NCWIT Scorecard has great statistics and references. While the report’s title is “Why is gender diversity important in computing?” much of the supporting research references different kinds of diversity. Here’s a high level snapshot:

Diversity

  • Expands the Qualified Employee Pool
    We’re not taking advantage of our diverse population. The industry is failing to attract
    this talent. Indeed, those women already employed in the technology industry are
    leaving at staggering rates, so we’re not retaining either.
  • Improves the Bottom Line
    Technology companies with the highest representation of
    women in their senior management teams showed a higher return on equity than did
    those with fewer or no women in senior management.
  • Enhances Innovation
    A large study spanning 21 different companies showed
    that teams with 50:50 gender membership were more experimental and more efficient.
    Extensive research has found that groups with greater diversity solve complex problems
    better and faster than do homogenous groups. Culturally diverse teams have been shown
    to generate a wider variety of possible strategies when setting a course of action.
  • Promotes Equality
    With technology playing an increasingly crucial role in all of our
    lives, having more people from different backgrounds participate in its creation can help
    break down gender and racial economic inequalities.
  • Reflects the Customers
    Most companies serve a variety of people, so it makes sense then to have a variety of intelligent, skilled people working on services and products.

Read the full report

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