"As a founding member of the All-in Diversity Project, IGT is proud to enhance its Diversity and Inclusion leadership through its participation in AIDP's Workplace Code of Practice Steering Group," said Kim Barker Lee, IGT Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion. "We applaud AIDP for advancing this forward-thinking approach that will assist all organizations with promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion by applying a documented framework for best practices. We are confident that Stephanie Huckel's experience, leadership, and skills will help to ensure the Steering Group's success."

The standard is intended to cover corporate governance and reputation; internal policies, processes, and practices; recruitment, retention and development; under-represented groups; and concepts such as 'diversity of thought' and 'intercultural competence.' By creating a standard that organizations can apply at their own pace and implement in their unique operating environments, the Steering Group intends to provide a flexible toolset for voluntarily adopting workplace equality practices, assessing the impact of those activities, measuring the progress of these initiatives, and developing strategies for continuous improvement.

"IGT has again demonstrated its leadership in diversity and inclusion through its enthusiastic participation the new Workplace Code of Practice Steering Group," said AIDP co-founder Kelly Kehn. "We're confident that Stephanie Huckel's participation in the Steering Group will contribute to the development of an effective, universal standard — one that will serve as an essential tool for organizations seeking to improve equity in the workplace."  

The standard, formally titled "PAS 1948:2020 Diversity, equality and inclusion in the workplace - Code of Practice," is planned for publication by BSI in June 2020. The Steering Group's goal is to develop the standard through a consensus-building process that includes public consultation and will be facilitated by BSI.

David Fatscher, Head of Environment, Social and Governance at BSI, said, "It is recognized that diversity is critical for an organization's ability to thrive and adapt in a fast-changing environment. The variety of perspectives that diversity brings makes it the crucial ingredient for the innovation that drives business growth. PAS 1948:2020 aims to help build a Code of Practice that will provide recommendations for businesses and organizations across the world to develop and sustain a workplace that supports diversity, equality, and inclusion."

As part of IGT's commitment to enhancing diversity and inclusion across the gaming industry, in 2018 it became one of the first gaming suppliers to join the All-in Diversity Project, an industry-driven, not-for-profit initiative that aims to benchmark diversity, equality, and inclusion across the global gaming and betting sectors.