Rarely does diversity and inclusion feature so centrally in a CEO’s story of success. 12 Despite this, overt attributions such as Joyce’s are scarce. Indeed, two-thirds of the 10,000 leaders surveyed as part of Deloitte’s 2017 Global Human Capital Trends report cited diversity and inclusion as “important” or “very important” to business. Joyce’s insight reflects a growing recognition of how critical diversity and inclusion (D&I) is to business performance. diversity generated better strategy, better risk management, better debates, better outcomes.” 11 Yet for CEO Alan Joyce, the spectacular turnaround reflects an underlying condition: “We have a very diverse environment and a very inclusive culture.” 9 Those characteristics, according to Joyce, “got us through the tough times 10. How did it happen? The company’s 2017 Investor Roadshow briefing sounded like a textbook in disciplined operational and financial management, as well as employee, customer, and shareholder focus. Transformation is an overused word, but for Qantas it’s a perfect description. 2 Qantas delivered a record profit of AUD$850 million, 3 increased its operating margin to 12 percent, 4won the “World’s Safest Airline” award, 5 ranked as Australia’s most trusted big business 6and its most attractive employer, 7and delivered shareholder returns in the top quartile of its global airline peers and the ASX100. Across the country, predictions surrounding the fate of Australia’s national carrier were dire.įast-forward to 2017, and the situation couldn’t be more different. 1 This low point in the airline's 98-year history followed record-high fuel costs, the grounding of its A380s in 2010 for engine trouble, and the suspension of its entire fleet for three days in 2011 after a series of bitter union disputes.
In 2013, Qantas posted a record loss of AUD$2.8 billion.
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