What makes diversity a competitive edge in business?

Our global social and political landscape continues to evolve, and it seems like we're now standing at a crossroads as to the place of inclusion in our industry tomorrow. New challenges emerge and what was once a shared commitment to building a future based on equity and diversity seems to be taking a step back. While DEI advocates feel they need to defend the legitimacy of their actions, many leaders at Criteo like Rachel Scheel and Marc Fischli have taken up the task to question the deep-rooted assumption that DEI and business growth don't mix.

According to our Executive Managing Director for EMEA, Marc Fischli; "Being open-minded will win the day eventually. In a constantly evolving environment, the companies that will survive aren’t the biggest but those that can adapt to change. Adaptation requires flexible and broad minds!" We sometimes forget that what makes a company is its people, and subsequently, what will drive your business is your capacity to attract and retain top talents. So how do you set the right stage to attract diverse talents? "At the end of the day, fostering DEI values starts with how we behave with each other. Ideas can’t flow where nobody is open to listening, and that’s a shame because having diverse ideas is what will best set you up for change!"

In Marc's experience, "when a company respects its individuals and their differences, whether cultural or not, it creates a space where people can truly grow and collaborate. Make people happy to be here and they'll commit and contribute to their best. That’s why, when done right, empathy and diversity can be efficient drivers of business growth." To be truly impactful though, this commitment must be genuine and reflected in people's actions. In Marc's opinion,"there are many places where collaboration can boost growth. Being people-oriented brought me a good, strong network in tech and retail over time, and that’s why I believe in fostering DEI values." 

In a context where the list of companies pulling away from DEI grows longer by the day, Rachel Scheel, SVP of Global Talent, Development & DEI at Criteo, reminds us that "The path to equity was never meant to be easy. There will always be setbacks and pushbacks when we’re working to break down systems of power and exclusion. But the work still matters. Every little step counts. And even when it feels like progress is too slow, [we must...] push for what we believe in, even if it feels like one step forward and two steps back."

What fuels a company's business growth is its capacity to be creative and offer innovative solutions to its different stakeholders, both internal and external. Diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and cultures is what will help you to solve the most complex challenges and be truly versatile as a team. "Diversity only makes your business stronger as getting diverse opinions is the best way to ensure great input from everywhere," explains Marc. 

For us at Criteo, DEI isn't just something we push through programs or policies. It's a mindset deeply ingrained in our culture and reflected in everyday practices at all levels, whether in the way we collaborate, interact with each other, or run business operations. We strongly believe that valuing diversity and inclusion is, not only the right thing to do but also a key reason we have sustainably driven business success up until now. So yes, diversity is a huge business asset because, as Marc reminded us, "The future is going to be complex and will require both flexibility and open-mindedness. Luckily for us, our Criteos fall under that description!"