When Inventum Group was named the winner of the APSCo Embrace Award, it was an incredibly proud moment for us. Not because of the accolade itself, but because of what it represents: a reminder that diversity and inclusion are not an afterthought, not something to sit at the bottom of a budget sheet, but a powerful driver of real organisational success.
That proof shows up not just in the award, but in the engagement we see every day. Our open-access diversity and inclusion lunch and learn masterclasses are consistently at capacity, with over 100 people joining each session. The appetite for learning and building inclusive workplaces is clearly there, and perhaps, finally, leaders and teams are ready to make this a real priority.
The Business Case is Clear
For too long, inclusion has been treated as a “nice to have” worthy in principle but often the first line to be cut when financial pressures mount. Yet the evidence shows that thinking is outdated and actively detrimental to growth.
Organisations with a strategic focus on building an inclusive culture generate up to 19% higher revenues from innovation (new products and services).
Bridging the disability employment gap alone could add £17 billion to the UK economy every year.
Companies prioritising social mobility perform 1.4 times better in profitability.
Beyond the numbers, inclusion drives engagement, retention and loyalty, three things every CEO would be glad to see on a performance report. In short, the benefits are tangible, measurable, and strategic.
The Barriers are Real
Of course, the case studies and statistics are only part of the story. Through our network, we also hear about the anecdotal challenges.
Leaders often struggle with knowing where to start or fear getting it wrong. Some worry about costs in the short term, others about resistance within their teams or from external audiences. There is also the reality that change does not happen overnight; embedding genuine inclusion requires persistence, consistency, and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths.
Token initiatives or box-ticking exercises don’t cut it. What works is commitment at every level of an organisation. These barriers explain why so many businesses still hesitate to invest properly in inclusion, even when they understand the business case.
Leaning Into the Challenge
Winning this award reinforces what we see time and again: organisations that lean into those challenges, and choose to make inclusion central rather than peripheral, are the ones who reap the rewards.
The effort is worth it, not just because it is the right thing to do (regardless of any political pushback), but because it transforms people and teams. Inclusion unlocks creativity, builds resilience, strengthens reputations, and ultimately drives growth. When people feel seen and respected, they perform at their best. And when businesses reflect the societies they serve, they build trust, loyalty, relevance, and long-term sustainability.
What’s Next
For Inventum Group, this award is not an endpoint but a reminder of why we do what we do. It underlines our belief that inclusion in the workplace should never be sidelined.
The challenge now is to ensure more organisations stop treating inclusion as a discretionary expense and start recognising it as a vital investment in their people. Done well, inclusion shapes workplaces that are ready for the future.