means becoming complete as human beings – all of us. We learn from each other. If you’re missing on that stage, we learn less. We all need to be on that stage. ~ Juan Felipe Herrera
60. Andres Tapia
Diversity is the mix. Inclusion is making the mix work. ~ Andres Tapia
61. Klaus Schwab
Corporate social responsibility is measured in terms of businesses improving conditions for their employees, shareholders, communities, and environment. But moral responsibility goes further, reflecting the need for corporations to address fundamental ethical issues such as inclusion, dignity, and equality. ~ Klaus Schwab
62. Alain Dehaze
Diversity requires commitment. Achieving the superior performance diversity can produce needs further action – most notably, a commitment to develop a culture of inclusion. People do not just need to be different, they need to be fully involved and feel their voices are heard. ~ Alain Dehaze
63. Theodore Melfi
You have a responsibility to make inclusion a daily thought, so we can get rid of the word ‘inclusion.’ ~ Theodore Melfi
64. Williams Crenshaw
Intersectionality has given many advocates a way to frame their circumstances and to fight for their visibility and inclusion. Kimberle ~ Williams Crenshaw
65. Prabal Gurung
I believe in a passion for inclusion. Lady Gaga 66. To me, beauty is inclusion – every size, every color – that’s the world I live in. ~ Prabal Gurung
67. Alain Dehaze
Nurturing an inclusive culture begins in the family. Home is the first place to foster openness and a culture of inclusion. ~ Alain Dehaze
68. Dennis Muilenburg
Our commitment to integrity, our commitment to diversity and inclusion, to respecting our teammates – that’s what makes this business work. ~ Dennis Muilenburg
69. Julie Sweet
I have an unwavering commitment to inclusion and diversity. ~ Julie Sweet
70. Brian Eno
You either believe that people respond to authority, or that they respond to kindness and inclusion. I’m obviously in the latter camp. I think that people respond better to reward than punishment. ~ Brian Eno
71. Dolly Chugh
Inclusion is what happens before and after the official decision sin which people are formally brought into a group. ~ Dolly Chugh
72. Ruth Bader Ginsburg
We will all profit from a more diverse, inclusive society, understanding, accommodating, even celebrating our differences, while pulling together for the common good. ~ Ruth Bader Ginsburg
73. Richie Norton
You deserve a circle of inclusion and influence, but it’s up to you to create it. ~ Richie Norton
74. Gloria D. Gonsalves
Tolerance is not creating characters to suit a particular audience. It’s about inclusion of characters representing our societies. ~ Gloria D. Gonsalves
75. Con Miguel Ruiz
Let’s stop believing that our differences make us superior or inferior to one another. ~ Con Miguel Ruiz
76. Karen Draper
Diversity doesn’t look like anyone. it looks like everyone. ~ Karen Draper
77. Oscar Auliq-Ice
A more diverse future begins with more opportunities. ~ Oscar Auliq-Ice
78. Laurie Buchanan
One of the hallmarks of social wellness is being inclusive, not exclusive, with our friendship. ~ Laurie Buchanan
79. DaShanne Stokes
Urging people to be inclusive is not an attack. It is progress. ~ DaShanne Stokes
80. Laurie Buchanan
INCLUSION—It’s amazing what happens when we allow the flower that is us, the flower that is them, to become part of the bouquet. ~ Laurie Buchanan
81. Leo Tolstoy
I think… if it is true that there are as many minds as there are heads, then there are as many kinds of love as there are hearts. ~ Leo Tolstoy
82. George R.R. Martin
Different roads sometimes lead to the same castle. ~ George R.R. Martin
83. John F. Kennedy
If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. ~ John F. Kennedy
84. Nathaniel Hawthorne
It contributes greatly towards a man’s moral and intellectual health, to be brought into habits of companionship with individuals unlike himself, who care little for his pursuits, and whose sphere and abilities he must go out of himself to appreciate. ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne
85. Carlos Fuentes
Recognize yourself in he and she who are not like you and me. ~ Carlos Fuentes
86. Donzella Michele Malone
I have a self-made quote: Celebrate diversity, practice acceptance and may we all choose peaceful options to conflict. ~ Donzella Michele Malone
87. Octavia E. Butler
Embrace diversity. Unite— Or be divided, robbed, ruled, killed By those who see you as prey. Embrace diversity Or be destroyed. ~ Octavia E. Butler
88. James Surowiecki
Diversity and independence are important because the best collective decisions are the product of disagreement and contest, not consensus or compromise. ~ James Surowiecki
89. Shannon L. Alder
Diversity of character is due to the unequal time given to values. Only through each other will we see the importance of the qualities we lack and our unfinished soul’s potential. ~ Shannon L. Alder
90. Jimmy Carter
We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams. ~ Jimmy Carter
91. Leo Tolstoy
All the diversity, all the charm, and all the beauty of life are made up of light and shade. ~ Leo Tolstoy
92. Abdu’l-Bahá
The diversity in the human family should be the cause of love and harmony, as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord. ~ Abdu’l-Bahá
93. Theresa J. Whitmarsh
If you exclude 50% of the talent pool, it’s no wonder you find yourself in a war for talent. ~ Theresa J. Whitmarsh
94. Jonas Prising
We fundamentally believe that we will make better business decisions if we have diversity in thinking … and that requires equal gender participation. ~ Jonas Prising
95. Janina Kugel
Diversity strengthens our innovative capacity, unleashes the potential of Siemens’ employees and thereby directly contributes to our business success. ~ Janina Kugel
96. Theresa McHenry
The point isn’t to get people to accept that they have biases, but to get them to see [for themselves] that those biases have negative consequences for others. ~ Theresa McHenry
97. Howard Ross
Unconscious perceptions govern many of the most important decisions we make and have a profound effect on the lives of many people in many ways… Unconscious patterns can play out in ways that are so subtle they are hard to spot. ~ Howard Ross
98. Max de Pree
We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion. ~ Max de Pree
99. Jintao Hu
Diversity in the world is a basic characteristic of human society, and also the key condition for a lively and dynamic world as we see today. ~ Jintao Hu
100. Mark Twain
It were not best that we should all think alike; it is the difference of opinion that makes horse races ~ Mark Twain
Takeaway
Even the most liberal companies are still figuring out how to eliminate discrimination in recruiting, promote diversity, and cultivate a sense of inclusion among employees of various backgrounds.
The first step that you can take to make your workplace a better place is to start making people aware of the importance of diversity, inclusion, and equity.
Share these important diversity quotes with your team to initiate meaningful discussions and mark your business on the right side of history.
