DCC Inclusion & Diversity Policy You Belong here

Fostering an Inclusive and Diverse culture

Chief Executive’s Introduction

The importance of fostering an inclusive and diverse environment is clear to DCC. We are committed to a culture of inclusion and diversity at every level of our business. 

Our colleagues come from many diverse backgrounds and each of us is uniquely different and this is our key differentiator - our People. I believe that to reap the benefits of our diverse and talented workforce we need inclusive work environments where all of our colleagues have the freedom to achieve their ambitions and a culture that cultivates the energy and passion our colleagues bring to work.

I am personally committed to leading a thriving, ambitious and diverse group where everyone is given equal opportunities and is supported in reaching their potential. Irrespective of which business you work in, I want you to feel you have every chance of success at DCC.

Each of us has a role to play. This Policy sets out the core principles and expectations we have for ourselves, our colleagues and our businesses to foster positive, diverse and inclusive working environments. Every one of our business leaders must act as ambassadors for diversity and foster inclusive behaviours and management practices, visibly and consistently, at every level of their businesses. I similarly expect all our managers to nurture and support their teams to ensure these practices are lived by every single one of our colleagues.

I want everyone who works in our businesses to feel that they are welcome, they are respected and valued, and they belong here. Embracing our Inclusion and Diversity Policy will make DCC an even greater place to work. 

Donal Murphy

Chief Executive

What do Inclusion and Diversity mean for us?

Inclusion

Inclusion is the extent to which we feel valued and included as part of a family, a community, a team or a business. Inclusion is experienced when we believe that our uniqueness is valued by others while, at the same time, we have a sense of connectedness or belonging to a group. An inclusive workplace is one in which all individuals are treated fairly, respectfully and feel empowered to contribute to the business’ success.

Diversity

Diversity is a combination of the visible and invisible differences that can shape our view of the world, our perspectives and our approach in all aspects of our lives. Diversity is about what makes each of us unique and includes our origins, backgrounds, personalities, life experiences, beliefs and personal characteristics.

Our Values

Inclusion and Diversity are strongly grounded in individual respect and link very closely to our core values, in particular Integrity and Partnership.

DIVERSITY I AM UNIQUE    

Why we need to pay close attention to Inclusion & Diversity 

Innovation

Diverse perspectives lead to innovation; a productive tension is created by different points of view. Diverse teams out-innovate and outperform their competition; they are 45% more likely to improve market share.

Customer Loyalty

Companies that embrace diversity and inclusion enhance customer loyalty; 66% of the LGBT community would purchase goods from businesses friendly to their community even when less friendly companies offer lower prices.

Performance

Gender diverse companies are 15% more likely to outperform competitors and ethnically diverse companies are 35% more likely to outperform the competition. 

Colleague Loyalty

People want to work for and stay with companies where there is a positive work environment.

Attracting Talent

80% of people believe it is important that a company has inclusion and diversity policies when deciding to work for them.

Customer Experience

Diversity produces a better understanding of the needs of customers and markets. In fact, businesses that have a diversity and inclusiveness strategy say it has enhanced customer satisfaction and helped them compete in new industries and geographies.

Engagement

Colleagues who are engaged are more productive. Diverse colleagues are 3.5 times more likely to contribute their full innovative potential and productivity when they are given equal airtime and an opportunity to ‘speak up’.

Employer Brand

The millennial generation (27% of the global population) seek out employers with a strong inclusion and diversity record.

Culture

When people feel a greater sense of belonging, they are more likely to feel a greater sense of pride and commitment to the business and go above and beyond company expectations.

EQUALITY I AM VALUED
 

Our Core Principles

Nurturing truly inclusive work environments, where diversity is respected and celebrated, is possible when the four guiding principles outlined below are at the cultural heart of each DCC business.

Equal Opportunities for All

We respect the principle of equal opportunities to support colleagues to achieve their full potential. We are committed to the fair and equitable treatment of all our colleagues where employment decisions are made on individual merit and business need.

Fairness + Inclusivity

In line with our commitment to create an inclusive workplace, we promote a working culture which is fair and inclusive enabling colleagues to make unique contributions that benefit the Group.

Respect + Dignity 

All of our colleagues throughout the Group are expected to support and treat each other, and those with whom they interact in the course of their work, with respect and dignity. We expect our managers to lead by example by embracing diversity and discouraging prejudice.

Openness + Communication

We nurture a culture of openness and communication in the way in which we treat each other. This includes all colleagues, customers, visitors, suppliers, business partners, clients, former colleagues and the communities in which we operate.

Our expectations

Every colleague in the Group can expect to:

• Be treated with dignity and respect at work.
• Contribute fully and have the opportunity to be heard.
• Feel supported in times of personal difficulty such as bereavement, illness or changes in personal circumstances.
• Work in an environment that promotes inclusion and makes them feel valued.
• Have access to career opportunities based on personal merit, skills and business need.
• Be protected from less favorable treatment or discrimination based on the grounds outlined in the DCC Code of Conduct.

We expect every DCC business to seek to ensure that:

• All colleagues are treated fairly and decisions on recruitment, pay, terms and conditions, training and development and performance appraisals are free from bias and based on individual merit, business need and role.
• Periods of absence for maternity, paternity, parental and adoptive leave are supported and integrated into normal career planning.
• Talent needs for the future are inclusive and leverage the availability of a range of talent and skills for all roles, including senior levels.
• Team and committee structures include a diverse range of skills and representative voices to support inputs, decisions and more comprehensive outcomes.
• We take appropriate measures to accommodate our colleagues with disabilities to access opportunities.
• We raise awareness of our own unconscious biases and challenge communications, policies, advertisements, practices and procedures in terms of fairness and equality in an appropriate manner.
• Career progression is based on individual merit and business need, and related decisions are objective, free from bias and based solely upon the criteria needed to perform the role.
• We respect everyone’s contributions and work together to develop and support open communication and feedback mechanisms.
• We respond quickly and appropriately to any complaints of discrimination, victimisation, intimidation, harassment, sexual harassment or bullying.

Who does this Policy apply to?

This Policy applies to all of our colleagues in every business in which DCC plc has a controlling interest (a “DCC business”). This includes part-time and fixed-term employees. All references to “DCC”, “DCC business”, “Group”, “the business”, “we”, “us”, and “our” in this Policy can be read accordingly. All references to “Director”, “Senior Management Team”, “Management Team” and “Business Leader” relates to the Managing Directors and whose who report into the Managing Director at business, divisional and Group level.

What is covered by this Policy ?

We expect every DCC business to take steps to foster inclusive practices and embrace diversity in the workplace. This Policy clearly outlines on pages 16 to 17 the expectations we have of our businesses in this regard.

How does this Policy relate to other DCC policies ?

This Policy should be read in conjunction with the Fair Employment Practices section of DCC’s Code of Conduct.

Tracking trends

Directors are accountable for progress on Inclusion and Diversity in their businesses. Relevant metrics will be set annually by Group HR to assess the trends in performance at business, divisional and Group levels against the principles set out in this Policy.

Application of Policy 

If you have any questions on the application of this Policy you can contact your local HR team or a member of the leadership team within your business.

References

1. Measurement: Proving the ROI of Global Diversity and Inclusion Effort (By Sandy Hoffman, Sr. Director, Operations, Processes, and Systems Inclusion & Diversity, Randall Lane, Senior Leader, Global Inclusion & Diversity, and David Posner, Manager, Global Inclusion & Diversity of Cisco Systems, Inc., and Marilyn Nagel, CEO, Watermark
2. The Costly Business of Discrimination: The Economic Costs of Discrimination and the Financial Benefits of Gay and Transgender Equality in the Workplace, Crosby Burns
3. Why Diverse Teams are Smarter, Harvard Business Review, David Rock and Heidi Grant
4. Why Employees Stay (By Vincent S. Flowers and Charles L. Hughes)
5. The PwC Diversity Journey: Creating Impact, Achieving Results
6. The Costly Business of Discrimination, The Economic Costs of Discrimination and the Financial Benefits of Gay and Transgender Equality in the Workplace, Crosby Burns
7. The Costly Business of Discrimination, The Economic Costs of Discrimination and the Financial Benefits of Gay and Transgender Equality in the Workplace, Crosby Burns
8. Millennials at work: Reshaping the workplace, PwC
9. Diversity and Inclusion toolkit, Bord Bia