Trends and demographics

Overview

London is an incredibly diverse city with a population of 7.5 million representing almost 15% of the UK population. It’s a city of contrast, home to the ‘Square Mile’, the world’s leading international financial and business centre as well as to some of the most disadvantaged areas and communities in the UK.

The Square Mile contributes nearly 4% to the UK’s GDP with London as a whole contributing 19% and over 30% of the world’s currency exchanges take place here, more than New York and Tokyo.

London’s strength is in its diversity of communities, its breadth of intelligence across higher education institutions and its popularity as a tourism and business destination. Yet there are pockets of deprivation across the city and amongst certain communities and groups.

In order to spread success equally across London, thriving businesses need to understand their workforce, marketplace and local business providers in order to maximise economic benefit as well as to celebrate their success with all Londoners.

DWfL provides a number of resources to all businesses and across all sectors to provide guidance and a range of tools that will promote and support diversity in the workplace.

This section provides more details of the London context and how business success can be attained through embracing the diversity that is London.