It all depends on what kind of company, what product industry etc. and it might not be about gender or minority diversity but something completely different.
This is what I think is wrong with this whole discussion. Diversity has become a goal in itself yet no evidence to support it's positive impact.
It's not because discriminating based on sex is illegal. If you lower the bar for white people because you take long term view that having more white people in your workforce is more important than hiring the most technically adept candidates then it wouldn't be "your call to make". In fact you would be sued into oblivion and rightly so.
>>Especially since having different viewpoints can aid in innovation and creativity.
Yes, that's why the memo mentions diversity of opinions. You don't get that by discriminating based on sex or race. You could get some of it by not firing people for expressing their views though.
So ? That's the company's choice to make.
Many companies take the longer term view that having a more diverse workforce is more important than hiring the most technically adept candidates. Especially since having different viewpoints can aid in innovation and creativity.