Public companies are already demonstrably diverse, why sign up to extra pledges?

The twitter crusade waged by an LGTBI activist to ‘Pink List’ an IBM executive and a Macquarie University academic — and have both men sacked for their links with the (Christian) Lachlan Macquarie Institute — is a straw in the wind.

In a free society, no employee should have to pass a McCarthy-esque political test, let alone a religious test, to gain or keep positions in corporate Australia.

Corporate social responsibility and commitment to the principles of diversity are being used as a stick to browbeat business and meddle inappropriately in company management.

The political strife that leading public companies have waded into by supporting same-sex marriage is also proof that no good deed goes unpunished in the age of identity politics. By signing up to campaigns such as ‘Pride in Diversity’, business leaders have made their companies vulnerable to the moral blackmail of the diversity warriors.

The CEOs who at the request of the Australian Marriage Equality Movement signed the open letter calling on the Prime Minister to push same-sex marriage through parliament without a plebiscite faced Hobson’s Choice: either proclaim support for a parliamentary vote on marriage equality, or risk having their corporate reputations blackened as hypocritical for abandoning the values of tolerance and acceptance their companies endorse.

Without realising how this would plunge them into the culture wars, business appears to have naively pledged support for diversity with the best of intentions. Ironically, this seems to have been driven by, and been in keeping with, the ‘rainbow’ character of the contemporary corporate workforce.

The tolerant and accepting values of virtually all public companies — as demonstrated by their non-discriminatory employment practices — seem aligned with the supposed values of the so-called diversity campaigns and movements such as marriage equality.

The recruitment of employees on merit, regardless of gender, sexuality or race, should be sufficient proof of a company’s commitment to diversity and giving all a fair go.

This is consistent with the broader change in community attitudes that has occurred in recent decades, which has made prejudice and discrimination socially unacceptable.

This also reflects and applies the first principles of good corporate governance: making sound business decisions based on what will advance the best interests of shareholders.

But hiring people based on what they can do, rather than who they are, is not good enough for the diversity warriors.

If the activists have their way, no employee deemed to hold politically incorrect views should be tolerated by companies, regardless of their skills and ability and suitability for the job.

The double standards business is now being encouraged to employ in the name of diversity are obvious and appalling.

This is hardly the way to promote tolerance and acceptance, and the divisive implications could prove counter-productive for the marriage equality movement.

The popular notion that extending the right to marriage to gay couples will have no impact on the rights of others is belied by the calls to sack people based on their religious beliefs and affiliations.

This a portent of the broader threat that same-sex marriage may pose to religious freedom, and could potentially change the minds of many fair minded Australians about Marriage Equality.

As for business, the most constructive role it can play in promoting a tolerant Australia is by getting on with the business of business.

When the diversity warriors drop by, companies should answer truthfully and say they already gave at the office.

There is no need to sign the diversity pledge. Rather than talk the talk, they should just point to how they walk the walk irrespective of gender, sexuality, race — and religion.

Instead of bowing to the political correct dictates of the intolerant activists, companies should simply live their values and practice tolerance by continuing to hire the best and brightest who can contribute to the real corporate mission of maximising shareholder value.

Dr Jeremy Sammut is a Senior Research Fellow at The Centre for Independent Studies.