Diversity and inclusion are about creating a comfortable and welcoming work environment for everyone regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Hiring diverse candidates without addressing culture issues will only result in unhappy employees and high turnover rates. Creating an inclusive organization is essential to recruiting and retaining a more diverse workforce.

A 2015 study by McKinsey & Company found that companies in the top quartile for gender or racial and ethnic diversity are more likely to have financial returns above their national industry medians. A study released in 2016 by the Peterson Institute for International Economics concludes that there is a positive correlation between the presence of women in corporate leadership and performance "in a magnitude that is not small."