International Business and Diplomatic Exchange (IBDE )

ED&I impact research

IBDE (International Business and Diplomatic Exchange) promotes global trade, investment, and diplomacy by facilitating dialogue and collaboration between businesses and policymakers.

Business challenge

International Business and Diplomatic Exchange (IBDE) is encouraging more work on the “S” in ESG (environmental, social and governance). The pandemic has led to strains on economies, societies, and health and social care systems. The imperative to ensure that governments and businesses are mindful of the diverse and unequal outcomes for citizens and employees and that the recovery is inclusive has led IBDE to explore the importance of ED&I to trade and investment policy and business strategy. They partnered with In Diverse Company to conduct quantitative (survey) and qualitative (interviews) research and analysis with diplomats and business leaders to assess the strategic imperative on ED&I for individual countries and companies.

Approach

IDC assisted IDBE in developing an ED&I survey for diplomats and business leaders. The survey assessed the strategic imperative and focus on ED&I for individual countries and companies.

The survey featured multiple-choice questions to assess attitudes towards ED&I and how much importance was given to ED&I, particularly in the context of trade, investment, and business strategy. Through free text questions, participants were allowed to elaborate on their responses and provide their comments.

Upon completion of data collection, IDC analysed the survey data and interviewed a sample of respondents to discuss their experiences and opinions.

Results

The analysis of the survey data helped IDBE understand to what extent governments around the world recognise the importance of ED&I when it comes to trade and investment.
The interviews provided a more in-depth understanding of those with first-hand experiences.
The results were used to help countries and businesses identify how they prioritise ED&I and the impact that this can have both internally and externally.

About the company:

International Business and Diplomatic Exchange (IBDE) is a London-based not-for-profit membership organisation providing leadership in promoting international trade and investment flows (including financial and professional services, energy, aerospace and defence, manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, technology, innovation, and telecommunication industries), as well as championing commercial and economic diplomacy. Bridging the gap between business and governments is the game changer for business people and diplomats today, and this is the focus of IBDE. In 2019, IBDE won the first award presented to an organisation for its “outstanding contribution to economic diplomacy”. The award was voted for by the international diplomatic community.

200+ companies signed up to IBDE via membership status

Understanding of the importance of ED&I when it comes to trade and investment

Testimonials

“Celia’s (her mentor) impact cannot be understated. I signed up for mentoring at a vulnerable time in my life: I’d been unable to access paid employment for three and a half years due to relocating to a different continent six months after my baby was born, and having to provide care for her without the support of friends and family and without a job to return to following maternity leave.  I was becoming depressed; beginning to believe I would never be able to access paid employment. Celia’s support was so potent: her manner was positive and uplifting, and kind; she showed total understanding of my situation. She kept me accountable by asking me to email her with updates between sessions. The sessions themselves were profoundly impactful; Celia talked me through self-esteem building exercises which helped me to see myself in a new, more positive way and shed light on my strengths and abilities. Celia radiated a warm, kind and strongly positive energy and the belief that anything is possible, and I felt the effects of this influence through our Skype sessions. I always left the calls feeling encouraged and inspired. I’m very grateful to Celia and I do feel that the mentoring experience helped hugely in building up my confidence to the point of believing that I could get back into paid employment, and opening my mind to think of different, creative ways to access opportunities for myself.”  – Mentee, Canada

“I have found mentoring very rewarding and interesting and I really enjoyed working with my mentee and guiding her through her journey with changing her career. For me, as I’m not the most senior person in my organisation I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to provide the most ‘expert’ advice. However, I’d encourage everyone to consider themselves as a mentor as your experiences and recommendations will be relevant to someone. I was able to successfully coach and share ideas with my mentee and support her through a big change in her career. Sometimes getting an outside perspective is all that’s needed. I’d highly recommend the programme to both mentors and mentees.” - Mentor, UK