What are diversity and inclusion?

	"What shapes the future is not what we have in common, but the interplay of our differences." —Shell 2001 Global Scenarios

Diversity means all the ways we differ as individuals. It includes visible differences such as age, gender, ethnicity and physical appearance; as well as underlying differences such as thought styles, religion, nationality, socio-economic status, belief systems, sexual orientation and education. It means respecting, valuing and harnessing the richness of ideas, backgrounds and perspectives that are unique to each individual, i.e. a new worldwide source of creativity.

Inclusion means an environment where everyone contributes his or her skills and talents for the benefit of all of ASME. Inclusion is consistent with ASME's values and business objectives. The aim is to create an organization in which individuals are involved, supported, respected and connected.

What Embracing and Leveraging Diversity Means Within ASME

• Becoming indispensable to young engineers leverages age diversity.
• Making a priority of globalization leverages geographic and cultural diversity.
• Achieving a multidisciplinary approach priority leverages technical knowledge/specialization diversity.
• Achieving a priority of enhanced industry-government involvement leverages sector diversity.
• Increasing the number of female and under-represented minorities within the ASME membership leverages gender and ethnic diversity.