ABSTRACT

This chapter provides a summary of themes addressed in this book and offers some thoughts on the future direction of equality, diversity, and inclusion thinking, policy, and practices. Key themes include: the resilience of patterns of inequality faced by many social groups and the continuation of the traditional gendered norm of work. Possible ways forward include: maintaining a group focus within EDI policies; broadening the business case for equality and diversity beyond short-term considerations to longer-term ones which encompass ethical business practices; integrating concepts of “sameness” and “difference” within the policy approach; and a significantly revised view of what paid work means, and its centrality in our lives. The interaction between attitudes and policy and practice is particularly highlighted. Change at only one level will not be sufficient to achieve transformation in the patterns of disadvantage and there needs to be a combined effort at state and organisational levels.