PAS 1948:2023

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What is PAS 1948 - Diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace about?

To help embed diversity, equity and inclusion more widely, PAS 1948:2023 gives practical guidance on how to develop and implement an effective DEI framework in any workplace.  

Who is PAS 1948 - Diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace for?

Decision-makers and influencers in organizations of any size, description, sector, industry or location, including:

• board members and organizational leaders.
• operational and management teams.
• HR and people professionals.
• trade union and employee association representatives.
• advisors, auditors and investors.
• any individual within the organization looking to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

What does PAS 1948 - Diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace cover?

It provides recommendations for practical steps that any organization can take to help it develop and implement an effective framework to support diversity, equity and inclusion in its workplace(s).

PAS 1948:2023 shows organizations how to develop and implement policies and practices to support their diversity, equity and inclusion aims and objectives in keeping with their existing principles and framework. It is intended to be used as a practical implementation guide for other framework standards, such as:

• BS ISO 30415:2021, Human resource management – Diversity and inclusion.
• BS 76000:2015, Human resource – Valuing people – Management system and
• ISO 45003, Psychological Health and Safety at work.

PAS 1948:2023 covers practical measures for:

1. demonstrating leadership buy-in and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels of the organization.
2. incorporating diversity, equity and inclusion principles and objectives into an organization’s internal policies, practices, processes and procedures.
3. establishing the organizational and business benefits of creating and maintaining an effective culture of diversity, equity and inclusion.
4. recruitment and retention strategies that enhance diversity, equity and inclusion.
5. addressing behaviour which is inconsistent with diversity, equity and inclusion principles through education, understanding and awareness, and supporting people who challenge such behaviour.
6. identifying appropriate diversity, equity and inclusion learning and development needs at all levels within an organization.
7. enabling peer networks to support underrepresented social and cultural groups.
8. recognizing, engaging and supporting underrepresented social and cultural groups.
9. creating inclusive brands, customer engagement and workplace culture, through adapting change management strategies for diversity, equity and inclusion.
10. understanding and implementing concepts such as “diversity of thought”, “dimensions of diversity”, “intercultural competence” and “cognitive diversity”.
11. incorporating the principles of “inclusive innovation” and “inclusive by design” into services, business models, business processes, technology and product development cycle.
12. setting achievable targets and objectives with clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and data analytics to support continuous improvement.
13. measuring the progress of the organization in creating and maintaining an effective culture of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Why should you use PAS 1948 - Diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace?

• It’s practical. It’s intended to be used as a real-world guide to helping organizations implement a DEI framework that works for them, and to continuously improve it.
• It’s approachable. PAS 1948 is designed to be easy to follow and easy to use.
• It’s comprehensive. It acts as a “one stop shop” that includes recommendations and guidance as well as standards and principles statements issued by diversity, equity and inclusion organizations, research institutes, government agencies, and other bodies.
• It’s bespoke. It enables a DEI implementation based on your organization’s aims, objectives, operating practices, budget and scale.
• It makes business sense. Recent research, including from Harvard and McKinsey, demonstrates that diverse and inclusive organizations out-innovate and outperform their peers by 20 – 152%.
• It can help organizations meet the expectations of their staff, helping increase trust and the recruitment and retention of the best talent and skills.
• It can help with with innovation, product and service development and the capacity to adopt emerging technologies and internationalization.
• It can help organizations meet the expectations of their customers and other stakeholders, helping create inclusive brands and more compelling marketing and advertising.
• It can reduce the risk of organization’s being called out for poor DEI practice.

To learn more about what PAS 1948:2023 covers and its benefits, listen to The Standards Show podcast episode here.

PAS 1948:2023 contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being, Goal 5 on gender equality and Goal 10 on reduced inequalities.