The World Bank: can it learn from Silicon Valley?
Authors: Chris David Simms
Journal: The Lancet Global Health (2014)

As the World Bank reflects on its annual autumn meetings with the International Monetary Fund (Oct 10–12, 2014), it might want to include lessons to be learned from the groundbreaking public disclosure of Google and other global technology companies about their racial inequalities in staffing. With reportedly only four African Americans employed out of more than 1000 staff of professional grade (levels 25+) working for the World Bank, and with the institution refusing to divulge its diversity data,1Walden S Edwards B Racial discrimination at the World Bank: a review of the treatment of black employees in recruitment, retention and justice decisions. Government Accountability Project, Washington, DC2009http://gaproject.nonprofitsoapbox.com/storage/documents/RDWB.pdfGoogle Scholar perhaps it can learn from Silicon Valley. Taking their lead from Google,2GoogleGetting to work on diversity at Google. Official blog.http://googleblog.blogspot.ca/2014/05/getting-to-work-on-diversity-at-google.htmlDate: May 28, 2014Google Scholar companies such as Apple,3AppleDiversity.https://www.apple.com/diversity/Google Scholar Twitter,4TwitterBuilding a Twitter we can be proud of. Official blog.https://blog.twitter.com/2014/building-a-twitter-we-can-be-proud-ofDate: July 23, 2014Google Scholar Yahoo,5YahooWorkforce diversity at Yahoo.http://yahoo.tumblr.com/post/89085398949/workforce-diversity-at-yahooDate: June 17, 2014Google Scholar Facebook,6FacebookFacebook newsroom. Building a more diverse facebook.http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2014/06/building-a-more-diverse-facebook/Google Scholar and LinkedIn embraced transparency and reported their racial and gender diversity online in summer, 2014. Under US law, major employers are only required to report their data to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; they are not obliged to make them public. These companies took the view that, no matter how bad the inequality, full disclosure is an important first step to close the diversity gap. Over the years, the World Bank has launched a range of measures aimed at improving racial diversity such as the racial equality programme in 1998, an office of diversity programmes in 2001, the diversity and inclusion leadership awards in 2003, a newsletter, and, in 2009, a code of conduct. What the Bank has not done is take the needed first step and become transparent. As Google's blog2GoogleGetting to work on diversity at Google. Official blog.http://googleblog.blogspot.ca/2014/05/getting-to-work-on-diversity-at-google.htmlDate: May 28, 2014Google Scholar concluded about racial inequalities “it's hard to address these kinds of challenges if you're not prepared to discuss them openly, and with the facts.” Inequalities at the World Bank are not intractable. For example, when Robert Zoellick became president, he was stunned at the glass ceiling for women. He promised change, and half of the senior managers were women within 5 years. Jim Yong Kim (the current president) has also dealt effectively with inequalities associated with gender and sexual orientation.7World BankWorld Bank President Jim Yong Kim on race and privilege in ending poverty.http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/video/2013/04/02/jim-yong-Kim-on-race-and-privilege-in-ending-povertyGoogle Scholar Kim stated earlier this year that inequalities lead to injustices; for an institution whose stock in trade is good governance, equity, and justice, it might be prudent to deal with inequalities in the manner it might expect of its clientele. Transparency leads to change. I declare no competing interests.