[throwaway120398]

So if I understand your point correctly, you're suggesting that all forms of discrimination based on innate characteristics are acceptable, as long as there is advantage to the business?

[oliwarner]

No. You still hire qualified people, but you take positive action to ensure you're not only interviewing candidates from (eg) white male backgrounds.

A lot of hiring mechanisms involved social ties, and only posting jobs to places you've previously hired from. Shockingly diversity doesn't improve.