Written By The CultureAlly Team
To effectively alleviate prejudices and promote unity in the workplace, diversity must be celebrated. Fostering an inclusive work environment is an important way for employees to feel safe, secure, and valued.
To help start the conversation with coworkers on how to be an active ally, reading quotes and sayings is a great start. Inclusion quotes are sayings that speak to equity, acceptance, and respect to all races and abilities. The purpose of these quotes is to encourage thought, discussion, and action about making the workplace a more equitable and positive place for all employees.
CultureAlly has compiled 50 inclusion quotes from leaders and key influencers from various sectors to help you become inspired to create a bias-free workplace.
Business
“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, CEO of Qantas
“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, British Businesswoman and former CEO of Lloyd’s London
“Diversity requires commitment. Achieving superior performance diversity can produce 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, CEO of Adecco
“A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone.” – Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google
“When we listen and celebrate what is both common and different, we become wiser, more inclusive, and better as an organization.” - Pat Wadors, chief talent officer at Procore Technologies
“Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.” - Verna Myers, vice president of Inclusion Strategy at Netflix
“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, Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum
“If you believe, as we believe, that diversity leads to better products, and we’re all about making products that enrich people’s lives, then you obviously put a ton of energy behind diversity the same way you would put a ton of energy behind anything else that is truly important.” – Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple
“The path to diversity begins with supporting, mentoring, and sponsoring diverse women and men to become leaders and entrepreneurs.” – Denise Morrison, American business executive
Government
“Diversity isn’t just skin deep; it’s cultural, religious, political and beyond.” - Barack Obama, 44th US President
“Diversity is strength, it is our great gift to the world. No matter where you are from, or the faith you profess, nor the colour of your skin, nor whom you love, you belong here.” - Justin Trudeau, Canadian Prime Minister
“Inclusion and fairness in the workplace . . . is not simply the right thing to do; it’s the smart thing to do.” — Alexis Herman, American Politician
“People may be said to resemble not the bricks of which a house is built, but the pieces of a picture puzzle, each differing in shape, but matching the rest, and thus bringing out the picture.” – Felix Adler, Professor of Political and Social Ethics
“Our unity is our strength, and our diversity is our power. We reject the myth of ‘us’ vs. ‘them’. We are in this together.” – Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States of America
“Our workforce and our entire economy are strongest when we embrace diversity to its fullest, and that means opening doors of opportunity to everyone.” – Tom Perez, Politician, Attorney and Chair of the DNC (Democratic National Committee)
“Inclusion is not a matter of political correctness. It is the key to growth.” – Jesse Jackson, Politician and Activist
“Our concern is to heal. Our concern is to bring together.” - Harold Washington, former American lawyer and politician
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” – Martin Luther King, Jr., American Christian Minister and Civil Rights Activist
“Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization.” – Mahatma Gandhi, Indian lawyer
“We have to transcend our differences to transform our future.” – Antonio Guterres, Secretary-general of the United Nations
Literature and Publication
“Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible.” — Maya Angelou, Poet
“The whole idea of a stereotype is to simplify. Instead of going through the problem of all this great diversity – that it’s this or maybe that – you have just one large statement; it is this.” – Chinua Achebe, novelist
“You don’t have true freedom until you allow a diversity of opinion and a diversity of voices.” – Don Lemon, Television journalist
“Diversity is about all of us, and about us having to figure out how to walk through this world together.” – Jacqueline Woodson, American writer
“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” – Audre Lorde, American writer
“We are all different, which is great because we are all unique. Without diversity, life would be very boring.” - Catherine Pulsifier, author
“Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible – the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family.” – Virginia Satir, American author
“You can’t categorize diversity based on what a person looks like. It’s what that person can do for the organization.” – Charles K Poole, author
“Honesty and openness is always the foundation of insightful dialogue.” – bell hooks, writer
Education
“Peace will always rule the day where reason rules the mind.” ― Marva Collins, American educator
“I believe that everyone has a story, and it is important that we encourage all students to tell theirs.” - Erin Gruwell, American educator
“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.” - Mother Teresa, nun
Film and TV
“Our diversity is our strength. What a dull and pointless life it would be if everyone was the same.” - Angelina Jolie, actress
“When we’re talking about diversity, it’s not a box to check. It is a reality that should be deeply felt and held and valued by all of us.” – Ava DuVernay, American filmmaker
“You do not want to be in a creative organization with everybody being like-minded and stroking each other’s creative egos. You want differences of opinion… constructively.” – Cate Blanchett, Australian actress
“No matter who we are or what we look like or what we may believe, it is both possible and, more importantly, it becomes powerful to come together in common purpose and common effort.” – Oprah Winfrey, American host
“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, American actor, filmmaker, and comedian
“Cultural differences should not separate us from each other, but rather cultural diversity brings a collective strength that can benefit all of humanity.” – Robert Alan, american screenwriter
“You have a responsibility to make inclusion a daily thought, so we can get rid of the word ‘inclusion.’” –Theodore Melfi, American producer
Thought Leaders and Influencers Across Professions
“Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.” – Jane Goodall, English primatologist
“To be one, to be united is a great thing. But to respect the right to be different is maybe even greater.” – Bono, singer-songwriter
“Sometimes we are separated by differences, and sometimes we are united by common ideals of respect and compassion.” – Paul Watson, Canadian activist
“Unity, not uniformity, must be our aim. We attain unity only through variety. Differences must be integrated, not annihilated, not absorbed.” - Mary Parker Follett, American social worker
“I know there is strength in the differences between us. I know there is comfort where we overlap.” – Ani DiFranco, singer-songwriter
“Diversity is having a seat at the table, inclusion is having a voice, and belonging is having that voice be heard.” Liz Fosslien, marketing and design consultant
“The difference between diversity and inclusion is being invited to a house and being able to rearrange the furniture.” – Jane Silber, singer-songwriter
“If we were to select the most intelligent, imaginative, energetic, and emotionally stable third of mankind, all races would be present.” – Franz Boas, anthropologist
“The world has only one border. It is called humanity. The differences between us are small compared to our shared humanity. Put humans first.” – Nadia Murad, civil rights activist
The more diverse your team members are from one another, the better decisions they’ll make on behalf of your company.” - Michelle Obama, former first lady of the US
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The CultureAlly Team
