Creating sales and client communications materials is an essential part of the day-to-day job for Asset management firms. These documents provide clients with a detailed look into the performance of their investments and allow you to showcase the talent of your asset managers and unique perspective of your firm

At this business development phase, differentiation is vital and has become far more challenging. To get that added edge, one new set of metrics that companies are looking to spotlight in these materials are metrics from their diversity and inclusion efforts. While D&I programs are not new to the business world, featuring this information in sales and communications is a relatively recent development.

That’s where data comes into play. With requests for diversity and inclusion data on the rise, it’s essential that firms understand can share their story across multiple dimensions. And just like investment statistics this data must be accurate, consistent, and current – no exceptions.

Why is accuracy and consistency of the data so important?  According to industry research, sharing diversity and inclusion details is an important part of your firm’s identity and can help with:

Talent and Retention:

Talent and retention are two key deciding factors when it comes to working with a firm.

According to a millennial survey from Deloitte, diversity impacts retention. Specifically, the research found that two-thirds of millennials working at diverse companies say they would remain with their current employer beyond five years. For those working at non-diverse businesses, the figure is 25%.

Innovation:

Research from Boston Consulting identified a connection between diverse leadership and innovation. Specifically, it found that these businesses generate 45% of their total revenues from innovation. For those that are less diverse at the leadership level, the figure is 26%.

Financial Performance:

In its Diversity Wins research paper, McKinsey found that companies with the highest levels of gender diversity at the executive teams level were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability. The study also found that the most ethnically and culturally diverse companies are 36% more likely to outperform less diverse businesses when it comes to profitability

We understand the pressure firms are under to quickly and easily create sales and communications materials that accurately capture who they are, what makes them unique, and what’s driving their success. Does diversity and inclusion play a role in how you describe your firm to clients and prospects?