The World Bank

World Bank Group Statement of Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

As a global organization that has embraced the twin goals of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity, we are committed to fostering and strengthening diversity and inclusion in both our work and our workplace. We are committed to a workplace where everyone is valued, where differences are respected and celebrated, and where opportunity and equitable treatment is afforded to all.

Ensuring diversity is integrated into our daily work means creating a culture and practices that recognize, value and harness what makes every individual unique in the broader sense, by acknowledging and respecting differences including nationality, gender and gender identity, race, religion, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, disability, and educational background.

Beyond the moral imperative, empowering others and respecting differences is much more than part of our institution’s core values: It makes good business sense on three key fronts.

First, a diverse staff mirrors the diversity of the clients we serve and the partners we work alongside in more than 180 member countries around the world, and that reflection is key to our credibility as an institution seeking equity and opportunity for all.

Second, it has been demonstrated that a diverse staff stimulates the creativity and innovation our clients expect, drawn from the collective energy of individual experience, knowledge and perspectives.

Third, as the world’s leading development organization, a diverse staff also allows us to attract, retain and grow the finest talent from the broadest span of different backgrounds possible. In short, if we succeed in leveraging the diversity of our talent, then the solutions that we offer--through our projects, programs and assistance--are those that will meet our clients' development goals.

An inclusive work environment is one where staff are enabled to meet their full potential and do not experience stigma or intolerance. We are committed to ensuring that all staff feel valued as employees of the World Bank Group and that they are assured of equitable and respectful treatment throughout their careers. We are committed to upholding our zero-tolerance policy for any form of discrimination. If we aim to be the employer of choice in development and to offer staff a work environment that is characterized by openness, trust, respect, creativity, motivation and innovation, we must ensure that our institution is one where diversity and inclusion are embedded in all that we do.

The Bank Group's recruitment policy is to hire staff of the highest caliber, on as wide a geographical basis as possible, with preference to nationals of WBG member countries or countries of operations.