Valuing Diversity: The business case for gender quality during an economic downturn

This brief position paper outlines the main ‘business case’ arguments
for action to close gender gaps in employment and reinvigorates them
in light of the current economic downturn in Scotland. The evidence
presented here suggests that the costs associated with action to
promote gender equality are more than outweighed by the potential
benefits to be gained from them in terms of the ‘bottom line’. The
performance enhancing potential of gender equality in the workforce,
including equal pay, could prove to be of critical importance for
individual companies to stay competitive in these hard times.