Diversity and inclusion: Building strength and capability literature review

The purpose of this initial literature review is to provide a theoretical basis for the research project Diversity and Inclusion: Building Strength and Capability, being undertaken as part of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (BNHCRC). The aim of this project is to develop a framework for the Emergency Management Sector (EMS) that supports practical implementation and measurement of diversity and inclusion within their organisations.

The review is presented in three parts, which reflect the different components of the project, organisational, economic and community. Each part is contributed by research team members who each have a specialised focus on one of the three project dimensions. As the project is using a systemic approach to the development of the framework, the literature pertaining to this area is vast. The aim of this preliminary review is to identify key areas of literature for further investigation and also to look for commonalities and differences across the three research areas to inform the future direction of the research.

All of these reviews consider the current drivers of change for the EMS as overarching themes contained within the project. These are the need to build resilience in response to the changing social, environmental and economic drivers, and the new needs for EMS organisations, government and communities that are emerging as a result of this.