ACTIVATE EQUITY

An Interview with Kavitha Prabhakar, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Deloitte US

EDITORS’ NOTE Kavitha Prabhakar is a principal and serves as the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) leader for Deloitte US. She also co-leads the Black Action Council for Deloitte, focused on architecting Deloitte’s long-term strategy to advance its Black colleagues and communities by developing a culture of anti-racism for its people, firm and communities. Previously, she led a $1 billion practice with nearly 5,000 professionals as Deloitte Consulting’s Civil Government sector leader, overseeing a wide range of clients including: The Departments of State, Treasury, Commerce, Transportation, Energy, Agriculture, as well as the U.S. Postal Service, NASA, and U.S. Agency for International Development. Prabhakar was a member of Deloitte’s Nominating Committee, Board Council and leads the Executive Women in technology initiative for Deloitte’s CIO Program. She has also led various Women’s Initiative (WIN) programs for financial services including 100 Wise Women and Women on Wall Street. Prabhakar has been recognized as one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Next Gen and as Crain’s Notable Minorities in Accounting, Consulting & Law. She has an MS in computer science and MBA with concentrations in strategy and finance from University of Illinois, UrbanaChampaign. She also holds a BS in computer science and mathematics from the State University of New York, Buffalo. FIRM BRIEF Deloitte (deloitte.com) provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world’s most admired brands, including nearly 90 percent of the Fortune 500® and more than 7,000 private companies. Deloitte’s people come together for the greater good and work across the industry sectors that drive and shape today’s marketplace – delivering measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in the capital markets, inspire clients to see challenges as opportunities to transform and thrive, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthier society. Deloitte is a part of the largest global professional services network serving clients in the markets that are most important to them. Now celebrating more than 175 years of service, Deloitte’s network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories.

This is a time when Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are top of mind for every company. How do you think about your role as Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer and how critical is it for the role to be engaged in business strategy?

My role as Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer is part relentless optimist, because we have to believe things can improve and that every small inch of progress matters, and part realist, because we have to be honest about where we’re starting and the barriers that exist. I also believe that my role as CDEIO is a role I share with every other person at the organization. We need a culture of allyship and advocacy to achieve the change we believe is needed within our organization and in the communities we serve.

To create meaningful change, DEI cannot be treated as a separate or “extra-curricular” activity – DEI needs to be a business imperative and embedded into the DNA of the organization. At Deloitte, DEI is a strategic priority and a crucial component of our business strategy, shared values, culture, and ability to innovate. We do this by challenging long-held orthodoxies (e.g., we can’t do something because it’s too risky or because there is no precedent) and stepping up the pace of change by creating a measurable, positive impact in all areas of business – from talent acquisition and retention strategies to business choices and decisionmaking around the diversity of suppliers, investments, and acquisitions.

Will you provide an overview of Deloitte’s diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy?

The heart of our strategy is the need to “activate equity” by extending our DEI focus across our talent practices, all client-facing and operational activities, and our impact on society. There was a growing realization that all the best programs and trainings don’t amount to progress if they don’t impact the outcome of creating a more equitable workplace and society. Equity is a critical lens through which we are Kavitha Prabhakar examining our systems and processes to continuously improve the talent experience for our professionals, including career trajectory interventions to proactively monitoring flat or downward trajectories and leadership investment and accountability. By helping address some of the root issues of inequity in society more broadly, we can even the playing field and ensure everyone has a fair shot at succeeding. This year Deloitte published The Equity Imperative which helps organizations think about how to activate equity within their own walls.

How engrained is diversity and inclusion in Deloitte’s culture and values?

We have been a purpose-driven organization from the moment our doors opened more than 175 years ago. Our DEI journey has many firsts including the naming of the first woman chair, the first Hispanic CEO, the first minority CEO, and the first woman CEO of any Big Four organizations. We also set the industry standard with a transformational family leave program that provides eligible professionals with up to 16 weeks of paid leave. Our ability to thrive is because of our long history of

“To create meaningful change, DEI cannot be treated as a separate or ‘extra-curricular’ activity – DEI needs to be a business imperative and embedded into the DNA of the organization. At Deloitte, DEI is a strategic priority and a crucial component of our business strategy, shared values, culture, and ability to innovate.”

“The heart of our strategy is the need to ‘activate equity’ by extending our DEI focus across our talent practices, all client-facing and operational activities, and our impact on society. There was a growing realization that all the best programs and trainings don’t amount to progress if they don’t impact the outcome of creating a more equitable workplace and society.”

“In the summer of 2020, we established our Black Action Council which consists of 14 leaders and over 50 professionals, representing diversity across our businesses, geography, level, gender, and race. We are committed to enhancing the Black experience and to remove barriers in systems, policies and processes to drive equitable outcomes for all.”

creating an environment that is inclusive for all, where diversity in every sense of the word is valued, where all professionals feel valued for their work, and where they are growing professionally and are making a positive impact for our clients and in society.

Accountability to live our diversity, equity, and inclusion values is driven from the top down and bottom up. This year, our senior leaders committed to specific DEI quantitative and qualitative goals – this supports our shift of focus from activity to results and outcomes for DEI. Additionally, listening to and learning from others are a critical part of how we can continue to deepen our commitment. For example, our “Race in America” series features moderated discussions that explore the history of diverse cultures, racial identity and how to be an ally.

How important is it to have diverse perspectives and experiences at the table when addressing client needs?

There is a well-documented correlation between diversity, equity, and inclusion and an organization’s ability to navigate uncertainty and drive greater innovation. Deloitte’s own research has shown that high-performing teams are both cognitively and demographically diverse. For a professional services organization like ours, the multidimensional perspectives and solutions from our workforce is the value that we deliver to clients. In fact, our clients expect us to bring a wide range of experiences and expertise to the table to help them solve their most complex challenges. In the marketplace more broadly, companies are increasingly adding DEI as an evaluation criterion when selecting service providers.

How do you engage Deloitte’s employees in its diversity efforts?

Listening and creating opportunities to engage our people are essential elements of our DEI strategy. It’s letting our people know that we see them, hear them, and that they belong and their stories matter. This past year, we’ve built a number of brave spaces to process difficult topics such as race, identity, and privilege with our leadership and external thought leaders. We’ve also come together to support our colleagues through virtual celebrations such as Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, and Juneteenth.

We’ve created new trainings such as a mandatory anti-racism module and “Say This Not That” to build a culture of allyship and advocacy across the organization. Our Inclusion Councils and cohort specific Communities provide opportunities for our people to bond with colleagues, serve as allies, participate in professional development activities, and contribute to advancing our DEI goals.

Is it critical to have metrics in place to track the impact of Deloitte’s diversity and inclusion efforts?

This year we launched our inaugural DEI Transparency Report. I’m incredibly proud of how we took a critical look at our current state, both from a quantitative and qualitative perspective, and set ambitious goals for what we want the future to be. We shared representation data for our U.S. workforce across leadership, job roles, generations, and all phases of the talent life cycle. Additionally, we shared sentiment/ experience data that highlighted a professional’s sense of belonging in the firm – all data points we had never released before. As a firm, we have made tremendous progress around DEI, but the data allows for a critical look at where we are today, how we want to evolve, and what it will take to get there.

In your role, how valuable has it been to have the commitment of Deloitte’s senior management in the firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts?

Unwavering commitment to advance DEI from the highest levels of leadership is not only incredibly valuable, but absolutely critical. Our leaders across our Executive Leadership Team and Board have wholeheartedly committed to advancing DEI within Deloitte – ensuring it is directly embedded in our business strategy and culture – and they are holding themselves, and each other, accountable for creating substantive change.

This commitment has propelled tremendous progress in the last year. In the summer of 2020, we established our Black Action Council which consists of 14 leaders and over 50 professionals, representing diversity across our businesses, geography, level, gender, and race. We are committed to enhancing the Black experience and to remove barriers in systems, policies and processes to drive equitable outcomes for all. We’re collaborating across the marketplace through organizations like OneTen, a business coalition commitment to hire one million Black Americans into jobs that provide pathways to opportunity over the next decade. Looking to the future, we’re planning to spend $1 billion on diverse suppliers by 2025 and more than $200 million with Black-owned/led businesses by 2025. We were also successful in publishing the previously mentioned first DEI Transparency Report, which would not have been possible without unwavering focus and support of Deloitte’s leadership.

What are your key priorities as you look to Deloitte’s continued efforts regarding diversity and inclusion?

The extensive impact we’re able to make in the marketplace and our communities would not be possible without the diverse perspectives and contributions of our 100,000-plus team. We will continue to prioritize our people, advance our DEI strategy, and cultivate an environment that allows all our people to thrive and bring their exceptional self to work every day.

At Deloitte, we have an incredibly strong DEI foundation, and I’m humbled to be a part of our ongoing journey.•

A Culture of Belonging

An Interview with Lori Costew, Chief Diversity Officer and Director, People Strategy, Ford Motor Company

EDITORS’ NOTE Lori Costew is Ford Motor Company’s chief diversity officer and director of people strategy. She assumed this role in June 2019. Before being appointed to this role, she held positions within Ford leading human resources for the organization’s mobility division, as well as for The Lincoln Motor Company. Costew joined the automaker in 1993 and for nearly three decades has leveraged her expertise in positions supporting marketing, UAW negotiations, equal employment planning and organizational development. In addition to her leadership role at Ford, Costew is also an accomplished author of two award-winning novels that provide inspiration and tools against bullying. Costew has a master’s degree in human resources from The Ohio State University and a certification in executive coaching from the Hudson Institute. COMPANY BRIEF Ford Motor Company (corporate.ford.com) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford trucks, utility vehicles, and cars – increasingly including electrified versions – and Lincoln luxury vehicles; provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company; and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification; mobility solutions, including self-driving services; and connected vehicle services. Ford employs approximately 186,000 people worldwide

Lori Costew

How do you describe Ford’s culture and how critical is it to maintain the culture as the company undertakes its transformation?

At Ford, we believe in the power of creating a world with fewer obstacles and limits, where people have the freedom to build a better life and pursue their dreams. We acknowledge that as a company, we must come together to do more. We must step up our advocacy for racial and social equity, and double down on our actions to achieve our long-term commitment to change. Creating and sustaining a diverse, equitable, inclusive (DEI) environment where everyone belongs means taking a topdown, bottom-up, middle-out approach, which requires a holistic lens to bring all employees along on the journey. The DEI team provides tools, resources and insights, plus experiential learning through our CEO Action Pledge Day of Understanding and Ford’s global diversity, equity and inclusion week. The team encourages participation in the activities of our employee resource groups, such as the National Day of Prayer, Black History Month and Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month events. All of us at Ford must strive to be curious and engage in collaborative, courageous learning. Caring for each other is a critical enabler to achieving our Ford+ plan.

How do you define the role of chief diversity officer and how important is it for the role to be engaged in business strategy?

The chief diversity officer, and the human resources team overall, help lead and shape the employee experience, while being responsive to the needs of our diverse community. However, operations must own the outcomes; this is not a “human resources problem to solve.” Listening deeply in multiple ways is critical. After the murder of George Floyd, we knew we had employees in pain, and this required us to listen – to really listen – to understand their experience inside and outside of Ford. We had to address bias and make sustained change. We also embarked upon the most comprehensive global diversity, equity and inclusion audit ever undertaken. Starting in the U.S., we leveraged quantitative data, qualitative data and deep ethnography studies to truly understand the unique barriers faced by women and underrepresented employees. My responsibility includes taking these learnings and following human-centered design principles to build sustainable solutions into our talent systems and processes to ensure Ford is a place where every employee can thrive.

Will you provide an overview of Ford Motor Company’s diversity and inclusion strategy?

Diversity, equity and inclusion are all equally important, yet different terms. Diversity is about different experiences, backgrounds and thinking styles, inclusion encompasses people feeling welcome, valued and supported, while equity involves providing a fair playing field. Belonging is at the intersection of diversity, inclusion and equity, which is encompassed in our north star, “We are family. We celebrate our differences. We all belong.” Creating a sense of belonging requires us to understand each other and truly celebrate our differences.

“At Ford, we believe in the power of creating a world with fewer obstacles and limits, where people have the freedom to build a better life and pursue their dreams.”

“Ford prides itself on being a model of goodwill. Ford Fund, our philanthropy arm, has donated more than $2 billion over the past seven decades to communities in need, and Ford is a leader in supplier diversity.”

To achieve a growth mindset, all of us must practice empathy and be open to listening and learning. In addition, if we are to build successful products, services and experiences that consumers of all backgrounds will love and want, we must incorporate customer expectations into how we design, market and sell. We know we are on a journey – one in which every single one of us contributes toward creating an environment where all employees feel respected, valued and heard.

How ingrained is diversity and inclusion in Ford’s culture and values?

Ford has a long history of doing the right thing. Whether it be Henry Ford offering a $5 a day wage to all employees regardless of demographic, making iron lungs for polio victims, or our recent pivot during the pandemic into the production of ventilators and other types of personal protective equipment, Ford prides itself on being a model of goodwill. Ford Fund, our philanthropy arm, has donated more than $2 billion over the past seven decades to communities in need, and Ford is a leader in supplier diversity. At this time of social upheaval and change, Ford is committed to making progress in diversity, equity and inclusion throughout every part of our organization.

Fostering a culture of belonging takes more than just paying attention to representation or having an awareness of employee demographics. It means caring for each other. Especially for leaders, self-awareness is a critical first step. It’s important that our leaders pay attention to who they spend their time with, the diversity of their inner circle, and where they turn for career advice. They also must acknowledge their natural biases and be cognizant not just of who they mentor, but who they choose to sponsor.

Companies must create an environment of psychological safety in which people feel they can openly challenge and disagree, so that everyone has the opportunity to share their voice and not be talked over or ignored. Creating rich, meaningful development discussions in which leaders invest time in learning about the aspirations of the diverse talent in our organization can ensure a fair playing field.

Is it critical to have metrics in place to track the impact of Ford’s diversity and inclusion efforts?

Yes. Measurement of our progress and transparency of those metrics and actions are critical for the full impact of our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to take hold. Ford is making a long-term commitment across all dimensions of diversity, equity and inclusion with multiple accountability measures. Sponsorship has to start at the top. Our CEO, Jim Farley, chairs a monthly governance forum with the company’s executive leadership team that covers all areas of the business. Corporate officers have a DEI objective on their performance reviews, and all skill teams are progressing action plans based on results of the audit. With data transparency, our diversity, equity and inclusion data is being shared more than ever, including in the 2021 Integrated Report and Bloomberg Gender Equality Index. In addition, we just launched aspirational goals to ensure career progression for qualified women and underrepresented employees in our U.S. facilities.

While diversity is the right thing to do, you have also said that it is a business imperative. What do you see as the impact of diversity and inclusion on business performance?

Decades of research conducted by consulting firms, universities and think tanks show inclusive companies with broad diversity are more innovative, have more engaged employees and make more money. Members of Gen Z in particular are attracted to companies that have a meaningful purpose and are inclusive. Ford will not be able to attract and retain great talent if candidates don’t see us as diverse and feel we are inclusive.

The investment community has also put a heightened focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, so comprehensive reports like our 2021 sustainability and financial report are effective in highlighting areas of emphasis and progress, as well as the value generated for investors and shareholders. This includes providing a more holistic view across multiple focus areas such as human rights, supplier diversity, philanthropy and employee metrics. Greater transparency into how our company operates and performs will help keep us accountable and create a culture that is diverse, equitable and inclusive, as we step up our commitment to advocating for social and racial justice.

How valuable has it been to have the commitment of Ford’s board and senior management in its diversity and inclusion efforts?

Ford’s leadership understands that the circumstances of the past year – a global pandemic, a volatile economy and demands for social and racial justice – have greatly impacted the Asian American Pacific Islander, Black and Hispanic communities in the country disproportionately. This has accelerated the need for us to lead and create an environment where all employees, especially our Asian American Pacific Islander, Black and Hispanic employees, feel empowered, supported and inspired to be their authentic selves. We report progress and updates monthly to our board. Our CEO is incredibly passionate about embracing diversity, equity and inclusion, and holds all of us accountable for creating a culture of belonging.

You joined Ford in 1993. What has made Ford so special for you and a company where you have wanted to spend so much of your career?

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I recently celebrated 28 years with Ford after starting at Lima Engine Plant. I love the transformation space. I have been so fortunate to be part of a big enterprise that has enabled multiple careers for me in human resources and other areas. I’ve led human resources for Lincoln and our mobility business, and have been involved in business development, marketing and even the business incubator space. I love working with smart, passionate employees at all levels who are making an impact every day on people’s lives.

Despite having nearly 190,000 employees around the globe, we are a family company. Our team cannot do it alone, so I feel fortunate to have many passionate volunteers who care deeply. Globally, the automotive industry is heavily male-dominated and it is majority white in the U.S. Every day, we are committed to helping our team gain a better understanding of the lived experiences of our non-majority employees. The diversity, equity and inclusion space can feel overwhelming at times, yet if everyone could start with just one thing – just one action toward creating a more inclusive work environment – such a small step can have a big impact. You would be amazed at the simple power of a smile and the act of deeply listening during a discussion.

I have real hope, as this is the first time I’ve seen this level of consistent dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion. Today, we are more focused than ever in ensuring we are building a business and a community in which everyone belongs and true equity is possible.•

Advancing Racial Equality and Economic Opportunity

An Interview with Ebony A. Thomas, Senior Vice President, Environmental, Social and Governance, Capital Deployment and Public Policy Executive, Bank of America

EDITORS’ NOTE Ebony Thomas is Bank of America’s Racial Equality and Economic Opportunity Initiatives Executive, responsible for delivering the company’s $1.25 billion, five-year initiative to drive racial equality and economic opportunity for people and communities of color. Thomas previously held roles as a Global Human Resources Executive leading teams in Enterprise Diversity Recruiting Strategy and Market and Site HR. In addition to her executive career, Thomas also serves as a board member at Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) and is a member of the Board of Visitors for the School of Business at Howard University in Washington, D.C. She is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University where she holds a BA degree in English and History. COMPANY BRIEF Bank of America (bankofamerica.com) is one of the world’s leading financial institutions serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company serves approximately 66 million consumers and small business clients in the U.S. through approximately 4,300 retail financial centers, including approximately 2,900 lending centers, 2,500 financial centers with a Consumer Investment Financial Solutions Advisor and approximately 2,300 business centers; approximately 17,000 ATMs; and award-winning digital banking with approximately 39 million active users, including approximately 31 million mobile users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-touse online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and approximately 35 countries. Bank of America is recognized as a top employer by Working Mother magazine and Military Times. The company is also listed on Fortune magazine’s list of the Best Workplaces for Diversity and the Best Workplaces for Parents. It was also named one of the Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion by the U.S. Business Leadership Network and the American Association of People with Disabilities.

Will you provide an overview of your role and key areas of focus?

I’m responsible for delivering Bank of America’s $1.25 billion, fiveyear initiative to advance racial equality and economic opportunity for people and communities of color. Day to day, my work includes identifying and building partnerships with internal and external community and business leaders, local elected officials and others across the communities Bank of America serves. I love the work I do – it’s an incredibly fulfilling job.

What drove the decision behind Bank of America committing $1.25 billion to advancing racial equality and economic opportunity?

Our commitment to driving racial equality and economic opportunity has been part of our mission for a long time. The circumstances of the past year only accelerated our focus and made this work all the more urgent. As you know, underlying economic and social disparities have been exacerbated this past year with the pandemic disproportionately impacting

communities of color, most recently as it relates to vaccine distribution. In response, we’ve really doubled down and sharpened the focus of our work. This includes increasing our $1 billion, four-year commitment to $1.25 billion over five years, with an immediate $1 million in support of increased advocacy, dialogue and engagement with the Asian community.

Why are national and local partnerships so critical to the success of this initiative?

It’s incredibly important. While the private Ebony A. Thomas sector has a responsibility to use its resources to drive progress for these societal problems, cooperation and partnership with local leaders is key to meaningful, on-the-ground impact. Take, for example, our recent commitment to creating the Center for Black Entrepreneurship through a partnership with Spelman and Morehouse colleges, two historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in Atlanta. Another example is our investments in 14 minority deposit institutions (MDIs) and community development financial institutions (CDFIs). Both MDIs and CDFIs are closely connected to the needs of their communities, and these investments are helping to enable positive change and economic opportunity through partnerships that can best deliver on those needs.

Bank of America recently announced the expansion of this commitment with additional funds to address racial justice and advocacy for people of Asian descent. “Our commitment to driving racial equality and economic opportunity has been part of our mission for a long time.”

“Our urgency around systemic issues of racial inequality, discrimination and racism has only increased following the violent attacks and hate speech directed at people of color, including the Asian community, over the last year. We feel that urgency and are taking action.”

“Our diversity makes us stronger, and we believe the value we deliver as a company is strengthened when we bring broad perspectives together to meet the needs of our diverse stakeholders.”

Will you share details about this expanded focus?

Our urgency around systemic issues of racial inequality, discrimination and racism has only increased following the violent attacks and hate speech directed at people of color, including the Asian community, over the last year. We feel that urgency and are taking action. Additional funds from our expanded $1.25 billion commitment are focused on supporting investments to address racial justice, advocacy and equality for all people and communities of color. We hope our work not only moves the needle toward greater engagement, dialogue and inclusion, but also serves as a true catalyst for others in the private and public sectors to come together and take bold action around these issues, too.

How will you know if the $1.25 billion commitment is driving real progress?

If we can’t measure impact, we won’t know what’s working and what isn’t, or how to improve and continue to make a greater impact over time. Our $1.25 billion commitment spans over five years, so we can lean into certain areas where we are making short-term, tangible impact that will inform our work long into the future. Of course, these are systemic issues that won’t be solved overnight, but the more we can track progress, the more progress we can make.

Bank of America has a long and deep commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. How critical is it for Bank of America’s workforce to mirror the diversity of its clients and communities?

We believe that achieving strong operating results – the right way – starts with our teammates. Central to this focus is the representation of our people. Put simply, Bank of America mirrors the clients and communities we serve, and we’re proud to have achieved that goal in our broad employee population. Our global workforce is 50 percent women, and our U.S. workforce is 14 percent Black/African American and 19 percent Hispanic-Latino. Our diversity makes us stronger, and we believe the value we deliver as a company is strengthened when we bring broad perspectives together to meet the needs of our diverse stakeholders.

You personally commit your time and energy working to transform approaches to student achievement, career success and improving generational socio-economic status in underserved communities. Why is this work so important to you and what do you see as the keys to driving lasting, positive change?

Many of the teachers who had the biggest impact on my life and worldview were women and men of color. I’ve always believed that what people see shapes what they imagine to be possible. That’s why I started my career as an educator. When I eventually transitioned from the education and nonprofit space to Bank of America, I was drawn to the company’s scale and unique ability to unlock the necessary financing to address major global and local societal challenges.

Creating lasting change for these issues will be contingent on recognizing that racial equality and economic opportunity are deeply linked. Understanding that history is critical to charting a path forward. That’s why our commitment, and more importantly, our ongoing work, focuses on addressing systemic barriers where they exist, including workforce development, healthcare, housing and small-business assistance.

What role can leading companies play as a force for good in the communities they serve?

As a company, we have resources and convening power. Given the global scale of our business, we’re in a position to make tangible and lasting change in the communities we serve by mobilizing our capital and directing it toward social good in a way that aligns with our operating model, where profit and progress can go together. At the same time, our business, at its heart, is grounded in the work we do at the local level – from supporting small businesses and helping families reach their financial goals, to serving as a local employer of choice, and helping to drive economic growth that addresses needs at the community level. In terms of racial equality, this is crucial – we can do our part to create impact, wealth and greater cultural understanding in the communities where we live and work. It can make a difference on so many levels if we get it right.

Addressing the issue of racial equality and economic opportunity is a long-term challenge and effort. How are you and your team at Bank of America taking moments to celebrate the small wins along the way?

That’s the most rewarding part. The personal stories motivate us to continue forging ahead every day. Whether it is celebrating a minority entrepreneur who now has the resources to start their small business or an HBCU grad who lands their dream job that they never thought was possible – these stories are the reason we do this work. When we talk about our mission to advance racial equality and economic opportunity, it sounds daunting in scale when you say it out loud, but when you see the tangible impact our work is making in the lives of individuals and families, you realize how important these small wins are in creating momentum toward our larger goal and a brighter future.•

Inclusion, Equity, Advocacy and Community

An Interview with Michael Lopez, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise

EDITORS’ NOTE Michael Lopez is responsible for driving the strategies that foster an inclusive experience for HPE employees and diversify its workforce to position the company for success today and tomorrow. Prior to joining HPE, he was the Head of Inclusion and Diversity for Diageo North America, where he served as HR Director for multiple Supply Chain facilities. He previously was the Head of Global Inclusion and Diversity at Alcoa and Arconic. Before returning to Human Resources and focusing on the Inclusion and Diversity field of practice, he was the Chief of Staff to the Chief Executive Officer at Arconic. Earlier in his career, Lopez held multiple positions across corporate, public, government and international affairs at Alcoa, and human resources at Jefferies & Company and Goldman Sachs. He is an active member of the Human Rights Campaign and serves on the organization’s Business Advisory Council. In 2020, Lopez was named one of the top 50 Chief Diversity Officers by the National Diversity Council and Diversity Stars. In 2016, he was named Upstanding’s top 100 Leading Ethnic Minority Executives in the United States and the United Kingdom. He is also a former member of the Board of Directors at the Hetrick-Martin Institute, which is dedicated to providing critical services to at-risk LGBTQ youth. Lopez graduated magna cum laude from New York University with a BA degree in organization behavior and earned a master’s degree in international affairs from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts. COMPANY BRIEF Hewlett Packard Enterprise (hpe.com) is the global edge-tocloud platform as-a-service company that helps organizations accelerate outcomes by unlocking value from all of their data, everywhere. Built on decades of reimagining the future and innovating to advance the way people live and work, HPE delivers unique, open and intelligent technology solutions with a consistent experience across all clouds and edges to help customers develop new business models, engage in new ways, and increase operational performance.

How do you define the role of Chief Diversity Officer and how important is it for the role to be engaged in business strategy?

Increasingly we are being pulled into conversations across the organization, which is positive news. Hence, we must drive organizational capability around diversity, equity and inclusion. To do that, I believe every Chief Diversity Officer and their teams need to design, influence and drive the execution of behavioral and structural changes. I approach this work through a change management lens.

Amid social unrest, increasing demands and political polarization, the role has become more complex and dynamic. The recent work from Korn Ferry resonates with me on this topic. I, too, believe the next-gen Chief Diversity Officers need to move: • from a focus on race and gender to a mosaic of differences; • from values-based to business-based; • from a U.S. focus to a global focus; • from event-driven tactics to a cohesive strategy; and, • from recruitment focused to engagement focused.

The business strategy needs to sit at the core of the work; otherwise, the work becomes a nice add-on, but not mission-critical. We must connect the work consistently to how it enables business outcomes by expanding its reach to increasingly diverse talent, new products, diverse markets, and innovation.

Will you provide an overview of HPE’s diversity and inclusion strategy?

As we worked through our reckoning of the tragic killing of George Floyd as an organization through listening sessions from various internal Michael Lopez communities, impact themes emerged which informed our updated strategy pillars: Inclusion, Equity, Advocacy and Community, enabled at the core by our commitment to creating lasting change. • Inclusion: Our people programs and practices and our culture make all team members feel like they belong at HPE; • Equity: The best people from all different backgrounds are hired, retained, compensated, and promoted equitably; • Advocacy: We show up as sponsors and speak up for each other proactively in support of our team members; • Community: We partner with our stakeholders internally and externally to advance inclusion and social justice.

“We are on a continuous journey to further realize our ambitions. As part of our cultural blueprint, one of our core beliefs is our belief in unconditional inclusion, reinforced through our enterprise recognition portal, so we celebrate inclusion every day whenever we recognize it in our teams.”

“Diverse perspectives empowered to bring their authentic selves to advance the business strategy will improve our outcomes. To enable team members to show up as their authentic selves, we need to foster psychologically safe teams.”

The engine of our strategy is sustaining the effort and building multi-year plans that we collectively as an organization develop with our pan-HPE Inclusion and Diversity Executive Council, chaired by our CEO and co-chaired by me.

How engrained is diversity and inclusion in HPE’s culture and values?

We are on a continuous journey to further realize our ambitions. As part of our cultural blueprint, one of our core beliefs is our belief in unconditional inclusion, reinforced through our enterprise recognition portal, so we celebrate inclusion every day whenever we recognize it in our teams. Each year we award leadership who emulates our beliefs at HPE’s Leadership Forum, presented by our CEO with the company’s top 400 leaders. We measure inclusion through our employee engagement survey, and inclusion is one of the core competencies in the Elements of Leadership which guide how people leaders show up in their teams and the organization.

How do you engage your employees in HPE’s diversity efforts?

Across the organization in regions around the world, each function and geography have inclusion and diversity plans to ensure they are locally relevant to the needs of their groups. The opportunities are endless, and I am encouraged by the organizations’ broad-based recognition and commitment to advance talent equitably. While there is much more to do to embed equity systemically, we can do much to drive our paths forward. At HPE, we believe in embracing Courage over Comfort and Pushing for Better. These two factors are significant contributors to anyone’s growth and ability to lead. If you aren’t a bit uncomfortable, are you pushing yourself hard enough? Pan-HPE, we host global activities every month to celebrate the rich diversity of our team members in partnership with our Employee Resource Groups. Our Inclusion Enablement team has developed learning opportunities for all team members to deepen our collective knowledge and provide resources to take action. Additionally, we host campaigns like our Summer Advocate series, which provide opportunities to engage in courageous conversations about relevant topics of interest to build greater understanding across differences. Based on our learnings last year, we have also embedded regular virtual listening sessions with communities and our executives to keep the lines of communication open and hold ourselves collectively accountable as an organization to take action.

While diversity and inclusion is the right thing to do, you have also said that it is a business imperative. What do you see as the impact of diversity and inclusion on driving better business outcomes?

Diverse perspectives empowered to bring their authentic selves to advance the business strategy will improve our outcomes. To enable team members to show up as their authentic selves, we need to foster psychologically safe teams. As Amy Edmondson has demonstrated in her research, these teams have proven they outperform. Add on employees’ expectations that their organizations are committed to diversity and inclusion, plus customer and shareholder expectations increasing in this area, and the net of this is clear – companies who do not sustain their advances toward this objective are at a competitive disadvantage.

Is it critical to have metrics in place to track the impact of HPE’s diversity and inclusion efforts?

Absolutely. We regularly monitor a mix of qualitative and quantitative metrics to evaluate progress. As mentioned earlier, the role is dynamic, so ensuring there are mechanisms to take the organization’s pulse is critical to adjust strategies. While each organization needs to decide how to drive accountability, I believe leadership must be accountable for making progress, and being transparent internally and externally drives lasting change. We hold our senior leaders responsible for team member success, measured using multiple factors including career growth, rewards and recognition, inclusion and diversity, and pride. These factors are integrated into management goals and tied to executive compensation.

How valuable has it been to have the commitment of HPE’s board and senior management in its diversity and inclusion efforts?

The partnership with the board is instrumental in driving alignment, and I meet with them regularly to review our strategy, progress and get their input on ways to further our efforts. Pamela Carter, an HPE Director, is a member of the HPE Inclusion and Diversity Executive Council which meets quarterly to review progress on the four pillars of our strategy and to consider emerging perspectives and insights that will impact our work. In 2020, we conducted a psychological safety survey to understand better opportunities to promote an environment where every employee can succeed. Initial findings indicate that mentorship and sponsorship and increased transparency around inclusion efforts significantly influence psychological safety. We have set a goal for all senior leaders to be a sponsor of diverse talent. The engagement of senior management as part of our ongoing listening sessions, their sponsorship of the Employee Resource Groups, participation in I&D Councils, and championing diversity and inclusion efforts have been instrumental in conveying our collective commitment.

What do you tell young, diverse talent about the opportunities that exist to grow and lead in the industry?

The digitization of content has made growth opportunities more accessible, and I encourage all talent to pursue them vigorously. There is virtually no topic that isn’t digitally available now to explore. I encourage every person to bring their diverse perspectives to whatever industry they are passionate about pursuing. While there is much more to do to embed equity systemically, we can do much to drive our paths forward.

Over the years, mentors and sponsors have helped me formulate a few recommendations I am happy to pass along: • You are in the driver’s seat for your growth; • Build a network of friends, allies, mentors, sponsors, and connectors; • Be accountable and proactively seek out feedback; • Invest in yourself by spending ample time working on where you want to go.

Finally, if you are in an organization and don’t feel heard or cannot be your authentic self, get out. On balance, all of us will spend the most amount of our time engaged in our careers, so being in an organization that you believe you can bring your diverse contributions isn’t a nice thing to have – it’s essential. In the words of a friend and colleague, “empowerment is claimed, not given.” Empower yourself, and nothing is unachievable without grit, a growth mindset, and a willingness to make mistakes and learn.•

Embrace Diversity, Create Belonging

An Interview with Lynnetta Smith, Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, ServiceNow

EDITORS’ NOTE Lynnetta Smith joined ServiceNow in November 2018 and currently leads efforts around Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIBs) and is responsible for building out and executing the strategy for the engagement of communities and allies globally, both internally and externally. Prior to ServiceNow, she spent nine years at LinkedIn where she worked to move forward the company’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging efforts by managing the company’s Employee Resource Groups, providing guidance and supporting their growth. Smith earned a BSBA in marketing from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. COMPANY BRIEF ServiceNow (servicenow.com) is making the world of work, work better for people. The company’s cloud-based platform and solutions deliver digital workflows that create great experiences and unlock productivity for employees and the enterprise.

How do you define the role of a Chief Diversity Officer and how critical is it for the role to be engaged in business strategy?

Big-picture, I believe that meaningful, sustainable change through diversity, inclusion, and belonging is most successful when every employee embraces it as an element of the culture. Every leader plays a role in modeling behaviors that advance diversity and inclusion, and a collective leadership commitment is important. But real results come from more than just an HR agenda. That’s where I’ve seen chief diversity officers have the most impact. When they pause to listen and learn about employees’ experiences, and to hear their stories. This spans business operations issues like recruiting, pay, and promotions, as well as the emotional, human, and real barriers that underrepresented communities continue to face. That level of business acumen, empathy, and understanding transforms chief diversity officers into strategic thought leaders and partners within their organizations, where they can influence areas like hiring, equitable policies, and creating inclusive environments, and tap into employee emotions and personal experiences to build cultures where everyone feels like they belong.

Would you provide an overview of ServiceNow’s diversity and inclusion strategy?

We believe diversity and inclusion are table stakes. Belonging is the breakthrough. When employees feel like they can be their authentic selves and that their voices will be heard and respected, they create magic. We have been on a mission to create change for our employees, our customers, and our communities that starts with a multi-year strategy to enable and empower our people, engage our communities and allies, build talent and brand, and hire inclusively. The events of 2020 – the global pandemic, systemic racial injustice, civil unrest – deepened our commitment to do more and inspired us

to co-create, along with our employees, our 5-point plan, which aims to accelerate our efforts with a focus on certain actions: 1. Workforce training: Building inclusive skills and mindsets for our employees; 2. Equity for all: Creating and evolving our equitable processes, policies, and practices; 3. Giving employees a voice: Fostering a sense of belonging and space for dialogue; 4. Lobbying for good: Advocating for change with support and direct action, both locally and systematically; Lynnetta Smith 5. Recruiting and career advancement: Increasing representation and inclusion across all levels. Where our focus goes, our progress goes.

How ingrained is diversity and inclusion in ServiceNow’s culture and values?

“Embrace diversity, create belonging” is a cultural value and a business imperative. We’re humbled that our culture has been recognized by a number of third-party organizations for our commitment and actions to drive change. For example, we scored 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index, which measures great workplaces for LGBTQ+ employees, and we were named to the FORTUNE® 100 Best Companies to Work For™ 2021 list. Our work toward equity for all means that we believe everyone deserves to be treated fairly and respectfully, and that there should be equity across the entire talent ecosystem – from hiring to career advancement. To achieve that, we build and scale equitable people practices that result in inclusive and fair outcomes for all employees.

“‘Embrace diversity, create belonging’ is a cultural value and a business imperative. We’re humbled that our culture has been recognized by a number of third-party organizations for our commitment and actions to drive change.”

“We believe diversity and inclusion are table stakes. Belonging is the breakthrough. When employees feel like they can be their authentic selves and that their voices will be heard and respected, they create magic.”

“Building a high-performing, healthy community in partnership with external organizations and customers, where diverse talent authentically experiences a sense of belonging and trust, allows our employees to flourish, be brilliant, and unlock their collective productivity.”

How do you engage your employees in ServiceNow’s diversity efforts?

We make sure employees know that their opinions matter – that they’ll be listened to and that their feedback will inspire real change. For example, after the killing of George Floyd, one of our employees emailed ServiceNow’s executive leadership team, challenging us as a company to say more, to do more. Instead of speaking for him, we gave him the mic. During a global company meeting, he spoke live to ServiceNow employees and described the hurt, desperation, and anger he and so many others felt. This type of trust and ongoing dialogue has empowered employees to break their silence, giving the whole organization greater awareness and understanding – and uniting us in action.

We are committed to making sure these conversations, our work, and our progress continue. My team regularly hosts workshops and brings in speakers to lend their perspectives on social issues and inspire change. Early in 2020, we developed a training on race and allyship amidst COVID-19 to discuss the increase in hate crimes against Asian and AAPI communities, pervading anti-Blackness, and the pandemic’s devastating impact to Black, brown, and immigrant communities. The training featured several of our employees speaking from their own experiences, as well as outside experts who provided historical and current context as well as strategies for allyship and tools for shared liberation.

Facing the realities of continued and unacceptable anti-Black racism in the U.S. and around the world, ServiceNow dedicated Juneteenth (June 19, 2020) to learning and becoming agents of change. Leading up to Juneteenth, we hosted a company-wide “DIBs learning sprint” with action-oriented trainings, virtual volunteer opportunities, donation campaigns, and guided team discussions to educate employees about racial justice, courageous conversations, and ally skills.

We also formed our DIBs Community – with an intentional focus on intersectionality – and launched Belonging Groups, which are safe spaces for the unique employee identities at ServiceNow.

Building a high-performing, healthy community in partnership with external organizations and customers, where diverse talent authentically experiences a sense of belonging and trust, allows our employees to flourish, be brilliant, and unlock their collective productivity.

Is it critical to have metrics in place to track the impact of ServiceNow’s diversity and inclusion initiatives?

Metrics are essential to building a just, sustainable, equitable system for all. They serve as a guide, highlighting what’s working, as well as the areas where we need to grow and invest. For example, because pay equity is so dynamic, especially in a high-growth company like ours, we manage it on an ongoing basis and do regular analyses and adjustments. This approach has led us to achieve systematic pay equity company-wide and ensures we maintain that pay equity on an ongoing basis.

In your role, how valuable has it been to have the engagement and commitment of ServiceNow’s board and senior management in its diversity and inclusion efforts?

We have a collective leadership commitment to drive change. It’s one of the elements that sets us apart. In fact, for each of the four years that we have published our annual Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Report, our entire leadership team has signed the opening letter as a signal of this commitment to action.

What are your key priorities as you look to ServiceNow’s continued efforts in regard to diversity and inclusion?

We will continue to stand united with our 14,000 employees who believe in our purpose to make the world of work, work better for people. It is our responsibility to ensure our collective voice represents that world. Last year, the world experienced something together that no one was exempt from. Since we couldn’t change the situation, we focused on changing our mindset. Our focus remains on executing against our diversity, inclusion, and belonging strategy and our 5-point plan. We’ll continue to build on the pillars of the 5-point plan with programs, policies, and more that drive real change. For example, the first pillar of our 5-point plan, led by my colleague Megan Kollar Dwyer, is Workforce Training – designing and building inclusive skills and mindsets for our employees. We plan to expand a program we piloted last year – “DIBs Impact Labs” – an augmented reality simulation that creates scenarios so employees can experience new situations (as a different race or gender) and better understand microaggressions and racial biases. We’ll continue to advocate for change – both locally and systemically – with support and direct action.

We have a long-term strategy for our DIBs work and we continue to build on it to drive even more positive change.•

A Global Bank with a Local Heart

An Interview with Alan Wong, Managing Director and Head of the Human Resources Department, Bank of China U.S.A.

EDITORS’ NOTE Alan Wong is an established HR executive and Managing Director and Head of the Human Resources Department at the Bank of China U.S.A. Branches. He has been responsible for not only building and overseeing the HR strategy and programs, but also leads HR initiatives to ensure and support compliance with the Bank’s regulatory programs and requirements. In addition, he leads his team in keeping up with industry best Alan Wong practices and plays a critical role in the Bank’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives. He has served as a Co-Chair of the Foreign Bank Human Resources Forum, and is a member of the New Jersey China Chamber of Commerce. Wong spearheaded the development of the Foundation of the Asian Human Resources Forum and is a respected and wellknown authority on the application of U.S. employment and human resources law and practice to Asian businesses. He holds a BA in business administration and economics from the State University of New York at Albany. COMPANY BRIEF As China’s most globalized and integrated bank, Bank of China (boc.cn/ en) has a well-established global service network with institutions set up across the Chinese mainland as well as in 61 countries and regions. It has established an integrated service platform based on the pillars of its corporate banking, personal banking, financial markets and other commercial banking business, which covers investment banking, direct investment, securities, insurance, funds, aircraft leasing and other areas, thus providing its customers with a comprehensive range of financial services. Bank of China U.S.A. (bocusa.com) has branches in New York City, Queens, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Will you provide an overview of your role and key areas of focus?

I have been with Bank of China U.S.A. (BOC U.S.A.) for over 30 years, and I have had the honor to take part in, and witness, its transformation from a small branch in New York City to its current size of close to 800 employees across four branches in three states. I am currently a Managing Director and Head of the HR Department at BOC U.S.A. and am responsible for designing and executing the Bank’s HR strategy and ensuring it is fully aligned with the Bank’s broader business strategy, mission and core values. I help to oversee the different facets of HR management which we divide into seven main strategic categories: talent acquisition, total rewards including compensation and benefits, learning and development, employee relations, compliance and quality control, performance management, and expatriate management. An important part of my responsibility is serving as a liaison between the Bank’s management and our employees, helping to promote a diverse, inclusive and supportive environment. I also work closely with our HR team, internal and external counsel and consultants to stay up to date on all current regulations and relevant employment laws to best serve the Bank and our employees, especially during the ongoing pandemic.

How important is it for the Human Resources role to be engaged in business strategy and how has the role evolved?

Whether you are a bank, a corporate, a government agency or an academic institution, I believe it is crucial for HR to be engaged in the overall business strategy of the organization, and for the business strategy to be wellformed with HR engagement, as HR can both inform and help shape strategy from a people perspective. It is that symbiosis that makes an organization successful for both the business and its employees. By integrating people and business strategies, it ensures that the people – the critical core of any company – are in an environment that thrives and drives the business forward. Having the right HR strategies in place is essential in times of expansion, contraction or even crisis management. In addition, when regulatory mitigation may be required, HR plays a key role to ensure the right people are in place which often brings comfort and confidence to the regulators that execution will likely be efficient and sustainable.

As compliance-related issues become more central to a bank’s operations, the role of human resources expands because of the people-related issues involved in compliance. We do our best to help assure a culture built on treating people fairly and equitably, and encouraging a speakup culture in which individuals feel comfortable bringing to the attention of their managers, our compliance department, and human resources ideas they may have to improve our operations and help us better comply with the various laws and regulations to which we are subject.

HR also plays a vital role in shaping the work environment, to push and provide space for employees to develop to their full potential and create a harmonious and inclusive environment that promotes loyalty, comradery, stability and sustainability.

How do you describe Bank of China U.S.A.’s culture and how critical is culture to the success of the Bank?

The culture here is global in nature, very fast-paced and compliance-oriented, with an emphasis on building productive work relationships. We are teamwork-focused. Over the past few years, BOC U.S.A. has experienced a period of rapid growth and evolution, nearly doubling

in size between 2015-2021 from around 400 employees to close to 800 employees. This was driven by a clear mandate to serve not only the cross-border business relationship between the U.S. and China, but to also service the local U.S. market. Such fast-paced growth means that we must embrace constant changes and remain agile, as new people join the Bank and bring with them fresh ideas and a wealth of local experience to advance the Bank’s industry practices. At the same time, this culture of compliance has been instrumental in uniting the branch to achieve prudent growth and maintain a high level of respect towards regulatory requirements and standards. There has always been an emphasis on the team and the professional business relationships we build with one another. Guided by thought leadership at both the global and local level, Bank of China (BOC) has actively focused on our roles as responsible stakeholders in environmental, social and corporate governance issues. We embrace the highest standards of compliance in all markets in which we operate and continuously promote a strong ethical culture.

On a local level, to best serve our clients, BOC’s U.S. branches stay abreast of key domestic, economic, and social developments. We incorporate initiatives in the areas of green financing, social responsibility and sound and ethical corporate governance into our business practices. This has been crucial to our success. We have been able to balance the need to adapt to the growing level of regulatory scrutiny while building our business presence.

We also celebrate our heritage – as the most international of all the Chinese banks, our management team has placed an emphasis on celebrating and embracing Chinese culture. From formal Chinese language classes to cultural exchange seminars, as well as informal dumpling making classes, Taichi classes, mooncake tastings and our annual celebration of the Lunar New Year, we encourage our employees to participate and be a part of the Bank’s rich cultural history and heritage.

Will you discuss your views on the importance of building a diverse and inclusive workforce at BOC U.S.A.?

As a foreign bank operating in the U.S., building diversity and inclusion is especially important. Foreign banks operating in the U.S. or anywhere in the world often include an expatriate program, and the integration of local employees to create an inclusive environment brings both challenges and new opportunities. Building cohesion is key in this kind of environment – it means encouraging inclusive and open communication and attitudes, as well as flexible and adaptable mindsets. Certain approaches in China may not work in the U.S., and vice versa. While this kind of exchange and sharing of ideas may require longer periods of time in order to resolve certain issues, it is crucial to create an open atmosphere of mutual understanding, respect, and compromise with shared goals and values. This has been especially important as the Bank has expanded and we have had the privilege to hire more local employees.

As diversity, equity and inclusion continues to dominate the discourse within the HR industry and society at large, BOC is dedicated to further improving our DEI practices. As we realign our internal resources and strategies following the pandemic, enhancing our efforts in this space is a key goal.

What is BOC U.S.A. doing to make sure that it is attracting diverse talent and reaching out to diverse candidates for career opportunities?

Building a diverse and inclusive employee population at the local level has been a focus for BOC U.S.A. for some time in order to ensure we recruit the best possible talent as we continue to expand across America. We source candidates from a broad range of resources to ensure we are assessing candidates with a diverse range of experiences and backgrounds. This means not limiting ourselves to just traditional sources, such as large staffing firms or the usual job boards. Prior to the pandemic, we participated in local career fairs and we look forward to returning to these. We also make it a priority to post job opportunities at local colleges across the country in order to build relationships and pipeline talent with these local institutions. In addition, we leverage the networks we have in-house, from our own employee base and partnerships with local community organizations to the wider local and foreign banking communities.

We are vocal about the unique experience a professional can attain by working for an international financial institution and promoting trade and investment between the two largest economies in the world. We aspire to enhance our programs to ensure we are attracting and considering a more diverse set of candidates for the Bank. We pride ourselves in being a global bank with a local heart, so building an employee base that reflects and includes the communities we serve is critical.

What do you see as the major challenges facing HR professionals during this challenging and uncertain time?

Throughout the pandemic, HR professionals have been presented with a host of new challenges. Not only have we had to navigate ever-changing regulations and employment laws tied to the pandemic, but also the changing nature of how we work and interact amongst ourselves and with external stakeholders. We are moving towards an environment of worklife integration, with a focus on hybrid workplaces, migrating workers, as well as synergies instead of dichotomies/competition between work-life and home-life. This pandemic has fundamentally transformed the way the world sees work, and HR professionals have to make sure to not only keep up with the trends, but also listen to employees. We must design programs that align with our business objectives, enhance our training capabilities and focus on our company’s core values.

On the other hand, we should not permit the unique circumstances of the pandemic to force changes that may not be welcome. The HR professional of 2021 must be adaptive, innovative and open to changes in the industry, while keeping an eye on the legitimate needs and expectations of the business, customers, regulators, and, of course, employees.

What advice do you offer to people interested in a career in banking?

I strongly encourage a career in banking. I truly believe it is an excellent launchpad for anyone’s career, regardless of what path they choose in the long run. I would encourage individuals to start by learning about the industry – it is exciting and complex, especially on a global level. People often do not realize the breadth and diverse set of opportunities and careers that banking can offer. Banking is far more than a place where money is stored and loans/investments are executed. The intensity and pace can be challenging, but the rewards are often great and can offer career opportunities for all types of people. I would also encourage students to start reaching out early to those who are in banking, whether it is through their own personal networks, social media, or their schools. Seek out a mentor who can provide proper advice and guidance to acquire firsthand experience. Additionally, students should try to apply for an internship whenever time permits. This has always been a good way to really test the waters for yourself.

BOC U.S.A. brings to the U.S. more than 100 years of responsibility, integrity, professionalism, innovation, prudence and efficiency, but the real experience comes from supporting U.S. economic growth, trade and jobs. Our Bank facilitates the import and export of tens of billions of dollars of goods and services every year to Asia, China and the rest of the world, which is a unique opportunity that not all banks can offer. As our business continues to grow and our operations expand, we are actively searching for bright and ambitious professionals to join our family of professionals.•

“We pride ourselves in being a global bank with a local heart, so building an employee base that reflects and includes the communities we serve is critical.”

Building a World that Works

An Interview with Michael J. Barber, Chief Diversity Officer, GE

EDITORS’ NOTE In his role as Chief Diversity Officer for GE, Mike Barber leads GE’s inclusion and diversity strategy to drive sustainable change with an added focus on driving leadership accountability and metrics, building an inclusive culture and reinvigorating inclusion and diversity learning and mentoring. Barber joined GE in 1981 and, prior to his current role, he served as GE Officer and President and CEO of GE’s Molecular Imaging and Computed Tomography (MICT) business. Additionally, he was the first leader for GE’s strategy on global health called Healthymagination. Its charter was to improve the quality, cost and access to care by 15 percent or more on a global basis. During his career, Barber has had a variety of roles in engineering, operations and product management. As the Manager of the Digital X-ray Detector Platform, he led a team that eliminated the need for film in X-ray procedures. Barber holds patents for novel X-ray system designs and has been directly involved with many product advances in the field of diagnostic imaging. Barber was named a Black Enterprise ‘Master of Innovation’ in 2009. He also serves on the board of Talix Inc., Catalent, and the nonprofit National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME). In 2014 he was elected as a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and was named “2018 Person of the Year” by the Rotary Club of Milwaukee. Barber received his BS and honorary doctorate in engineering and serves as a Regent at his alma mater, Milwaukee School of Engineering. COMPANY BRIEF GE (ge.com) rises to the challenge of building a world that works. For more than 125 years, GE has invented the future of industry, and today the company’s dedicated team, leading technology, and global reach and capabilities help the world work more efficiently, reliably, and safely. GE’s people are diverse and dedicated, operating with the highest level of integrity and focus to fulfill GE’s mission and deliver for its customers. likely somebody in the organization who is responsible for overseeing that it is happening and progressing in a consistent way. That is how I look at the role of the Chief Diversity Officer. I don’t have all the answers and there’s a number of different things required. There are some that can be addressed in the short-term and some that will be part of the longer journey, but I see my role as being the quarterback on the field to get people moving in the same direction to make progress. Driving meaningful change starts with focused leadership. Beyond my companywide role, we also named a CDO for each GE business and worked hard to find operating leaders who know how to drive accountability and achieve results while also coming from a variety of functions and backgrounds to enhance our collective perspectives. Each CDO, including myself, reports directly to their CEO and is responsible for working with their CEO and leadership team to create, own, and drive diversity KPIs.

You have held a number of leadership positions at GE throughout your career. What excited you about the role of Chief Diversity Officer and made you feel it was the right fit?

The prospect of being the Chief Diversity Officer wasn’t something that was on my radar. After spending over 39 years at GE, in engineering, in operations, and in leading a business for the last several years, I had decided it was time

to retire. Then, two things occurred. First, GE was “rewiring” its operating style in a number of areas, becoming more decentralized to better meet our customers’ needs. Then, the reckoning for equality and justice that was energized by the terrible murder of George Floyd began gaining momentum. I was intrigued when Larry Culp, GE Chairman & CEO, was clear that he wanted someone who had an operational background for the CDO role. Larry wanted inclusion and diversity to be embraced, understood, and driven Michael J. Barber in the same way business leaders approached their other priorities. When he reached out to see if I would be interested in helping him make that transformation in the company, I understood the real opportunity this was to make GE better. I want to make sure that everyone can reach their full potential in the company. If everyone in the room has the same backgrounds and experiences, you won’t get the benefit of complementary ideas that build on each other and lead to better answers. It’s only when you have people with different experiences, who can work together, be transparent, and be themselves, that we can truly build a world that works. It’s something worthwhile that I wanted to be a part of and decided to postpone my retirement.

Will you provide an overview of GE’s diversity and inclusion strategy?

At GE, we are committed to building a more diverse workforce and a more inclusive workplace by strengthening our focus on accountability, transparency and community. Moving forward, this means expanding our

How do you define the role of Chief Diversity Officer and how important is it for the role to be engaged in business strategy?

In business, if you want to make something better and have lasting change, there’s

“As a company, we look to improve every day, every quarter, and every year. That includes being motivated to demonstrate progress in diversity and inclusion.”

“If everyone in the room has the same backgrounds and experiences, you won’t get the benefit of complementary ideas that build on each other and lead to better answers. It’s only when you have people with different experiences, who can work together, be transparent, and be themselves, that we can truly build a world that works.”

“From leadership messages and employee feature videos to virtual symposiums and all-employee broadcasts, we’re making engagement on diversity progress and learning a continued focus.”

diversity strategy to include mitigating bias in our talent processes; growing engagement in our Employee Resource Groups globally; expanding our understanding and collection of our diversity data globally; and further developing and promoting allies and sponsors.

As a company, we look to improve every day, every quarter, and every year. That includes being motivated to demonstrate progress in diversity and inclusion.

How engrained is diversity and inclusion in GE’s culture and values?

GE celebrated 129 years of innovation this year. From Lewis Latimer, African American Civil War veteran whose patents and other innovations made light bulbs last longer, to Edith Clarke, the first woman to receive a master’s degree in electrical engineering at MIT and who made significant contributions to long-distance power transmission at GE where she became the first woman professionally employed as an electrical engineer in the U.S., GE has been a proving ground for the important role diversity plays in innovation.

We also introduced our GE Leadership Behaviors in March 2020 and were very intentional in embedding diversity and inclusion within them. For example, part of the behavior “Act with Humility” includes “embracing a culture of respect which values inclusive teams and diverse perspectives.” Taking it a step further, each employee’s demonstration of the Leadership Behaviors is one of the two unique ratings they will receive as part of their annual summary process.

How do you engage your employees in GE’s diversity efforts?

We are firm believers in the importance of fostering community within our own company and the local communities where our employees, customers, and their families live and work. Internally, we’re proud to have been an early leader in the creation of strong Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) nearly 30 years ago. These groups accelerate development through mentoring, learning, networking, organizing outreach and service activities, and addressing challenges that are important to their members and the company through targeted initiatives. To add support and leadership, last year we named senior executive sponsors for each group.

In addition to our ERGs, we also launched the CDO Council, bringing together our business CDOs and HR diversity leaders to share best practices and drive new levels of connection and accountability across the company. As I mentioned earlier, we also have Chief Diversity Officers named for each GE business. They are tasked to work with their business CEO and their leadership team to ensure diversity is integrated in the business rhythms, not run as a separate initiative. Ongoing learning related to diversity and inclusion is an important area the business CDOs are also leading for the employee populations they support.

From leadership messages and employee feature videos to virtual symposiums and all-employee broadcasts, we’re making engagement on diversity progress and learning a continued focus.

Is it critical to have metrics in place to track the impact of GE’s diversity and inclusion efforts?

Yes. The foundation of continuous improvement is looking at the data. This is an essential step to determine root cause and develop action plans that lead to sustainable change. To that end, we transparently shared our diversity data earlier this year. This is the beginning of a journey to improve the depth and breadth of our diversity data and we expect to include a more extensive data set over time. From the data, it’s clear we have work to do and as with any business imperative, accountability is key to achieving progress.

Collectively we are also developing and driving key performance indicators (KPIs) for diversity and inclusion for each GE business. These KPIs are tracked and owned with the same level of operational rigor as our operating KPIs and are no less important.

How valuable has it been to have the commitment of GE’s board and senior management in its diversity and inclusion efforts?

It’s been about a year since I started in my role as Chief Diversity Officer and I am encouraged by the sustained level of support from my GE colleagues around the world and the commitment and focus from the company leadership and our board to deliver meaningful results. That continued universal support is essential to ensuring we are able to do what we must to make GE a place where everyone is empowered to do their best work because they feel accepted, respected, and that they belong.

You joined GE in 1981. What has made GE so special for you and a company where you have wanted to spend your career?

I believe the work we do at GE is fundamental to a world that works. The future of flight, precision health and the energy transition may seem like daunting challenges, but together with our customers, GE teams rise to those challenges every day. The drive to solve the world’s big challenges has been a part of the culture at GE from the very beginning and the importance and value of each person’s ideas are what matters. Ensuring that happens systemically, every day and in every part of the company, requires effort from all of us, and it’s something I believe we can do to root out inequity.•

Racial Equity

An Interview with Shelley Stewart III, Partner, Private Equity and Principal Investors Practice, McKinsey & Company and Leader, McKinsey’s Institute for Black Economic Mobility

EDITORS’ NOTE Shelley Stewart is a leader within McKinsey’s Private Equity & Principal Investors Practice, where he serves a range of clients on marketing and sales topics. He has worked with numerous privately-held and publicly-traded companies across the industrial and technology sectors, helping them identify opportunities for accelerated growth, design new go-to-market models, improve effectiveness of sales-force deployment, and improve margin through comprehensive pricing programs. In addition to his client work, Stewart leads McKinsey’s research on Black economic mobility in the United States and has published numerous articles and is a speaker on the topic. Stewart is also on the board of directors of the National Black MBA Association. Before joining McKinsey, Stewart worked in the financial services industry. He held a variety of roles at an investment banking firm, and subsequently cofounded Dreadnought Capital Management, an investment management firm where he led portfolio management. Stewart earned his BA in economics from Boston College and an MBA from Columbia University. FIRM BRIEF McKinsey & Company (mckinsey.com) is a global management consulting firm committed to helping organizations create change that matters. In more than 130 cities and 65 countries, its teams help clients across the private, public and social sectors shape bold strategies and transform the way they work, embed technology where it unlocks value, and build capabilities to sustain the change – not just any change, but Change that Matters – for their organizations, their people, and in turn society at large.

Will you provide an overview of your role and key areas of focus?

I am a Partner with McKinsey’s New Jersey Office. My client work focuses on helping companies of all sizes accelerate profitable growth. Specifically, I support clients on growth strategy, sales force effectiveness, channel management, and pricing.

What have been the keys to the strength and leadership of McKinsey’s Private Equity & Principal Investors Practice?

Our Private Equity practice is a full-service offering. We support everything from fund

strategy to diligence to portfolio value creation. On the latter, we bring the complete set of McKinsey offerings (e.g., marketing and sales, digital, operations, etc.) tailored to both the size and investment horizon.

You also lead McKinsey’s Institute for Black Economic Mobility. Will you highlight the Institute and how you define its mission?

The Institute is working across Shelley Stewart III the private, public, and social sectors to inspire, empower and sustain action that leads to the economic development of Black communities across the globe. We do this through research and assets, convening and direct engagement.

“Businesses are rightly being expected to play a role in advancing the needs of society.” How are you engaging McKinsey’s workforce in the work of the Institute for Black Economic Mobility?

The Institute sits at the center of our Racial Equity agenda at McKinsey. We are creating opportunities for our colleagues to work on issues that they are genuinely passionate about and partnering across our client service practices to bring racial equity into our work. For example, we have been working with banks and insurance firms to help increase access for Black Americans.

How critical is it for McKinsey & Company to build a diverse and inclusive workforce in order to bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the table when addressing client needs?

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce, no question. Talent is diverse, and our firm must reflect this diversity if we intend to hire the best people. Our own research demonstrates a strong connection between diverse leadership and business performance. Diverse perspectives are also essential to delivering impact with our clients.

What are the keys to being successful in attracting and retaining diverse talent for McKinsey & Company?

To attract and retain diverse talent, McKinsey, like all companies, must continue to foster a more inclusive environment. Over the last year, we have worked to think more broadly around our sources of talent, for example, expanding our recruiting efforts from five to thirty Historically Black Colleges and Universities. As a result, we will be welcoming our largest class ever of Black and Hispanic/ Latino summer interns, more than triple the size of our 2019 class. We are also unbiasing people processes, improving mentoring and sponsorship for all colleagues, and increasing diverse representation at senior levels.

What do you see as the responsibility that leading companies have in addressing societal issues and being a force for good in society?

Businesses are rightly being expected to play a role in advancing the needs of society. Wealth and income inequality continue to accelerate to the detriment of both the poor and middle class. Our consumption-based economy cannot sustain without a thriving middle class. Companies have started to acknowledge the need to move beyond a singular focus on the shareholder. For example, the Business Roundtable announced in 2019 a shift toward stakeholder capitalism, acknowledging that corporations must focus on more than their bottom line.

What advice do you offer to young people beginning their careers during this challenging and uncertain time?

My advice is not to get too hung up on the specifics of your first couple of jobs. Many of us don’t know what we want to do with our lives. It takes time and experience to understand what we are genuinely passionate about and becoming good at it. In your early career, it’s all about skill acquisition. Be a sponge. Find inspiration in everything.•

Opportunities for all

CNA is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive culture where current and prospective employees feel welcomed, valued and celebrated for their unique contributions toward the company’s long-term success.

cna.com

Building the Networks That Move the World Forward

An Interview with Diego Scotti, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Verizon

EDITORS’ NOTE Diego Scotti and his team have led the widely recognized transformation of the Verizon brand from a phone company to a technology and experience brand led by purpose and innovation over the past six years. He oversees all aspects of Verizon’s marketing, experience design and brand communications across all business units. He is responsible for linking the company’s innovations, products and services to build Verizon’s brands, create awareness, and drive demand and loyalty across all channels. Scotti was instrumental in building Verizon’s brand purpose, to create the networks that move the world forward, solidifying the company’s dedication to social impact. Overseeing the company’s corporate responsibility efforts, he was also at the helm of the creation of Citizen Verizon, the company’s plan for societal, economic and environmental advancement. At the helm of one of the country’s largest advertisers, Scotti has taken bold action to impact DEI within the marketing industry at large and has become a known activist for change. He founded adfellows in 2017, a breakthrough marketing training program offering diverse, entry-level talent, an integrated experience within Verizon and its agency partners. Previously, he served as the Chief Marketing Officer of J. Crew where he drove brand growth to historical heights. Scotti also spent 15 years at American Express, where he led several functions including global advertising and brand management, leading the creation of a number of iconic brand advertising and marketing campaigns including the award-winning “My Life. My Card,” as well as playing a key leadership role on major product innovations including Blue and the Centurion Card. He also worked at Conde Nast where he led marketing at Vogue and held several other titles. Scotti was selected by Business Insider for their “Most Innovative CMO” List in 2018, 2019 and 2020, and was named one of the “World’s Most Influential CMOs” by Forbes in both 2019 and 2020; in 2020 Diego also received the Adweek Brand Genius Award and Campaign’s Power of Purpose Award. He is a member of the executive committee of the Ad Council and Co-Chair of the Adweek DEI Council.

COMPANY BRIEF Verizon (verizon.com) is one of the world’s leading providers of technology, communications, information and entertainment products and services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $128.3 billion in 2020. The company offers voice, data and video services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering Diego Scotti on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control. Verizon was the first company in the world to launch a commercial 5G mobile network with a commercially available 5G-enabled smartphone. The company’s operating structure focuses on three customerfacing areas: Consumer, Business and Media.

“Above all else, Verizon believes in the power of technology for good. With that in mind, our culture is laser focused on serving our key stakeholders – customers, employees, shareholders and society.”

How do you describe Verizon’s culture and how critical is culture to the company’s success?

Above all else, Verizon believes in the power of technology for good. With that in mind, our culture is laser focused on serving our key stakeholders – customers, employees, shareholders and society. We’re also deeply committed to a collaborative culture across the company, one that empowers a diverse workforce at every level of the organization. This kind of focus and vision to drive the business has proven to be extremely efficient.

Will you provide an overview of your role and key areas of focus?

As Chief Marketing Officer, I oversee all aspects of Verizon’s marketing across all business units. I link the company’s technology, products and services to build Verizon’s brands and ultimately drive loyalty and engagement. Within that larger purview, my key focuses are driving purpose and innovation to deliver on Verizon’s mission: to build the networks that move the world forward.

Our innovation is driven by the adoption of 5G technology – an invisible network that the marketing team is tasked with educating the public about. We’re very thoughtful about how we story tell around and humanize the network, and it isn’t always the easiest job, but what does make our job easy is talking about the superiority of the network. Verizon’s network is the most reliable on the planet. I don’t have to make anything up. I also oversee the company’s responsible business efforts, driven by social impact, ensuring the marketing strategy is both a force for good and a force for growth.

How critical is it for the CMO role to be engaged in business strategy?

Brand and business are one in the same. As a CMO, being not only engaged, but helping to drive business strategy, is crucial to success of not only the marketing team, but the company. This approach means full alignment and trust throughout the C-suite and also support from the very top, which I’m lucky to have from our CEO, Hans Vestberg.

CMOs also have to have a strong understanding of their partners’ businesses. With the emergence of 5G and the implications it has for industries, we’re committed to working with our partners across sectors – from sports to music to gaming to culture – to revolutionize their industries. We look at our partnerships through a 360-degree lens that is grounded in innovation. This kind of deep engagement drives growth for everyone.

“Our responsible marketing action plan addresses not only representation, but economic investment focused on ensuring a diverse and equitable creative supply chain, retention of diverse talent, fighting bias in our content and creating responsible content practices.”

“Being responsible isn’t a nice to do, it’s a need to do. To truly be a leading company, you have to lead the way in societal impact. To do this right, you need a focused brand purpose to guide you, grounded in actions, not words.”

Will you highlight the transformation of the Verizon brand from a phone company to a technology and experience brand?

The strength and reliability of our network and the connections it creates will always be Verizon’s priority. Over the past few years, we’ve put an added focus on what our networks can unlock and what can be built and created on them, going beyond voice calls. This has been led, in large part, by the emergence of 5G and the increased availability of the technology to more people in more places. With all of the possibilities that come with the speeds, low latency and high bandwidth that 5G unlocks, Verizon is in a unique position to drive both innovation and trust for our key stakeholders. As we continue to deliver on the promise of 5G, we’re getting it in the hands of creators, partners, business leaders and engineers to empower them to be empowered by what the network can unlock.

How critical is it for Verizon to build a diverse and inclusive workforce in order to bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the table when making business decisions?

The most crucial issues impacting marketing today are tied to diversity, equity and inclusion. We’ve been doing deep work to address the DEI issues within the industry for over five years, and we’ve learned a lot. We’ve learned these issues are complicated; that there isn’t a silver bullet or one-size-fits-all solution that will address every aspect; and that we have to do the work because diverse voices are critical to the success of our business.

The industry, marketplace and workforce all change at such a rapid speed that it requires companies to continuously develop new solutions to stay relevant to what employees need. Its ongoing work that calls for consistent commitment. Over the past year, we’ve been putting a lot of thought into how we can increase our impact. We created a multifaceted and holistic approach that is grounded in collaboration and accountability. Our responsible marketing action plan addresses not only representation, but economic investment focused on ensuring a diverse and equitable creative supply chain, retention of diverse talent, fighting bias in our content and creating responsible content practices. I’m really proud of the plan itself and even more proud of the fact that Interpublic Group, Publicis and WPP are partnering with us on these efforts, ensuring the impact goes beyond the walls of Verizon. Not only is there no silver bullet – it takes a village to make an impact.

You founded adfellows, a breakthrough marketing training program offering diverse, entry-level talent an integrated experience within Verizon and its agency partners. What was your vision for creating adfellows and how do you define its mission?

When we launched adfellows in 2017, the goal was to create a pipeline of diverse talent to help reshape the future of marketing and media. At the time, it was a seed of an idea that we hoped would affect the industry. What started as a program with five agency partners has grown to include 18 agency partners and five brand partners – enabling us to truly change the make-up of our industry. We’ve changed the lives of 109 fellows who have gone through the program, and 90 percent of them have received full-time jobs with a 95 percent retention rate within the industry.

The success of the program has been incredible, but we know that, along with the work we’re doing for entry-level talent, we need to create a solution for retention at the mid-level. We created AdDisruptors, a sixmonth program for standout talent at our agencies with 5-8 years of experience. Our inaugural class of 19 Disruptors is getting access to speakers and one-on-one mentoring from thought leaders throughout the industry. They were all nominated by the CEOs of their agencies for their leadership potential and the goal is to give them new challenges and experiences so they can get to the next level in their careers, and so that we retain top talent on the Verizon account teams.

Verizon is deeply engaged in the communities it serves. Do you feel that this is a responsibility of leading companies and will you discuss Verizon’s commitment to corporate responsibility?

Being responsible isn’t a nice to do, it’s a need to do. To truly be a leading company, you have to lead the way in societal impact. To do this right, you need a focused brand purpose to guide you, grounded in actions, not words. Verizon’s purpose, to create the networks that move the world forward, is core to the way we do business. We don’t look at it as philanthropy. We proved that last June when we launched Citizen Verizon, our responsible business plan for social, economic and environmental advancement.

Additionally, with the massive shift to digital over the past year, our commitment to use the power of technology for good has become even more relevant and the transformation we’re driving with 5G has become even more critical. The next gen technology is transformational – we’re already seeing the impact in education, healthcare, the future of work and collaboration, and entertainment. These are industries that have seen massive change since COVID-19 hit and will continue to shift as we all find our new normal post-pandemic.

What advice do you offer young people interested in building a career in the industry?

Know that your voice matters. Your ideas matter. The industry is changing, the playbook is being rewritten and we need the thoughts of young minds to help us create it.•

Service, Equality and Inclusion

An Interview with Lilian Vanvieldt, Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Alliant Insurance Services

EDITORS’ NOTE Lilian Vanvieldt is a 30-year insurance industry veteran. As the head of Alliant’s Diversity and Inclusion initiative, she leads a company-wide effort focused on promoting diversity and inclusion within Alliant and throughout the broader insurance industry through a focus on awareness, training, mentoring, and career development. In addition to her role as CDIO, Vanvieldt is one of the nation’s leading brokers in the education space. She currently leads the Alliant Kindergarten to Community College (K-14) Public Entity program and plays an influential role in setting the program’s national business strategy. A proud survivor of stage III breast cancer, Vanvieldt currently serves as Director of the Susan G. Komen Leadership Foundation in San Diego and was the organization’s Honorary Breast Cancer Survivor of the Year in 2018. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and history from the University of California, Los Angeles. COMPANY BRIEF With a history dating back to 1925, Alliant Insurance Services (alliant.com) is one of the nation’s leading distributors of diversified insurance products and services. Operating through a national network of offices, Alliant offers a comprehensive portfolio of services to clients.

How do you define the role of a Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and how critical is it for the role to be engaged in business strategy?

We have a profound responsibility as an organization to advocate for diversity and inclusion both in our industry and in the communities where we do business. My goal is to help Alliant stand out as a force for good in the insurance industry, while expanding opportunities for career growth and advancement for individuals Lilian Vanvieldt with diverse backgrounds and life experiences within our organization. I believe that diversity and social justice are not only essential to creating a better world, but are also the hallmarks of a healthy and successful business. I am also focused on promoting inclusion across Alliant with the goal of bringing everyone together to help our organization grow and succeed. I look forward to working with Alliant’s leadership team to ensure that Alliant is a welcoming and thriving place for employees from all backgrounds to call home.

What excited you about the opportunity to take on this role and how valuable will your past experience in other leadership roles at Alliant be in this new role?

This new role presents a unique opportunity for me to bring together my 30+ years of experience as an insurance professional (19 with Alliant) and long-standing background in community service and philanthropy. I am the incoming Director of the Susan G. Komen Leadership Foundation in San Diego and was the organization’s Honorary Breast Cancer Survivor of the Year in 2018. I have always sought to use my voice and influence to advocate for equality in access to health services and remain an active spokesperson for breast cancer education and prevention. In addition to my efforts heading up Alliant’s diversity and inclusion initiative, I look forward to continuing to service my national portfolio of public entity clients, focusing on schools, cities, and other public agencies. This broad base of professional and service experience gives me a unique perspective that allows me to champion the causes and issues that are important to the communities we serve.

Will you provide an overview of Alliant’s diversity and inclusion program?

Alliant’s Diversity & Inclusion program was established to strengthen our business and our culture by promoting diversity and inclusion across all levels of our organization and within the insurance industry at large. At the heart of the program is a commitment to education, collaboration, and understanding our responsibilities to the broader community. Our goal is to create an environment where employees with their unique backgrounds and experiences can do great work together and set a course toward a more just and equitable world. At the heart of this commitment is a dedication to doing more than simply recognizing the need for a more diverse and welcoming workplace. It’s about inclusion for all. It’s about taking action.

How engrained is diversity and inclusion in Alliant’s culture and values?

Alliant believes that diversity and inclusion is not a byproduct of our success, but a catalyst for

“Alliant believes that diversity and inclusion is not a byproduct of our success, but a catalyst for it. The strength and success of our organization is defined by the diverse people who work here.”

“I believe that diversity and social justice are not only essential to creating a better world, but are also the hallmarks of a healthy and successful business.”

“Having a diverse and multi-talented workforce enriches our culture and empowers us to deliver unique and creative solutions to the challenges we face while serving our clients with empathy and respect.”

it. The strength and success of our organization is defined by the diverse people who work here. We see this borne out every day as employees with a broad array of backgrounds and life experiences come together to bring unique perspectives on both our business strategy and our overall corporate culture. Alliant is a national organization with employees across North America. Each team member has a unique story and perspective, and each story contributes to making Alliant a leader in our industry and in the communities where we live and work. As a result, Alliant is wholly invested in promoting a diverse and collaborative work environment where everyone’s voice is heard.

How important is it to have diverse perspectives and experiences at the table when making business decisions?

Having a diverse and multi-talented workforce enriches our culture and empowers us to deliver unique and creative solutions to the challenges we face while serving our clients with empathy and respect. We are dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion across our organization and throughout all levels of leadership. This is reflected in our recruitment and hiring practices. One way we maintain this commitment to diversity in our hiring practices is by forming strategic partnerships with networks and organizations that promote diverse hiring practices. Our recruitment team uses our resources to reach out to local networking associations for our job openings. Additionally, Alliant attends career fairs focused on veteran hiring. We want Alliant to be an organization that consistently attracts and retains top talent by virtue of having a diverse platform externally.

How will you engage your employees in Alliant’s diversity efforts?

A central component of my role will be to lead and engage with our Diversity & Inclusion Committee, which is comprised of employees across the nation who are committed to cultivating diversity and inclusion across our workforce. The committee works to educate our employees and ensure that every employee’s voice is heard. The program also supports several Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Women at Alliant, Blacks @ Alliant, All-In (LGBTQ), AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander), and ARMS (Awareness, Resources, Mentorship, and Support) for those impacted by cancer. These ERGs create a strong sense of community across our organization and provide resources, relationships, and alliances that are essential to the health and productivity of our workforce.

Is it critical to have metrics in place to track the impact of Alliant’s diversity and inclusion efforts?

While maintaining an organizational commitment to diversity and inclusion is an important first step, measuring our success is critical to maintaining momentum and progress for this initiative. We will achieve this by regularly assessing our recruitment and hiring practices. We work directly with our Professional Development team to create powerful diversity and inclusion training modules and assess progress via enrollment and response.

In your role, how valuable is it to have the commitment of Alliant’s senior management in the firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts?

The commitment from senior management is essential to the success of our D&I efforts, and our executive team has taken an active stance in ensuring that diversity and inclusion is woven into every aspect of Alliant’s operations. Additionally, our Chairman and CEO, Tom Corbett, has pledged both his support and that of Alliant to CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ (CEOAction.com). This pledge is the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace across several industries and to commit to change and learning from each other. Our goal is to leverage our individual and collective voices to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

What are your key priorities as you look to Alliant’s continued efforts in regard to diversity and inclusion?

My key priorities will orbit around our core commitments to awareness, training, and mentoring. Within these key areas, my vision is to give employees from all walks of life an opportunity to realize their full potential by setting a clear path to success via education, training, and promotion. By promoting more diverse voices in leadership, we will benefit greatly from the unique perspectives and fresh ideas that will move our organization forward. Externally, my goal is to solidify Alliant’s reputation as an organization that is responsive to the community – both a leader in insurance and a company that is reflective of the clients we serve and the issues that are important to them. I look forward to advancing the conversation about equity and building a culture of service, equality and inclusion.•

Celebrating Diff erences

An Interview with Laurie Havanec, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, CVS Health

EDITORS’ NOTE As EVP and Chief People Officer at CVS Health, Laurie Havanec leads Human Resources for a workforce of 300,000 diverse employees across the U.S. She is responsible for all HR functions including talent development, diversity, equity and inclusion, compensation and benefits as well as labor and employee relations. Havanec brings more than 25 years of experience to CVS Health, most recently serving as Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer of Otis Worldwide Co., the world’s leading elevator and escalator company. Before joining Otis, she served as Corporate Vice President of Talent and Human Resources at UTC after having held senior HR roles at Aetna and Sikorsky. Havanec is an inductee of the YWCA Academy of Women Achievers and served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame and the Connecticut Governor’s Committee on Workforce and Education. She earned a BS in business from the University of Connecticut and a JD from the University of Connecticut School of Law. COMPANY BRIEF CVS Health (cvshealth.com) is a diversified health services company with nearly 300,000 employees united around a common purpose of helping people on their path to better health. Built on a foundation of community presence, its diversified model engages one in three Americans each year. From its innovative new services at HealthHUB locations, to transformative programs that help manage chronic conditions, CVS Health is making healthcare more accessible and more affordable.

How do you define the role of the Chief People Officer and how important is it for the role to be engaged in business strategy?

Without question, lofty job-seeker expectations, fierce global competition for highly-skilled talent, remote work and gig economy employment models, and changing demographics are paving a path for human resources executives to serve at the center of corporate strategic decision-making. Chief Human Resource Officers or Chief People Officers (CPOs) are seeing increasing emphasis on the employee experience and corporate culture, in addition to the important functions HR leaders have managed historically. Delivering a welcoming, energizing and rewarding experience for candidates and a thriving culture for employees has taken on new importance in a company’s success. It is no secret that engaged employees are more productive, less likely to leave, and more driven to contribute to a company’s goals. Conversely, an inability to attract and retain top talent can hamper an organization’s growth, hurt profitability, and create a negative brand experience in the marketplace. Having a dedicated C-level individual to oversee an organization’s people – in healthcare or in any industry – makes good business sense. In addition to identifying and recruiting premier new talent, a CPO can enable team members to achieve their highest potential, thrive in a fast-paced, fast-changing environment, and make a profound impact in the organization. This is where Chief People Officers can make major contributions to a company’s performance and there is no better investment in a company’s future.

What excited you about the opportunity to lead the HR function at CVS Health and what made you feel it was the right fit?

I joined CVS Health for a couple of professional reasons. First, I was so genuinely drawn by how CVS has uniquely positioned itself to be a leader and innovator in providing broader access to healthcare to everyone, in every community. Second, I’m inspired by our leaders and by our 300,000 employees who are in every corner of America and who make a difference every single day. It’s been said that businesses don’t create value; people do. In partnership with our CEO, Karen Lynch, and the HR teams, the challenge to build and sustain a united, consumer-centric culture that enables CVS Health to transform healthcare for consumers across the nation was a leadership opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. The way we support and develop talent directly impacts our ability to meet these goals and fulfill our purpose for helping people on their path to better health.

I was also attracted to CVS for a personal and, perhaps, more serendipitous reason. My dad was a pharmacist. He owned a small drugstore when I was growing up and he always wanted me to be a pharmacist. We lost my dad about 17 years ago, but I am certain he’s smiling right now knowing I work for the nation’s largest pharmacy.

Will you provide an overview of CVS Health’s diversity and inclusion strategy?

CVS Health has a long-standing and holistic approach to strategic diversity management that is inclusive of all of those we care for each day. Our nearly 300,000 employees are a microcosm of America and a reflection of the diversity that is foundational to who we are as a country. We have made great strides in advancing a strategy that supports our business objectives and creates new opportunities for our colleagues – most notably is our progress against key industry meaLaurie Havanec sures. In 2017, we were honored to be named to the DiversityInc list of Top 50 Companies for Diversity, coming in at #49. This is a leading assessment for diversity management practices in corporate America and over the last four years we have continued to improve our standing, ranking #26 in the 2021 survey. Despite our progress, and in reflecting on the events of the past year as a management team, it became clear that the American healthcare system could do a lot better to serve and support underserved populations across the country. The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the systemic health inequities felt by Black and Brown communities, as they have been among the hardest hit by COVID-19. In addition, last year’s protests showed that these communities need more support now more than ever to achieve true equity across society. This reflection led to the company committing nearly $600 million over five years to advance employee, community and public policy initiatives that address inequities faced by Black/African American and other historically disenfranchised communities. The goal is simple: we will use our presence in communities across the country to be a force for good and for helping underserved communities. For us, that starts by meeting people where they are. Whether that’s expanding access to communitybased healthcare screenings, increasing access to affordable housing, or helping fight COVID19, CVS Health is playing an important role in helping to address health inequities across the country. These new investments build on our strategic approach to managing diversity that touches every aspect of our business: • Mentoring, sponsorship, development and advancement of diverse employees; • Company-wide learning experiences and corporate culture programs, with a focus on promoting inclusion and belonging;

• Partnership and development programs for minority-and women-owned suppliers; • Workforce initiatives to provide employment services, training and apprenticeships for people with disabilities, transitioning military and other underrepresented communities; • Social determinants of health, with a focus on increasing access to affordable housing, which is inextricably linked to health; • Access to healthcare, including expanding Project Health and other investments that address health disparities; and • Partnerships with civil rights and social justice organizations to support shared goals.

We are also using our industry leadership position to advocate for public policy that addresses the root causes of systemic inequities and barriers, including efforts to address socioeconomic status, education and access to healthcare. One recent example is our support for the FDA’s ban on menthol flavoring in tobacco. The targeting of Black/ African American communities through the use of flavored tobacco products has been well-documented.

Another example is our Abilities in Abundance program, which provides employment opportunities for people with physical, mental and emotional disabilities – a group of 61 million Americans who comprise the largest minority population in the nation. In 2020, our long-standing commitment in this area was recognized by the Department of Labor with its inaugural Excellence in Disability Inclusion award.

While we’re proud of our work in these areas, we will continue to push ourselves to do more and raise the bar even higher.

While diversity is the right thing to do, it is also a business imperative. What do you see as the impact of diversity on driving better business outcomes?

We see our culture of diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion as a strategic advantage, especially in a fiercely competitive globalized economy. CVS Health serves over 100 million people every year. For our company to have the greatest impact, it’s important to have a workforce that reflects not only our customers, but also the communities where they live. When an organization has people with diverse perspectives and approaches, ideas and innovation flourish. That positively impacts business performance and the bottom line. Companies that do not leverage the advantages of strategic diversity management will continue to struggle. If you don’t understand that this work enables innovation and business performance by now, you’re already behind.

How engrained is diversity and inclusion in CVS Health’s culture and values?

The fundamental values of diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion are embedded in the CVS Health culture, where our differences and similarities are celebrated, and every person has an equal opportunity to contribute and advance their careers. Our 300,000 colleagues represent the communities we serve and bring unique ideas, experiences and skills that are necessary to fulfilling our purpose: to support individuals during every meaningful moment of health throughout their lifetime.

Ultimately, we want to continue to be recognized as an inclusive company that relies on different experiences and points of views to develop consumer-focused products, innovations and solutions.

How do you engage your employees in CVS Health’s diversity efforts?

Our company works hard to empower all of its employees and offers programs and initiatives that celebrate the differences among its colleagues in a variety of ways. This year, for example, we embarked on an initiative to bring required, conscious inclusion learning experiences to 100 percent of our colleagues. This new program adds to the diversity-focused learning and development programs that we offer to both new hires and long-time employees throughout the year. These learning opportunities give colleagues the tools they need to meet and exceed their personal and professional goals.

We also support Colleague Resource Groups (CRGs) that give colleagues the opportunity to network, share or support a particular ethnicity, culture, or perspective, as well as partner with teams to add value to our business. There are currently 15 CRGs with over 23,000 members and over 40 local chapters, including those founded by Latinos, Black/African Americans, Asian Americans, military veterans, caregivers, LGBTQ+ employees and, most recently, by colleagues with disabilities. We’ve also established an additional group, C.A.L.M. (Colleagues, Allies and Leaders for Mental WellBeing), launching in July. Our goal is to have 10 percent of our workforce participating in at least one CRG by 2025.

Another example of our strategy includes encouraging employees to champion supplier diversity. All across America, diverse and women-owned enterprises are fast growing segments of the economy. By referring, advocating for and tapping into this expanding supplier pool, CVS Health is able to build supply chain excellence, add distinctive goods, services and capabilities to our business offerings, and create a competitive advantage. At the same time, we’re creating jobs and increasing economic opportunities for the people and local businesses in the communities we serve. In 2020, our supplier diversity program supported 46,000 jobs and $2.3 billion in wages. At the same time, we have achieved over $3 billion in spending annually with diverse suppliers and have been a standing member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable, an organization that promotes excellence in supply-chain diversity.

Our strategic diversity management work is rich with employee engagement programs, and these are just a few examples.

Is it critical to have metrics in place to track the impact of CVS Health’s diversity and inclusion efforts?

Having metrics and sharing information about our Strategic Diversity Management (SDM) efforts are critical to fostering a culture of diversity, inclusion and belonging, and we hold ourselves accountable to achieving our goals and regularly reporting on our progress. These are also ways we can continue to foster a spirit of continuous improvement. As an example, this year we publicly published our first SDM Report – a reflection of the work CVS Health has done and will continue to do – to champion diversity, equity, inclusion and justice throughout our company and in the communities where we work and live.

To further enhance our transparency, we have reiterated the need for 100 percent of our colleagues to self-identify in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, disability and veteran status and are proud to publicly disclose our EEO-1 data for the first time. We also developed benchmarks to measure outcomes in diverse representation at all levels of the organization across senior leadership.

These initiatives are supported by our executive diversity council, 15 colleague resource groups (CRGs), and business unit Diversity Leadership teams, which continue to help the company effect meaningful improvement in our diversity performance.

How valuable has it been to have the commitment of CVS Health’s board and senior management in its diversity and inclusion efforts?

When a culture of diversity, inclusion and belonging starts with C-suite leaders, talent will be heard, rewarded, and retained. In other words, workplace culture starts with top leadership. HR is there to implement, support, and grow that culture, but diversity and inclusion must begin with top leadership. Fortunately, the CVS Health Executive Leadership Team and Board are committed to fostering an inclusive organization where a diverse workforce can thrive – a company where a diversity of thoughts, ideas and approaches is encouraged, and everyone shares in problem-solving. This produces greater engagement, more innovation and, ultimately, better business outcomes.

What would you tell young, diverse talent about the opportunities that exist to grow and lead in the industry?

I would tell them to look at healthcare as an exciting sector and as an upwardly mobile career track. The healthcare industry is keenly aware that diversity among staff, leadership and board members is important to improving patient outcomes and reducing health disparities. Leading companies like CVS Health are recruiting and developing junior employees from a variety of diverse backgrounds to become the next generation of leaders to better reflect the rapidly changing demographics of the country’s patient and consumer populations. They are also working with diversity-focused executive search firms and professional associations to fill open positions.

The world is getting smaller as cultures intertwine and it’s now conceivable that a healthcare company can serve patients from any corner of the globe. For skilled and diverse talent, CVS Health offers a rich and rewarding career path.•

Advocating for Equality

An Interview with Carla Grant Pickens, Vice President, Global Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, IBM

EDITORS’ NOTE As the Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer for IBM, Carla Grant Pickens leads a global team dedicated to creating an inclusive culture and a workforce that reflects the world, while responding to societal issues that impact IBM employees and the communities they live and work in. During her 20+ year career at IBM, she has held roles in HR Leadership, Talent Strategy and Programs, and Executive Succession & Development across the company, and has worked and lived in both the U.S. and Asia. She holds an IBM patent and the prolific title of “IBM Inventor” for Workforce Retention and Compensation Analytics. Prior to IBM, she worked in consulting at Oracle and Northrop Grumman. She sits on the boards of the Federal City Council and Connected DMV and enjoys volunteering with youth in her area, most notably as a Mentor and the Executive Champion of the Carver High School P-TECH program in Baltimore, Maryland. She earned a BS in economics and an MS in human resources from the University of Maryland. COMPANY BRIEF IBM (ibm.com) is a leading global hybrid cloud and AI, and business services provider. The company helps clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Nearly 3,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and business services deliver open and flexible options to its clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. IBM has been named as a “Top 10 Working Mother Best Company,” a “Top 10 Company for Dads,” and a “Top Place to Work for LGBTQ Employees” by the Human Rights Campaign, among others.

How do you define the role of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and how important is it for the role to be engaged in business strategy?

As IBM’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, I’m charged with carrying forward IBM’s rich heritage in advocating for equality. At IBM, we take seriously our responsibility to ensure meaningful action. I lead the company’s global efforts to realize a workforce that reflects the world in which we live and work, where every IBMer feels included and is supported to thrive. I’m driving a modern-day agenda focused on education, skills, and jobs to create opportunity for diverse groups around the world.

Will you provide an overview of IBM’s diversity and inclusion initiatives?

At IBM, we are driving outcome-oriented, rigorous diversity and inclusion actions focused on four strategic areas: • Advocacy that drives systemic change which creates opportunity for diverse communities ; • Allyship where we provide the training and support to help every IBMer be an upstander through inclusive behaviors; • Employee experiences that champion all diverse communities of IBMers and support every employee to thrive and bring their authentic selves to work; • Accountability that harnesses data transparency and AI to enable action and deliver outcomes for increased diversity representation and inclusion at every level of our company.

How engrained is diversity and inclusion in IBM’s culture and values?

Diversity and inclusion has been core to the company throughout our history and remains so today. In 1911, the newly formed Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company, later renamed IBM, included Black and female employees from its founding. In 1935 IBM established “equal pay for equal work.” Less than 20 years later, IBM Chairman Thomas J. Watson wrote Policy Letter No. 4, the company’s first corporate equal opportunity policy, more than a decade before the U.S. Civil Rights Act. We’ve expanded our nondiscrimination policy to include sexual orientation (1984), gender identity and expression (2002), and genetics (2005).

We’ve long recognized the value of diversity of thought, experience, background and identity. We believe that the outcome of fully igniting diversity and inclusion within our teams leads to greater innovation, agility, performance and engagement, and enables both greater business growth and positive societal impact. IBM’s purpose is underpinned by a corporate culture driven to achieve growth for our clients, our company and ourselves. Fundamental to our transformation is empowering every Carla Grant Pickens IBMer to exemplify the behaviors that foster a culture of conscious inclusion where innovation can thrive and individuals progress. While IBM has a rich heritage in diversity and inclusion, we are still learning, growing and making progress.

How do you engage your employees in IBM’s diversity efforts?

IBM has over 300+ chapters of Business Resource Groups (BRGs) and as members of our BRGs, IBMers are using their passion for equality to co-create the future of diversity and inclusion at IBM. More than 50,000 IBMers are involved in our BRGs, where employees are free to share their personal experiences about being a racial or ethnic minority, part of the LGBT+ community, neuro-diverse or physically disabled, female or a veteran, among others. We also host Executive Councils for global Women, LGBTQ+, People with Diverse Abilities, and in the U.S., for Blacks, Hispanics, Asian/Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, and Veterans. These councils are each sponsored by an IBM senior vice president and engage the executives from each community to help grow inclusion, enable development and advancement, support the attraction and retention of diverse talent, and serve the community. The councils have adopted an agile way of working with clear outcomes and self-directed work teams to advance IBM’s representation and culture of inclusion. Core to the continuous evolution of IBM’s diversity strategy is the involvement of members of each diverse community. This has led IBM to many industry-leading innovations, such as extended same-sex partner benefits in 50 countries, expanded gender affirmation benefits in the U.S., Brazil and Canada, and in the U.S. increased paid parental bonding time up to 20 weeks for birth moms and 12 weeks for dads and adoptive parents.

“This is a critical moment where we all must do better in our efforts around diversity, equity and inclusion. Employees are expecting their leaders to step up to shape a more inclusive, diverse and equitable workforce.”

Is it critical to have metrics in place to track the impact of IBM’s diversity and inclusion efforts?

At IBM, diversity is a business imperative, core to the company’s culture, supported by formalized goals and measurable progress. Accountability is critical to fostering a diverse and inclusive company. Our senior executives are held accountable for improvement in the career progression and representation of each underrepresented minority group and women. Compensation for our C-suite and all IBM executives is calculated in part based on their organization’s progress in improving diversity for women and underrepresented minorities.

Our data is part of who we are, informs what we do, and supports us to scale cultural and behavioral transformation across IBM. At IBM, our data fuels a science-based model to help advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. This includes multiple dimensions across our societal and business initiatives such as: • Recruitment pipeline development to maximize the flow of diverse individuals to IBM; • Communities and Business Resource Groups (BRGs) which elevate engagement and inspire the world; • Skills-based hiring to power IBM into the future; • Differentiated experiences affirming IBMers belong, are engaged, and are heard; • Mentorship and career development programs to increase diversity representation in management and executive roles across our company; • Transparency in IBM’s diversity mix and accountability in selection decisions; • Respect for the individual and appreciation of our differences and intersectionality; • Innovative technology enabling Equity and Equal Opportunity in IBM programs and practices.

While diversity is the right thing to do, you mention that it is also a business imperative. What do you see as the impact of diversity on driving better business outcomes?

Diversity and inclusion has long been part of our business model. It is our belief that D&I are key to our company’s success and will help propel innovation and expand access to opportunity. This will make IBM a better, stronger company. We are reminded in this moment that we need to go further. Corporations have an opportunity to lead and inspire. This is a critical moment where we all must do better in our efforts around diversity, equity and inclusion. Employees are expecting their leaders to step up to shape a more inclusive, diverse and equitable workforce. We are at an inflection point to create a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the world in which we live.

How valuable is it to have the commitment of IBM’s board in its diversity and inclusion efforts?

Accountability is critical to fostering a diverse and inclusive company. In 2021, the IBM Board of Directors added a diversity modifier to the Company’s annual incentive program to reinforce senior management’s focus on improving a diverse representation of our workforce. IBM has pursued the highest standards of corporate responsibility for more than a century, and our Board of Directors is actively engaged in overseeing the Company’s diversity and inclusion efforts. Consistent with IBM’s legacy of welcoming and supporting a diverse and inclusive workforce, the Board of Directors has adopted a policy committing the company to publish a report annually assessing the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and programs. Further, in the spirit of enhanced transparency, we have committed to publish EEO-1 data in 2022 after the completion of the separation of our managed infrastructure services business.

What do you tell young, diverse talent about the opportunities that exist to grow and lead in the industry?

For more than five years, IBM has worked to create more equitable pathways for people to acquire tech skills to secure family-sustaining jobs. As we have created programs to support a “skills over degrees” approach, we have seen their potential for enabling corporations to address two key challenges of our time: closing economic divides that exist around the world based on race, antiquated class systems, prejudice and more; and bringing millions of women back into the global workforce in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, we took key actions to make tech jobs more accessible through skill-building: 1. The requirement of a bachelor’s degree can unnecessarily limit the pool of available and diverse talent, which is why we have eliminated this qualification from job postings where it is not necessary to perform the job. Currently, approximately 50 percent of our U.S. job openings do not require a four-year degree. We are working to scale this approach globally. 2. The IBM Apprenticeship Program offers people from all backgrounds with pathways to technology jobs – receiving training as cybersecurity analysts, system administrators, digital designers, developers and more. 3. The IBM Skills Academy is a skills-oriented training program to empower students and faculty of various backgrounds with the skills needed to excel in today’s high-demand technologies. Upon successful course completion, faculty and students can receive badges in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, blockchain, design and quantum computing. 4. In its 10th year, P-TECH is a public education reform model created by IBM that enables skills attainment and career readiness now reaching over 150,000 students in the pipeline in 266 schools globally. IBM is offering 1,000 paid internships for P-TECH students and graduates in the U.S. from now until December 31, 2021 – a 10x incremental increase. 5. IBM SkillsBuild is a free digital learning and career readiness program, readying people for in-demand entry level IT and non-IT roles in many industries. 6. In 2020, IBM joined 40 leading companies to create OneTen, an organization that will combine the power of these committed American companies to upskill, hire, and promote one million Black Americans over the next 10 years into family-sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement.

In addition, in summer 2021, we launched the IBM Accelerate program. 1,000 diverse students will participate in IBM Accelerate, an eight-week live, free, interactive learning program to prepare early-year U.S. college students for careers in technology. They will gain skills in software development, consulting, marketing, design, hardware development and sales, as well as soft skills such as leadership and collaboration. To help ensure student success, each will be matched with an IBM mentor and earn a space at the front of the line to compete for coveted IBM apprenticeships.•

Transparency, Accountability and Urgency

An Interview with Carmen Fernandez, Senior Vice President & Chief People Officer, Marsh McLennan

EDITORS’ NOTE Carmen Fernandez is responsible for Marsh McLennan’s people strategy and capabilities to support its colleagues’ growth and its businesses’ priorities. Prior to her current role, she held positions within Marsh McLennan for 15 years, most recently Deputy CHRO, CHRO of Guy Carpenter, and HR leadership roles at Mercer, including North America HR Leader, Global HR Leader for the Career business and Chief of Staff in the Office of the CEO. Before joining Marsh McLennan, she worked in investment banking at Bank of America and Goldman Sachs. She began her career as a consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Fernandez earned a BA in economics cum laude from Wellesley College and an MBA in finance from Columbia University. COMPANY BRIEF Marsh McLennan (mmc.com) is one of the world’s leading professional services firms in the areas of risk, strategy and people. The Company’s 76,000 colleagues advise clients in over 130 countries. With annual revenue of $17 billion, Marsh McLennan helps clients navigate an increasingly dynamic and complex environment through four marketleading businesses: Marsh provides datadriven risk advisory services and insurance solutions to commercial and consumer clients. Guy Carpenter develops advanced risk, reinsurance and capital strategies that help clients grow profitably and pursue emerging opportunities. Mercer delivers advice and technology-driven solutions that help organizations redefine the world of work, reshape retirement and investment outcomes, and unlock health and wellbeing for a changing workforce. Oliver Wyman serves as a critical strategic, economic and brand advisor to private sector and governmental clients.

How do you define the role of Chief People Officer and how important is it for the role to be engaged in business strategy?

The role of the Chief People Officer has evolved tremendously over the last decade, with the last 18 months seeing some of the most impressive changes in terms of scope and scale. From strategic to operational, one of my primary goals in this role is to ensure we keep people at the center of every decision to drive growth, both for our people as individuals and our organization. At Marsh McLennan, we have four global businesses – Marsh, Mercer, Guy Carpenter and Oliver Wyman – that, together, represent 76,000 people exchanging ideas and advancing the solutions that help our clients confront the challenges of our time in the areas of risk, strategy and people. With our breadth of services and global footprint, it’s vital to our business strategy that our people experience our culture as inclusive and vibrant, our leaders as inspiring, our workforce as a place to grow and learn, and our value proposition as compelling and guided by trust. Our colleagues represent our culture, and we strive to show our clients that our firm is a place of boundless opportunity and dynamic ideas.

Will you provide an overview of Marsh McLennan’s diversity and inclusion strategy?

Our company is addressing inclusion and diversity with transparency, accountability and urgency. We’ve made a commitment to leading the change, and we’re making good progress. In the past year, we’ve welcomed Zing Shaw, our Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer, who will lead our efforts across the enterprise; set up a Race Advisory Council to provide direction, input and advice on the Marsh McLennan race equality agenda; and launch trainings on unconscious bias and allyship for all managers. We’ve also published our first integrated ESG report which includes

more information about our workforce demographics and internal labor market movement. These are among the key actions we’ve taken at the enterprise level, with additional activity across the four business lines and around the world. Ultimately, our goal is to become the most inclusive and diverse organization in the industry, where everyone is at their best because they’re bringing their best selves to work each day.

How engrained is diversity and inclu-

Carmen Fernandez sion in Marsh McLennan’s culture and

values?

This year, we’re celebrating our 150th Anniversary while reflecting on our history. Internationally, we’ve seen remarkable growth over the past 30 years and nurtured talent across the globe. A diversity of backgrounds and perspectives has been essential to sustaining that growth. Over the past decade, we’ve spearheaded efforts to help diversify the industries in which we operate. We launched the first Insurance Diversity Roundtable more than ten years ago. More recently, we launched a groundbreaking report, The Journey of African American Insurance Professionals, with the National African American Insurance Association (NAAIA), to foster ongoing discussions while strengthening diversity in the industry. In March 2020, Mercer published their Let’s Get Real About Equality report building upon their seminal 2014 and 2016 research that helps guide organizations in successfully institutionalizing the policies, practices and programs required to ensure equality of opportunity, experience and pay.

“Our company is addressing inclusion and diversity with transparency, accountability and urgency. We’ve made a commitment to leading the change, and we’re making good progress.”

“With our breadth of services and global footprint, it’s vital to our business strategy that our people experience our culture as inclusive and vibrant, our leaders as inspiring, our workforce as a place to grow and learn, and our value proposition as compelling and guided by trust.”

“Ultimately, our goal is to become the most inclusive and diverse organization in the industry, where everyone is at their best because they’re bringing their best selves to work each day.”

We have also embraced inclusion and diversity as integral to our future. To celebrate our anniversary, we’re launching the RISE Fellowship Program, an innovative partnership between Marsh McLennan, Fisk University and the National Black MBA Association, which will provide Black MBA students with an enriching curriculum of practical business knowledge and social justice instruction. This will not only be an important way to recruit Black executive talent for our businesses and the industry, but will help to elevate Black voices within our organization and further develop our culture of inclusion. These efforts, together with “Leading the Change,” an initiative we launched in response to the devastating racial injustices brought into focus throughout the last year, are making diversity and inclusion even more central to our values than they have been in the past.

How do you engage your employees in Marsh McLennan’s diversity efforts?

We start with listening, education and advocacy. Last year, our senior leaders hosted a series of safe space conversations with our colleagues to understand their perspectives and experiences. We’ve also created additional advisory councils and colleague networks, like our Race Advisory Council, which helps ensure decisions taken by our senior leadership, particularly those that affect our people, benefit from diverse perspectives. For example, as a recommendation from our Race Advisory Council, we now recognize Juneteenth as a corporate holiday.

We also believe in the power of education and awareness. All of our colleagues are required to take unconscious bias and allyship training. This is but one of many actions that are required to create the culture of inclusion we want at Marsh McLennan. Our extensive network of colleague resource groups plays a role in shaping local events throughout the year that provide more context for why we think moments like PRIDE, Juneteenth or Autism Awareness month are important.

We’re also conscious that we need to ensure the development opportunities, mentorship and sponsorship that research has proven to be a differentiating factor in career advancement are available to colleagues in underrepresented groups. This year, we’ve started piloting several talent programs that aim to serve that exact purpose.

Is it critical to have metrics in place to track the impact of Marsh McLennan’s diversity and inclusion efforts?

We believe taking a data driven approach is critical to our success. This includes understanding our workforce demographics, drivers for key workforce outcomes and evaluating pay equity on an annual basis. We’re fortunate to have access to in-house experts who counsel organizations on these issues. These advisors – along with our own workforce planning and analytics team – ensure we are well-grounded in both external and internal labor market dynamics. Without metrics, we can’t know how our strategy is working, what’s been successful and what isn’t adequately advancing the goals of inclusion and diversity within our organization. We’re tracking the results of our D&I initiatives and learning from them.

Another important element of this is transparency. We’re reporting on what we’re doing and how our colleague population is changing. This spring, we published diversity statistics meaningful to our business in our 2020 ESG Report, letting all of our stakeholders know how we’ve made progress and where we have room to grow.

How valuable has it been to have the commitment of Marsh McLennan’s senior management in its diversity and inclusion efforts?

Tone at the top matters a great deal, and our most senior leaders have been engaged from the get-go. It’s heartening to see how the highest tier of our leadership is reacting to the trainings we’re offering and how they are implementing inclusive leadership lessons in the management of their teams. There is a reason that we call our signature Inclusion and Diversity initiative, “Leading the Change.” We can’t make lasting progress without strong leaders who are willing to do the work and bring the change to life.

What do you tell diverse candidates about the opportunities to grow and lead in the industry?

English is my second language. In kindergarten, I spoke only Spanish and the world around me communicated in English. That experience shaped my views on inclusion. Namely, I have a deep desire to understand people around me – recognize, learn from and celebrate differences – and make space for others. It also shaped my views on leadership. I subscribe to the notion of total leadership – your life story is your leadership story. Each person’s life experiences result in unique perspective, which when brought together, round out and broaden our vision.

If you take that as a baseline, leading with curiosity and allowing for possibility, you will be carrying with you the capacity required to grow. Across Marsh McLennan’s four businesses, we work within a wide spectrum of issues and across multiple industries. I tell candidates: It’s very likely we have a role that would benefit from your background and your unique perspective. If you’re interested in the future of work, people analytics and workforce strategies, stakeholder capitalism, climate change, building healthy societies, cybersecurity – our areas of focus provide the opportunity to deliver in an impactful way for our clients. It’s an incredible proposition – to work on the most important issues of our time.•

“It Starts With You”

An Interview with Trisch L. Smith, Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Edelman

EDITORS’ NOTE Trisch Smith serves as Edelman’s first Global Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. In this role, she strives to drive diversity and foster inclusion to ensure development of innovative solutions that reach and resonate with clients’ key audiences and achieve business success. During her 20-year tenure with Edelman, Smith has managed stakeholder outreach, reputation management, community engagement and public affairs campaigns for Fortune 500 corporations, nonprofits and associations, including Chevron, Toyota, Starbucks, Girl Scouts of the USA and Walmart, among others. She has also led the firm’s award-winning multicultural client services offering. Smith sits on the Board of Directors of Color Comm: Women of Color in Communications, the Public Relations Council and the Board of Advocates of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, and has served on the boards of the National Black Child Development Institute and Mentoring USA. She has received several awards, including being featured as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America” and one of the “Most Influential Women in Corporate America” in Savoy Magazine. In 2019, she received the inaugural Adweek/ADCOLOR Champions award for diversity and inclusion. In December 2018, she was named a Woman of Excellence and P&L Executive of the Year by the National Association of Female Executives. In March 2017, she was awarded the Spectrum Circle Award for Innovation in Media. In 2016, she was recognized in the Financial Times as one of the “Upstanding 100” for top diverse executive

leaders globally. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Morgan State University in Baltimore and a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park. FIRM BRIEF Edelman (edelman.com) is a global communications firm that partners with businesses and organizations to evolve, promote and protect their brands and reputations. Its 6,000 Trisch L. Smith people in more than 60 offices deliver communications strategies that give its clients the confidence to lead and act with certainty, earning the trust of their stakeholders. Its honors include the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for PR; Advertising Age’s 2019 A-List; the Holmes Report’s 2018 Global Digital Agency of the Year; and, five times, Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work. Since its founding in 1952, Edelman has remained an independent, family-run business. Edelman owns specialty companies Edelman Intelligence (research) and United Entertainment Group (entertainment, sports, lifestyle).

How do you define the role of Chief Diversity Officer and how important is it for the role to be engaged in business strategy?

The Chief Diversity Officer is an organization’s executive-level diversity and inclusion strategist. They are people connectors, culture shifters, change makers and organizational builders. This role oversees company-wide diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to curate a work culture where all employees are welcomed, treated equitably, feel safe and can thrive in their work environments.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) is a business imperative and key to any business strategy. As such, Chief Diversity Officers are critical members of the leadership team, particularly when organizations are working to grow or evolve their business, enter new markets, effectively leverage talent, or re-engage key internal and external stakeholders.

For many organizations, establishing the DEI leadership position has become a quick band-aid solution for DEI issues. However, it is not the only answer. There are real systemic challenges that require overhaul to drive change. Additionally, the DEI leader cannot be successful unless the CEO and C-suite leadership – in most cases, white men – are committed to real progress, considers the experiences of diverse employees, and works to dismantle bias at all levels. Everyone from the top-down has to be committed to and be held accountable for transforming the organization and shifting culture.

Will you provide an overview of Edelman’s diversity and inclusion strategy?

Our DEI strategy focuses on our colleagues, our clients and our communities. It is divided into five pillars: Employee Growth & Development, Education & Awareness, Thought Leadership, Strategic Partnerships, and Business Impact. At Edelman, we are committed to maintaining an open and welcoming workplace that fosters collaboration, drives diverse thinking among our employees and partners, and creates a culture that respects, embraces and celebrates DEI every day.

By maximizing and leveraging the perspectives of our diverse workforce, we can create a dynamic and vibrant environment and ensure that Edelman is a place where every person can thrive. We can also provide more innovative

“At Edelman, we are in relentless pursuit of an equitable, impactful, respectful and culturally-curious workplace that drives innovative thinking, cultivates diverse ideas, and promotes true collaboration among our colleagues and our partners.”

“To drive change, everyone must take on ownership and be held accountable. When we counsel clients and each other, we often say ‘it starts with you.’ Everyone at all levels in the organization has to be committed to being the change they want to see.”

“Last year, leveraging our Edelman Trust Barometer, we conducted a survey to glean insights about people’s thoughts on systemic racism and other DEI issues and we found that now, more than ever, consumers and employees are holding companies accountable for their actions.”

and creative solutions that reach and resonate with our clients’ diverse audiences. The world is changing rapidly, and our DEI work will continue to evolve and accelerate to meet our employees’ and clients’ needs.

How engrained is diversity and inclusion in Edelman’s culture and values?

At Edelman, we are in relentless pursuit of an equitable, impactful, respectful and culturally-curious workplace that drives innovative thinking, cultivates diverse ideas, and promotes true collaboration among our colleagues and our partners. Each day and on each project, our goal is to ensure that our colleagues bring all of who they are to our firm – shaping cultural moments and movements at Edelman, with our clients and for society.

Does having a diverse and inclusive workforce lead to better business performance?

Absolutely. Diversity efforts are often most effective when approached as a key component to a company’s business strategy. DEI should be addressed with the same priority and urgency as other critical business objectives, including investments in resourcing, expertise and full-time leadership in order to be the most impactful. Last year, leveraging our Edelman Trust Barometer, we conducted a survey to glean insights about people’s thoughts on systemic racism and other DEI issues and we found that now, more than ever, consumers and employees are holding companies accountable for their actions. Twothirds of consumers globally now self-identify as belief-driven buyers. They are exercising brand democracy, supporting those products that stand with them on important issues. Four in ten workers would avoid employers that fail to take a stand against racism.

Young adults, age 18-34, specifically call out choosing or selecting an employer based on workplace diversity and public activism for racial justice. In addition, 77 percent of the U.S. population says it is deeply important that companies respond to racial injustice to earn or keep their trust. This is even higher for people of color.

How do you engage your employees in Edelman’s diversity efforts?

As an industry leader and advisor to the world’s largest organizations, we believe that we have a fundamental responsibility to join the discussion and help in driving solutions when it comes to advancing DEI. The last year has underscored the need for cultural awareness and understanding in the workplace, in communications and in outreach efforts. In June 2020, we created a Social and Racial Justice Task Force to expand the efforts of our U.S. Multicultural practice to authentically and strategically inform our clients’ DEI and racial justice commitments and communications. This work is a driver in integrating multicultural perspectives into all the work we do for our clients at all times – not just in crisis moments.

In addition, our Employee Networks act as a powerful tool to promote DEI across our organization. Each Edelman Employee Network helps to build internal community within the larger global Edelman network and provides a place and space where employees share, learn and grow. Through our networks, employees actively recognize and celebrate their rich and vibrant cultures, perspectives and contributions, and groups come together during key milestone and heritage months. The groups have helped our employees stay connected and support each other as we all navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic and continued acts of systemic racism. This past year, we’ve held conversations with several employee groups in the wake of events, including the Georgia spa shootings, the Dereck Chauvin verdict and other moments. Additionally, the groups help to inform our client work and serve as a resource and valued partner to client teams.

Is it critical to have metrics in place to track the impact of Edelman’s diversity and inclusion efforts?

When you approach diversity, equity and inclusion as a business imperative, like any other business strategy, people will get engaged once they see the impact it can make on your work and business success. This work has to be a business priority with clear goals. We’ve made a commitment to more inclusive hiring practices, mandatory trainings around inclusive leadership and unconscious bias, expansions of our employee networks, among other things, to improve the overall employee experience. One meaningful change is for companies to embed DEI KPIs in performance reviews – measure it and reward progress.

How valuable has it been to have the commitment of Edelman’s management team in its diversity and inclusion efforts?

It is absolutely essential. We would not be able to set meaningful goals and create innovative programming and initiatives without the support of senior leadership. To drive change, everyone must take on ownership and be held accountable. When we counsel clients and each other, we often say “it starts with you.” Everyone at all levels in the organization has to be committed to being the change they want to see.•

Representation and Inspiration

An Interview with Katherine Richardson, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, PURE Group of Insurance Companies

EDITORS’ NOTE Katherine Richardson is responsible for developing core people strategies to build upon PURE’s workplace culture. She joined PURE in 2017 with extensive experience as a senior HR leader in the insurance industry, leading companies through times of extraordinary growth and change. She is passionate about workplace culture and creating an environment where employees can be successful and engaged. Richardson is a graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in business and history.

COMPANY BRIEF Privilege Underwriters Inc. (PUI), a member of the Tokio Marine Group of Companies, was founded in 2006 and is the holding company for the PURE Group and related entities. PUI and its subsidiaries provide capital support and operational services to the policyholderowned entity, PURE (pureinsurance.com). PURE is dedicated to creating an exceptional experience for responsible high-net worth families, providing customizable coverage for high-value homes, automobiles, jewelry, art, personal liability, watercraft, flood, fraud and cyber fraud. In return for a fee, PURE Risk Management LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PUI, serves as Attorney-in-Fact for PURE. The PURE Group’s low cost of capital, careful member selection and proactive risk management all contribute to highly-competitive rates and a Financial Strength Rating of “A+ (Excellent)” from A.M. Best Company, Inc. Today, PURE’s membership includes more than 100,000 families from across the U.S.

How do you describe PURE’s culture and how critical is it to the success of the company?

PURE is a purpose-driven, principles-led company. Empathy, teamwork and intellectual curiosity are Katherine Richardson among our core values. By focusing our talent recruitment not only on technical expertise but also on the qualities that enhance our culture, it is our hope that we are continuously creating an environment where our employees find a sense of belonging and fulfillment in their work. PURE’s culture is critical to our success and we proactively aim to maintain and enhance it for our employees.

Will you provide an overview of PURE’s diversity and inclusion strategy, offering some background on your focus and commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce and how this supports better business outcomes?

We work hard to create a workplace environment where everyone feels welcome, safe and supported and where all employees have an equitable chance to learn, develop and succeed. To garner broad commitment across the organization, especially on a journey that would involve change and likely be uncomfortable at times, we knew we had to start with the why. Why do we care about equity and full inclusion? For us, it wasn’t to meet changing regulatory or compliance requirements. It was because it’s the right thing to do, and we are better for it. Getting more voices activated and engaged brings in new ways of thinking, drives innovation, strengthens decision-making and improves outcomes.

We developed our DEI priorities after an honest introspection, forcing a humbling look at the places where our aspirations of full inclusion were falling short of our reality. We asked ourselves, “Is PURE a place where talented people would want to work?” That reflection led us to build our enduring DEI framework. Our workforce should be at least as diverse as our communities, and the diversity of our leadership team should serve as a highly-visible expression of our commitment. We call this “representation and inspiration.”

Here’s an example: While our workforce is split nearly evenly between men and women, we noticed several years ago that leadership positions were male-dominated. Following this realization, we started the Women’s Leadership Council to create programs that identify, develop and advocate for high-potential women. We now have three times more women in senior leadership roles than we did five years ago.

Our other priorities center around inclusion and belonging; equitable treatment in compensation and access to opportunity; and a commitment to community, including our responsibility to be of service in advancing a more equitable society.

“We work hard to create a workplace environment where everyone feels welcome, safe and supported and where all employees have an equitable chance to learn, develop and succeed.”

“Connection and inclusion are key. With support from management, employees have created 10 Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). These groups are led by employees at all levels and across all functions and, most importantly, they create a sense of connection through shared identity and ideas.”

“We want employees to feel passionate about their jobs, committed to our purpose and willing to invest discretionary effort into their work. We believe that people can only perform to their full potential in an environment where they feel safe, where they are treated fairly and where they are heard and respected.”

How valuable has it been to have the commitment of PURE’s management team in its diversity and inclusion efforts?

Visible, authentic commitment from the highest level of management is critical to real advancement and finding a brave voice on these complicated issues is hard. We each see the world through the lens of our own experience, and the sense of urgency to advance change is not felt in the same way across every person. So, our executive team, most visibly our CEO, has been very intentional to find a compassionate yet insistent tone. There are some that might see discussions of equitable treatment or social justice as personal issues, not appropriate for the workplace. Others might worry that advancing full inclusion means less opportunity for them.

We’ve worked with our executive leadership team and managers to help them feel confident in explaining that our definition of success has not changed; DEI efforts strive to remove barriers and level the playing field so everyone can enjoy equitable access to development and career opportunities. We touch on topics of DEI frequently at our company-wide town halls, and our executive team reviews progress against our priorities regularly. We’ve modified our manager training program to include role plays on these sensitive issues.

How do you foster DEI?

Connection and inclusion are key. With support from management, employees have created 10 Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). These groups are led by employees at all levels and across all functions and, most importantly, they create a sense of connection through shared identity and ideas. ERGs are a safe space for conversation and they also provide feedback to management that we might not otherwise hear. Some of our ERGs include The BERG (The Black Employee Resource Group), PURO Orgullo (or PURE Proud) and PURE+ (for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies), as well as groups for parenting, personal wellness and environmental sustainability.

Diversity won’t have an impact without inclusion. We want employees to feel passionate about their jobs, committed to our purpose and willing to invest discretionary effort into their work. We believe that people can only perform to their full potential in an environment where they feel safe, where they are treated fairly and where they are heard and respected. Building inclusive teams and inclusive leaders is a skill that can be learned. To that end, in Fall 2020, all PURE managers and executives participated in a multipronged program to understand the fundamentals of leading an inclusive team. The program’s premise is that inclusion requires mindful intention – if you are not actively including, then you are likely accidentally excluding. It takes time and practice to make inclusion a priority, so to keep the dialog going after the sessions we launched Accountability Pods where pairs meet on an ongoing basis to share their progress, lean on each other for counsel and hold each other accountable.

What is next as you look to build on these efforts?

Building smarter, more inclusive teams starts with leadership but must also include individual contributors. To close the loop on fostering inclusion, we are bringing the multipronged inclusion program we hosted for our executive team and people managers to our individual contributors so they have the language to hold our leaders accountable when our reality falls short of our aspirations in finding common ground, lifting people up or creating clarity. We are also preparing to launch the sequel to the inclusion program for our executive team and people managers. It will focus on mitigating bias and identifying the precarious places it can appear, such as internal mobility, access to learning and development opportunities, and talent acquisition.

We know that activating more voices will fuel broader engagement, enhance decisionmaking and drive innovation, so we will continue to measure the impact of our inclusion and bias programs by monitoring our mid-year and annual reviews and our annual Gallup Employee Engagement Survey results. These are just a few of the tools we’ll use to ensure PURE is closing the inclusion loop by cultivating a sense of belonging for all of our employees, regardless of seniority. We don’t have all the answers, but we are committed to continue learning and sharing our insights along the way.•

Creating Financial Security

An Interview with Allison Green Johnson, Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, and Head of Culture and Engagement, Lincoln Financial Group

EDITORS’ NOTE In her current role, Allison Green Johnson is responsible for diversity and inclusion strategy and implementation, as well as leadership of employee engagement initiatives helping shape company culture. Throughout her career, she has held business operations, management consulting, organizational development and design, talent management, and diversity leadership positions of increasing responsibility at wellknown companies, including Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Vanguard, The Hay Group and State Farm. She has been frequently honored as a leader in diversity, both internally and externally, through various media outlets. She is currently involved with several Chief Diversity Officer roundtables and is a member of the World 50 Inclusion & Diversity Impact community, the i4cp Diversity Board of Directors, and the Board Development Committee for Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania. She has been involved as a leader, volunteer, mentor, member or contributor to community organizations nationally and in the Philadelphia region. She earned her BA degree in psychology from Spelman College and her MA in counseling psychology from Howard University. COMPANY BRIEF Lincoln Financial Group (lincolnfinancial.com) provides advice and solutions that help people take charge of their financial lives with confidence and optimism. Today, more than 17 million customers trust its retirement, insurance and wealth protection expertise to help address their lifestyle, savings and income goals, and guard against longterm care expenses. Headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania, Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation and its affiliates. The company had $311 billion in end-of-period account values as of March 31, 2021. Lincoln Financial Group is a committed corporate citizen included on major sustainability indices including the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America and FTSE4Good. Dedicated to diversity and inclusion, the company earned perfect 100 percent scores on the Corporate Equality Index and the Disability Equality Index, and ranks among Forbes’ Best Large Employers and Best Employers for Women, and Newsweek’s Most Responsible Companies.

How do you describe Lincoln Financial Group’s culture and how critical is culture to the success of the company?

A company’s culture is crucial to the success of a company, especially now that the way we work and where we work has completely transformed compared to just 15 months ago. Current employees, as well as prospective employees, have more employment choices than ever before and they have easy online access to stats and inside information about what it’s really like to work in a given organization.

Lincoln’s amazing culture is one of the key reasons I joined the organization 11 years ago, and I hear this same reason again and again

across our organization. Our engagement scores are extraordinarily high, but that doesn’t mean we get to rest on our laurels. We’re constantly listening, learning, growing and evolving. If I could describe the “secret sauce” to Lincoln’s unique culture, I’d say we’re optimistic about the future, we know that trusted and collaborative relationships are important to achieving results, and we focus very deliberately and strategically on inclusion as a key driver to innovation. Our company’s namesake and our country’s 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, Allison Green Johnson stood for integrity and I see us live that every day. No matter where you sit in the organization, we step up, we take responsibility and we do the right thing – for our customers, for our employees, for our shareholders and for our communities.

Will you provide an overview of Lincoln Financial Group’s diversity and inclusion strategy?

At Lincoln, our diversity and inclusion mission is to create and sustain a culture where multiple perspectives, varied skill sets, creative insights, diverse backgrounds and abilities are valued and drive superior results. We work to deliver on this mission through a three-prong strategy where we aim to: • Attract, develop, and retain the best and brightest talent, and drive increased innovation, creativity, and employee engagement in our workplace. • Enhance, expand and create new relationships and grow our business in the marketplace. • Position Lincoln Financial as a best place to work and a provider of choice in the community.

“At Lincoln, our diversity and inclusion mission is to create and sustain a culture where multiple perspectives, varied skill sets, creative insights, diverse backgrounds and abilities are valued and drive superior results.”

“If I could describe the ‘secret sauce’ to Lincoln’s unique culture, I’d say we’re optimistic about the future, we know that trusted and collaborative relationships are important to achieving results, and we focus very deliberately and strategically on inclusion as a key driver to innovation.”

“Ideally, at Lincoln we want our workforce demographic to mirror the diverse demographics across this country. We strive to ensure that we as a company, a business and an employer understand and reflect the various cultures of this country in all that we do.”

How engrained is diversity and inclusion in Lincoln Financial Group’s culture and values?

Diversity and inclusion is an intrinsic part of the Lincoln culture – it is even one of our Leadership Expectations. We encourage all employees to leverage the resources we provide to educate themselves on various diversity topics, adopt inclusive behaviors, be an upstander for interactions that have gone off course, mitigate one’s unconscious bias and remain open-minded.

While diversity is the right thing to do, it is also a business imperative. What do you see as the impact of diversity on driving better business outcomes?

At Lincoln Financial Group, we believe diversity of thought, background, experience and people drive innovation, support our growth objectives and produce results that differentiate Lincoln in today’s marketplace. Diversity and inclusion is fundamental and essential to our ability to deliver on our promise to help customers secure their financial futures. An example of this is that we are noticing investors and customers are keeping an eye on Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) when it comes to the companies they invest in and support. Diversity is playing an increasing role in how these groups assess “Social” within ESG. As clients, customers, and even employment candidates become more diverse, they seek a diverse culture and want to work with diverse groups of people; therefore, they seek out companies that actively and openly champion diversity as a value and business principle.

How important is it for the diversity of Lincoln Financial Group’s workforce to mirror the diversity of the clients and communities it serves?

While it is extremely important for our workforce to mirror the diversity of the clients and communities we serve, we find that the ability to be relevant to all markets is important as well. Ideally, at Lincoln we want our workforce demographic to mirror the diverse demographics across this country. We strive to ensure that we as a company, a business and an employer understand and reflect the various cultures of this country in all that we do.

How valuable is it to have the commitment of Lincoln Financial Group’s C-suite and senior management in its diversity and inclusion efforts?

The commitment of our C-suite and senior management has been instrumental to our efforts. In September 2020, we shared our racial justice action plan to amplify our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion and drive meaningful, measurable change. The plans were developed by a short-term board of directors committee, senior management, and our diversity and inclusion team along with input from our 11,000+ employees who have shared feedback and ideas through a variety of town halls, surveys and discussion forums on race. This plan is designed to ensure long-term, sustained action that supports racial equity and focuses on Lincoln’s business and talent practices, leadership compensation, and support for our communities. The commitment from our C-suite and senior management was invaluable in this effort to ensure it was understood, embraced and accountability measures aligned to our desired outcomes.

What do you tell young, diverse talent about the opportunities that exist to grow and lead at Lincoln Financial Group?

I always lead with Lincoln’s Purpose – to help Americans create financial security. Everything we do is focused on one common goal – helping people. Above all, we are looking for talent that can identify with that Purpose on a personal level – envision and communicate how you, through your work, can help to advance that Purpose.

In recent years, opportunities to move up to and through senior leadership as a minority in the insurance industry has been a focus of several demographic studies and research efforts. To continue to be a leader in this industry, and to be competitive, we are learning from these studies and incorporating recommended practices in recruiting, talent development and retention to accelerate the pace of change for increasing diversity in our workplace.

Since announcing our racial justice action plan, we have added dedicated, diversityfocused recruiters and have begun broadening our reach and talent pipeline by elevating established partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and identifying new diverse channels and community partners. Additionally, we have launched several new development practices, programs and events aimed at increasing and supporting minority leadership within our organization.•

The Path Forward

By Melique Jones, Director of Talent Pipeline and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

EDITORS’ NOTE As the Director of Talent Pipeline and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) at Skadden, Melique Jones works alongside Skadden’s leadership to set strategy and measures for increasing diversity in the firm’s attorney talent pipeline, and in implementing leadership and talent development best practices to foster inclusion, belonging and systemic equity. She also works with partners to leverage firmwide DEI strategy and resources in support of client relationship development, while also supporting the administration of the firm’s counsel program. Prior to beginning her career in DEI and talent development in 2006 and assuming leadership of the firm’s DEI department in 2011, she spent more than six years as a marketing and communications professional at Skadden. Before joining Skadden, Jones worked for a decade in communications and media, primarily at Dow Jones & Company, including with The Wall Street Journal. She is a member of Brooklyn Law School’s Women’s Leadership Network, and formerly a member of the New York City Bar Association’s Committee to Enhance Diversity in the Profession. Jones earned a BA in journalism from New York University and a JD from Brooklyn Law School. FIRM BRIEF Founded in 1948, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and affiliates (skadden.com) is one of the world’s most highly respected law firms. Skadden has 22 offices, approximately 1,700 attorneys and more than 50 distinct areas of practice. The firm’s clients include approximately 50 percent of Fortune 250 industrial and service corporations, as well as financial and governmental entities, startup companies and nonprofits. Employers had no playbook for the challenges they faced in engaging and supporting their personnel over the past year. Proven methods fell short under the weight of novel disruption brought on by the global health crisis and its aftershocks, and soon after, the callout of structural social injustice and racism. While organizations with an established diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) infrastructure and commitment were better primed than those without to navigate unfamiliar terrain and nuanced, deeply emotional issues, few, if any, started the journey with the benefit of a prepackaged plan for meeting the demands and concerns of teams, individual contributors, leaders, clients and customers.

Leaders in particular had to dig deep to meaningfully support their people and their work lives and well-being, while maintaining their own sense of equilibrium. As we emerge from what hopefully was the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic and take stock more than a year after the murder of George Floyd, it is useful to center our learnings over the past

12-18 months as we double down to meaningfully advance DEI and well-being in our workplaces and society.

Employee well-being and equitable, fair, inclusive work environments are inextrica-

bly linked. Physical and psychological safety were front and center in coping with the pandemic and in addressing urgent calls for racial equity. The isolation of quarantine that was necessary to physically protect and save lives emotionally destabilized many people at the same time they were asked to step up productivity at Melique Jones work. We relied on technology for business continuity and to eliminate geographic boundaries to keep us connected, but the prolonged absence of in-person workplace connections loosened the glue that bonds work teams and their sense of shared purpose. On the other hand, physical distance from workplace cultures in which microaggressions and unconscious biases may have gone unchecked pre-COVID provided welcome psychological reprieve and headspace for some employees in underrepresented racial, cultural and other marginalized groups. As employees reenter in-office or hybrid work arrangements, prioritizing equity and inclusiveness is more essential than ever. There will be excitement as our teams come back together, but also apprehension and stress for many. Talking to employees; creating safe, credible outlets for them to deliver honest, actionable input on team culture; rewarding allyship; and examining processes for communication, mentoring, engagement and work opportunities will ensure that the “new normal” maximizes the benefits of working side by side.

“Employee well-being and equitable, fair, inclusive work environments are inextricably linked. Physical and psychological safety were front and center in coping with the pandemic and in addressing urgent calls for racial equity.”

“Strides in gender equity are tenuous. While the advancement of female professionals has seen noticeable progress, further progress is far from certain in the wake of the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women in the workplace, particularly women caregivers, as has been well-researched and documented.”

“The systems around equitable talent development must include quantitative rigor so that hard data and analytics are used to assess problems, solutions and progress.”

Workplace conversations about race and culture are hard but necessary for

progress on equity. In many organizations, efforts around inclusion and belonging have been purposely expansive, driving attention to varying dimensions of diversity, or focusing largely on gender. Either approach reflects a strategic and cultural priority that considers the profile and opportunities associated with key stakeholders, including talent, recruits, clients and customers, and either approach should be framed by intersectionality in order to be impactful. In this process, organizations have been able to sidestep fraught but necessary conversations about the impact of centuries of racial inequality and inequity in societies around the world. Before May 25, 2020, talking openly in the workplace about race and privilege was viewed as pushing the envelope in many settings. Since then, it still is, but there is a wider understanding that addressing these topics is necessary.

While leaning into the conversations may be reflexive, leaders must thoughtfully consider, prepare and present implementation plans for meaningful discussions and learning opportunities. Senior leadership buy-in is the foundation to setting a tone of acceptance and safety so that colleagues of all backgrounds are encouraged to participate and feel supported and heard without judgment. Curricula and speaker selection must include input from internal subject matter experts, such as DEI or human capital professionals and committees, as well as a generationally diverse group of colleagues whose perspectives enrich the dialogue and solutioning. The resulting cross-cultural learning, willingness to hear from one another, awareness of the history that led to this moment in the movement for civil rights, and common language for discussing these topics will be worth the effort, including with respect to hiring, retention, leadership effectiveness and morale.

Strides in gender equity are tenu-

ous. While the advancement of female professionals has seen noticeable progress, further progress is far from certain in the wake of the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women in the workplace, particularly women caregivers, as has been well-researched and documented. Strategies and goals to accelerate progress in achieving gender-balanced leadership teams and economic parity must factor in the experience of all women – across race, family composition, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, disability and age, among other considerations.

Opportunity-creation structures and processes benefit from reexamination.

The deleterious effects on society of racial, gender and other forms of bias include structural barriers limiting access to education, pay equity, opportunity creation, safety and social mobility, among other privileges. As we see with larger societal structures, workplaces have been called upon to reexamine the underpinnings of how we function, particularly with respect to our talent development processes. These conversations were already taking place prior to 2020 and many firms were investing as much, if not more, in “debiasing” their systems as they were in helping leaders and individual contributors identify and interrupt their personal unconscious biases. Calls to “do better” in the past 18 months underscored the benefits of increased transparency around the systems that drive decisions in recruiting, work allocation, progression and business opportunities.

The systems around equitable talent development must include quantitative rigor so that hard data and analytics are used to assess problems, solutions and progress. Additionally, incorporating qualitative data from employees, particularly employee resource groups and affinity networks, into the redesign of talent systems is a vital part of the process.

Leaders can use specificity and account-

ability to chart where we go from here. The path forward requires resolve, courage and optimism. Leaders should implement actions to increase or leverage diversity and to sustain equitable and inclusive workplace practices with tangible goals in mind, supported by solid strategy. Measuring progress will be impossible if firms do not define what that means for them with some degree of specificity. Leaders should recognize and address wins and challenges alike so that values around DEI are truly part of organizational culture. Ultimately, the mission is to build trust, empathy and authentic community in a way that empowers the organization’s success, and provides all personnel with access to opportunity and a feeling of connection to the firm and the values it represents.•

A Values-Guided Bank

An Interview with Teshia Levy-Grant, Senior Vice President and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Webster Bank

EDITORS’ NOTE Teshia Levy-Grant is responsible for expanding Webster’s diversity programs and partnerships within its local communities. Having served in academia as the Dean for Equity and Inclusion at Wesleyan University, she is also focused on expanding Webster’s education and training programs which include how to work on and manage diverse teams. She oversees Webster’s DEI Council as well as the Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) for the company. In addition, she is supporting efforts to strengthen the Bank’s internship and early-career rotational programs to ensure Webster is offering different experiences and unique perspectives to the Bank’s early professional development program. Levy-Grant earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Wesleyan University and an MS in student counseling and personnel services from Central Connecticut State University. COMPANY BRIEF Webster Financial Corporation is the holding company for Webster Bank (websterbank.com), and its HSA Bank division. With $33.3 billion in assets, Webster provides business and consumer banking, mortgage, financial planning, trust, and investment services through 130 banking centers and 253 ATMs. Webster also provides mobile and online banking. Webster Bank owns the asset-based lending firm Webster Business Credit Corporation; the equipment finance firm Webster Capital Finance Corporation; and HSA Bank, a division of Webster Bank, which provides health savings account trustee and administrative services.

How do you describe Webster Bank’s culture and how critical is culture to the success of the company?

For more than 80 years, Webster has been a community-minded, values-guided bank focused on helping customers achieve their financial goals. The key to Webster’s success is our people and our inclusive, equitable and diverse workplace that fosters consistent high performance, enabling our bankers to be their best in serving our customers and communities. We take personal responsibility for meeting our customers’ needs, respect the dignity of every individual, earn trust through ethical behavior, give of ourselves in the communities we serve, and work together to achieve outstanding results. These values are at the forefront of everything we do and differentiate us in the market. Our values sustain us as we advance Webster’s mission of helping individuals, families and businesses achieve their financial goals.

Will you provide an overview of Webster Bank’s diversity and inclusion strategy?

We believe that diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) is critical to our growth and success as a leading regional bank. This commitment starts with Webster’s senior leadership team who work to ensure that our commitment to DE&I is integrated with the way we do business. Meeting the increasingly diverse needs of our customers is a key to our long-term success and having a workforce with diverse backgrounds and experiences better helps our customers and the communities we serve achieve their financial goals.

As an organization, we are creating educational and awareness programs so our bankers can engage in constructive dialogue around issues of social equity and justice. We have also begun work on a holistic roadmap to continue building our DE&I program to make positive change both within and outside our organization.

While much work remains to be done, our commitment to DE&I is a demonstration of our values and mission, and we are excited to move into our next phase.

How ingrained is diversity and inclusion in Webster Bank’s culture and values?

Our diversity, equity and inclusion focus is a natural outgrowth of our values. The goal is to embrace our differences – the ideas, talents and contributions of our bankers in an inclusive work environment. In 2020, I was hired as the new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Officer with the goal of not only growing our DE&I programs, but also expanding partnerships within our local communities as well as with colleges and universities. Developing and maintaining these commitments to the communities we serve is a demonstration of our values in action.

In addition to programmatic initiatives and partnerships, Webster distributed more than $5 million to nonprofit organizations across our footprint. That total investment includes donations made through philanthropy, contributions made through the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), and sponsorship of organizations that help strengthen the well-being of our cities and towns with a focus on business growth to help drive economic stability.

While diversity is the right thing to do, it is also a business imperative. What do you see as the impact of diversity on driving better business outcomes?

There is a clear business case to be made for diversity and inclusion: it helps us to attract and retain talent, fosters a collaborative work environment, encourages innovation and serves a more diverse customer base, all of which support improved financial performance. We continue to look at all our lines of business (LOBs) and functional areas through a DE&I lens. Every Webster Teshia Levy-Grant leader has DE&I metrics included in their strategic goals, including efforts to engage workforce diversity, equity and inclusion.

How valuable is it to have the commitment of Webster Bank’s C-suite in its DE&I efforts?

Webster’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council is co-chaired by John Ciulla, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and John Guy, Executive Vice President, Business Banking. The Council serves as the platform where the strategy and actions of our DE&I efforts are shaped. This strong, consistent support from the top of the house helps to ensure that DE&I is integrated and prioritized. We continue to look at DE&I work to ensure that it remains front and center for the organization.

What do you tell young, diverse talent about the opportunities that exist to grow and lead in the industry?

The banking industry, along with most others, is now becoming more focused on the diversity of their staff, especially at the senior level and on their boards. I would tell diverse talent to ensure that a company’s DE&I efforts are ingrained in their culture, not simply performative or transactional. It’s important to read a company’s ESG reports, look at the makeup of the leadership team and C-suite, and review overall language to see whether there is support for a truly inclusive and equitable environment. Internally, does the company offer career development programs, employee resource groups and initiatives supportive of DE&I? Externally, does the company match its language with actions, such as commitment to local communities and organizations, and philanthropic efforts? At Webster, our goal is to maintain a strong focus on building human capital, to create diverse pipelines across the organization, and to provide cultural awareness and education, building further upon our DE&I foundation. Organizations with these goals and efforts are places for diverse talent to thrive.•

Continuous Improvement

An Interview with Landon Loomis, Vice President for Global Policy & Managing Director Brazil, The Boeing Company

EDITORS’ NOTE Landon Loomis was appointed Boeing Company’s Vice President for Global Policy in August 2020 and also serves as Managing Director for Boeing Brazil. He joined Boeing in September 2019 as the senior director for Trade and Alliances on the Embraer Partnership and Group Operations team. Prior to joining Boeing, Loomis served in the White House as a special adviser to Vice President Mike Pence from April 2017 to August 2019. He has also served in various U.S. government roles, including policy adviser in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, as well as commercial attaché at the U.S. embassies in Beijing and Brasília. He has resided in and worked in 10 countries in Latin America, Asia and Eastern Europe. Loomis has a master’s degree in international economics and is fluent in four languages: English, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese and Spanish. COMPANY BRIEF Boeing (boeing.com) is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As a top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries, leveraging the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.

How do you define Boeing’s culture and how critical is culture to the success of the company?

Teammates across the company are committed to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion and creating a culture where everyone is included, valued, respected and supported in reaching their full potential. A culture of openness and accountability requires teammates to seek out perspectives, to speak up and to listen without judgment. That’s why we’re focused on helping each team member develop habits around seeking, speaking and listening to drive and sustain behavior change and habit formation that enable us to live our values, improve business outcomes and strengthen teams.

This approach builds on what is at the core of our culture at Boeing: the desire for continuous improvement in ourselves and our company. In everything we do and in all aspects of our business, we make safety our top priority, seek first-time quality and hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards. By committing fully to our values, communicating with transparency and delivering results with excellence, we will earn and retain the confidence of our customers, suppliers and investors; our team members; and everyone who uses our products and services.

Will you highlight Boeing’s commitment to diversity and inclusion?

Boeing accelerated its commitments to equity, diversity and inclusion in the wake of glaring instances of racial injustice in 2020. We resolved to confront discrimination, inequities and injustice and accelerate our efforts to advance equity for all. This isn’t just the right thing to do – it is also good business. Boeing aspires to be a truly global company, and in order to understand, serve and satisfy our diverse customer network, our people must be able to lead and contribute to cross-functional, multinational teams that leverage the viewpoints of our diverse employee base.

It is clear we have an opportunity to be a force for change within our walls and in our communities – and we have been taking important steps in that direction. In April, Boeing released its first Global Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Report which shows our diversity metrics, describes our aspirations and outlines the steps we’re taking to improve. We’re not satisfied with the levels of representation across our company and industry, and we’re committed to showing progress by reporting annually.

How engrained is diversity and inclusion in Boeing’s culture and values?

Diversity and inclusion are core values at Boeing. While our diversity numbers are on par with the aerospace and defense industry, we want to do better. In 2020, Boeing President and CEO David Calhoun unveiled Boeing’s equity action plan to root out racism, advance progress on key measures of equity and inclusion, and strengthen the company’s commitment to community investments and diverse suppliers.

We are clear-eyed in our vision for a more equitable future, but realistic about what lies ahead. That’s why we’re committing to report our progress every year, clearly outlining our goals, such as increasing the representation of our Black teammates in the U.S. by 20 percent and closing representation gaps for historically underrepresented

groups. We’re also focused on creating processes and systems that are fair, equitable and transparent. On top of this foundation of systems, processes and practices that reduce the opportunity for bias, we continue to implement specific, localized and targeted tactics.

Will you elaborate on the impact of diversity on Boeing’s business performance?

Prior to the pandemic, aviation transported 4.5 billion passengers and $7 trillion of goods around the world per year – our industry is proud to serve as the indispensable bridge that Landon Loomis links people and cultures from across the world. Within our four walls, the principals of equity, diversity and inclusion are foundational to our business success – diversity is a critical driver of quality, safety and innovation. We have a responsibility to support, empower and equip the world’s best talent to reach their full potential here at Boeing. Our people are one of our greatest assets and creating a sense of belonging is foundational to our collective success.

How valuable has it been to have the commitment of Boeing’s board and senior management in its diversity and inclusion efforts?

Our leadership team, with the full support of our Board of Directors, has considered the bigger picture of our larger role and influence in society. Notably, and starting with our own internal community, in the last year we have put a bright spotlight on confronting racism and addressing racial equity and inclusion at Boeing. Our commitment to enhance equity and inclusion for all teammates starts with our leaders and extends to every member of our global team.

What do you tell young, diverse talent about the opportunities that exist to grow and lead in the aerospace industry?

Our industry serves as a bridge that connects people and perspectives from across the world. This mission inspires us and reminds us that diversity is not just a byproduct of what we do, it is essential to our success as a truly global company. Attracting, retaining and promoting young diverse talent is not just “nice to have,” it is absolutely necessary if we are going to truly understand, serve and satisfy our diverse customer network across the globe. We are proactively working to deepen and broaden our diverse global workforce and taking focused, intentional steps to open spaces for the full range of voices to be heard. This task is a priority focus for our company – getting it right will offer us a competitive advantage as we tackle the challenges ahead.•

Financing Healthcare Needs

An Interview with Alberto Casellas, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Synchrony Health & Wellness

EDITORS’ NOTE Alberto (Beto) Casellas is Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Synchrony Health & Wellness, part of Synchrony Financial, one of the nation’s premier consumer financial services companies. CareCredit, a Synchrony solution, is a leading provider of promotional financing to consumers for elective healthcare procedures, including dental, cosmetic, vision, audiology services and veterinary. As CEO of Synchrony Health & Wellness, Casellas is driving growth and innovation in this key platform, and is focused on creating a more comprehensive financing solution for patients, clients and healthcare providers and for fueling CareCredit growth through investments, new capabilities and the expansion of the business into new specialties. This includes the recent acquisition of Pets Best, a pet health insurance provider that expands CareCredit’s offerings to help people better manage the cost of caring for their pets. COMPANY BRIEFS Synchrony (synchrony.com) is a premier consumer financial services company delivering a wide range of specialized financing programs, as well as innovative consumer banking products, across key industries including digital, retail, home, auto, travel, health and pet. Synchrony enables its partners to grow sales and loyalty with consumers. It is one of the largest issuers of private label credit cards in the United States and also offers co-branded products, installment loans and consumer financing products for small- and mediumsized businesses, as well as healthcare providers. Synchrony enhances what is possible through its digital capabilities, deep industry expertise, actionable data insights, frictionless customer experience and customized financing solutions.

For more than 30 years, Synchrony solution CareCredit, a leading provider of special financing for healthcare, has been helping people get the care they want and need. From dentistry, veterinary care and hearing aids to prescription glasses and cosmetic surgery, the CareCredit credit card is a way for people to pay for care not covered by insurance, including elective procedures, copays, deductibles and coinsurance, often with special financing. Today, CareCredit is accepted at more than 250,000 provider and health-focused retail locations and there are more than 11 million CareCreditcardholders. CareCredit is a Synchrony solution.

Will you provide an overview of CareCredit and how you describe the CareCredit difference?

CareCredit is a leading solution to help patients finance their healthcare needs. For more than 30 years, CareCredit has given patients a valuable way to pay for copayments and deductibles, as well as healthcare treatments and procedures that are either not covered by insurance or for times when insurance doesn’t cover the full amount. The CareCredit difference is that by providing healthcare financing, we make it easy for people to get the care they want and need, when they need it, without delaying treatment or appointments. As consumers assume more financial responsibility for their healthcare, CareCredit has evolved beyond elective care and now supports patients by enabling them to pay for non-elective medical bills and routine medical care.

CareCredit also benefits hospitals and health systems by offering rapid settlement being paid in a secure and timely manner, nonrecourse financing and integrated payment features within leading electronic health record systems. These solutions help health services providers and hospitals run efficient and financially healthy organizations.

Cardholders can use their CareCredit health, wellness and beauty credit card to be fitted with new hearing aids, have vision or cosmetic procedures, have important dental work done, and get care for a beloved family pet.

How valuable has it been to CareCredit’s success to have the support and strength of its parent company, Synchrony?

Having the strength of Synchrony, a leader in consumer financial services with a strong retail heritage, has been enormously valuable to CareCredit’s continued success. The digital innovations that Synchrony has from its retail expertise can be leveraged to help with healthcare payments. Synchrony makes it possible for CareCredit to support health systems with the reputational and financial strength of a Fortune Alberto Casellas 200 partner, a track record of elite-level customer satisfaction, with CareCredit having more than 11 million cardholders, plus domain expertise in health and wellness.

How has CareCredit adapted its business to address the challenges caused by the pandemic?

Navigating the COVID-19 pandemic has been a learning process for everyone, CareCredit included, but it’s also presented new opportunities. There is an increasing expectation from patients that healthcare providers be armed with information regarding healthcare costs and payment options at the point of care. The general consumer experience and the healthcare consumer experience are rapidly converging, reinforcing the recognition that patients want a fast, intuitive purchasing experience when it comes to their healthcare too. Today’s patients are looking for more retail-like customer experiences in healthcare, including more convenient and transparent interactions such as digital payment methods. In response to these personalized preferences, CareCredit is offering tools, expertise and resources, so providers are well-prepared to participate in financial conversations as patients seek the best path forward for treatment and wellness.

“The CareCredit difference is that by providing healthcare financing, we make it easy for people to get the care they want and need, when they need it, without delaying treatment or appointments.”

“Synchrony makes it possible for CareCredit to support health systems with the reputational and financial strength of a Fortune 200 partner, a track record of elite-level customer satisfaction, with CareCredit having more than 11 million cardholders, plus domain expertise in health and wellness.”

“At Synchrony, we understand that diversity is more than a corporate talking point and must be reflected in our culture, values and DNA.”

Where do you see the greatest opportunities for growth for CareCredit as you look to the future?

CareCredit has evolved into a robust growth platform for our providers and a comprehensive solution for consumer financing and payments in healthcare, pet care and wellness. This growth is a strategic response to consumers assuming more financial responsibility for their healthcare – including higher out-of-pocket healthcare costs and high deductible healthcare plans – which accounts for the estimated $405 billion in out-of-pocket health expenditures in the U.S. We’re currently expanding our relationships with providers, retailers, payors and pharmacies. Our recent acquisitions in CareCredit include deepening our penetration in audiology and entering the rapidly growing pet insurance market. We’re also exploring opportunities to work with more health systems and hospitals. We have expanded our reach by launching new health system programs in 2020, bringing our total to 13, and with the growth of our pet vertical, we are now in more than 85 percent of veterinary practices across the country.

How critical is it for CareCredit to build a diverse and inclusive workforce in order to bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the table when making business decisions?

To build a culture of innovation equipped to take on the most pressing challenges our industry faces today, we understand that we must welcome diverse perspectives and challenge people to think beyond their personal experiences. Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) is extremely critical and remains a strategic priority across CareCredit and Synchrony, and we are very transparent about how we’re working to foster an inclusive environment where all our employees can reach their full potential. This requires an ongoing commitment along with open, honest and sometimes challenging conversations about what is working and where we can do better moving forward. We ensure every voice gets heard through our eight Diversity Networks, which are close-knit groups formed around common interests and goals.

Will you discuss Synchrony’s diversity initiatives and how this focus is embedded in Synchrony’s culture and values?

At Synchrony, we understand that diversity is more than a corporate talking point and must be reflected in our culture, values and DNA. This commitment starts from the top, with an inclusive executive board that reflects the diversity of our workforce. Synchrony currently has one of the most diverse board of directors of any financial services company. I feel very personally invested in the company’s D&I work. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico before moving to the U.S., and I’m currently the executive sponsor of our Hispanic Network, which helps members grow their careers across Synchrony. Our goal is to be an employer of choice for Hispanic and Latino professionals within the financial services industry.

As part of our commitment to elevate D&I to a strategic company-wide initiative, I am part of a senior-level committee led by Brian Doubles, President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors of Synchrony, our Chief Diversity Officer and other leaders from across Synchrony. This committee is focused on implementing actions to advance equality across our businesses and the communities in which we operate. We’ve launched a new initiative, Advancing Diverse Talent, to leverage data analytics to identify key gaps and opportunities within our workforce and inform our strategies to hire, develop and advance underrepresented talent.

Will you highlight Synchrony’s engagement in the communities it serves and its focus on corporate responsibility?

While the past year’s events may have resulted in more physical distance between us, they helped elevate Synchrony’s commitment to positively impacting the areas where we live and work. We are continually looking for ways to give back and contribute to the safety and well-being of the communities we call home. Throughout the pandemic, Synchrony committed $5 million to help local and national organizations assist those most affected by COVID-19, focusing on food assistance programs and disproportionately impacted communities. We also launched the Synchrony Gear Up Campaign, leveraging our employee, partner and cardholder networks to make and distribute protective gear, for example, by 3D printing face masks and face shields.

We have also accelerated our efforts to address the challenges that underrepresented and marginalized groups face every day, including Black and Brown communities. Last year, the racial unrest in the United States inspired us to form a senior-level committee to focus on implementing actions to further equality and opportunities for advancement across our businesses and communities.

What advice do you offer young people about the opportunities that exist for a career in the industry?

I encourage the younger generation to embrace an approach of continuous learning. I think it is essential to always be curious and explore ways to master new skills and grow your expertise. With this in mind, Synchrony takes a proactive approach to empowering the leaders of tomorrow with the resources they will need to grow and succeed. Our Business Leadership Program offers recent graduates an accelerated curriculum to build functional expertise and leadership acumen in credit, data analytics, enterprise operations, finance and other areas. Participants have access to Synchrony executives and networking opportunities and can also continue their career path at an assistant vice president level at the end of their training.

If you are hardworking and driven, there are opportunities for you to get your foot in the door. Our Diversity Network continually partners with universities to build an earlier pipeline of talent by offering student internships, mentorships and immersion programs.•

Mission-Driven

An Interview with Michael J. Alkire, President and CEO, Premier Inc.

EDITORS’ NOTE Michael Alkire, who joined Premier in 2003, is a seasoned healthcare executive with nearly 30 years of operational, technology and business development leadership experience. He was named the company’s Chief Operating Officer in 2013, its President in 2019, and its CEO in 2021. Prior to serving as President and CEO, Alkire was president of Premier Purchasing Partners, which offers group purchasing, supply chain and resource utilization services to hospitals and health systems. Alkire is a past board member of GHX and the Healthcare Supply Chain Association. He recently was named one of the Top 25 COOs in Healthcare for 2018 by Modern Healthcare. In 2015, Alkire won the Gold Stevie Award for Executive of the Year and in 2014 he was recognized as a Gold Award Winner for COO of the Year by the Golden Bridge Awards. He has more than 20 years of experience in running business operations and business development organizations at Deloitte & Touche and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young. Before joining Premier, he served in a number of leadership roles at Cap Gemini, including North American responsibilities for supply chain and high-tech manufacturing. Alkire graduated magna cum laude with a BS degree from Indiana State University and an MBA from Indiana University. COMPANY BRIEF Premier Inc. (premierinc.com) is a leading healthcare improvement company, uniting an alliance of more than 4,100 U.S. hospitals and health systems, and approximately 200,000 other providers and organizations, to transform healthcare. With integrated data and analytics, collaboratives, supply chain solutions, and consulting and other services, Premier enables better care outcomes at a lower cost. Premier plays a critical role in the rapidly evolving healthcare industry, collaborating with members to co-develop long-term innovations that reinvent and improve the way care is delivered to patients nationwide. Headquartered in Charlotte, Premier is passionate about transforming American healthcare.

How do you define what makes Premier different?

At Premier, we are guided by a singular vision: To use the collaborative power of our alliance to lead the transformation to high-quality, cost-effective healthcare. It’s a simple rallying cry behind which everyone can unite and under which all of our activity falls. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our mission of improving the health of communities took on an even more significant meaning as we lived our four core values each day: • Integrity • Passion for performance • Innovation • Focus on people

It seems so basic, but codifying our values in the simplest of ways is how we maintain such an intense concentration on our mission.

Over the years, my colleagues at Premier have continued to impress and astound me with their intellect, skill and drive. It’s not simply about delivering what is outlined in a contract. It’s figuring out a way to get food to a nursing home on the top of a hill during an ice storm, or how to get masks on the faces of doctors and nurses treating COVID-19 patients. We are also driven by our membership base. Since we work with more than 4,100 hospitals and health systems and roughly 200,000 providers (including nursing homes), it is incumbent upon us to “show up.” Their success doesn’t just mean success for our business, but it also means success for our communities – our friends, families and loved ones who rely on them.

Will you discuss Premier’s long and deep commitment to diversity and inclusion?

We’ve always been keenly aware that diversity is critical to our business. It’s critical

to ensuring a healthy and resilient supply chain, and it’s critical to making sure we offer the best possible solutions to challenges our members might face at any given point in time. We encourage our members to commit to certain agreements around supplier diversity to ensure that we foster equity in the marketplace by supporting minority-, women- and veteran-owned and small businesses. Furthermore, as a company, we get involved in organizations pursuing health equity in the communities we serve. Michael J. Alkire The fact of the matter is that we are predisposed to seek out alternative viewpoints – it is part of our DNA. Therefore, fostering a culture that empowers people of all different backgrounds to make themselves seen and heard and understood is a natural extension of the work we do externally. Our commitment also manifests in the work we do. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Women’s Health has contracted with us to analyze maternal and infant health data and create a network of at least 200 hospitals to deploy proven, evidence-based best practices. Our data captures 1.2 million annual births in the U.S., and we are proud to use it to enable hospitals to erase health inequities. This includes racial and ethnic disparities which are so important to address as we take on the work to make America the safest place to have a baby. It is our mission to ensure that women and infants across the country have the same access to high-quality care regardless of race, geography or socioeconomic status.

While diversity and inclusion is the right thing to do, you have also stated that it is critical for driving better business results. Will you elaborate on how diversity and inclusion impacts business performance? “We’ve always been keenly aware that diversity is critical to our business.”

“At Premier, we are guided by a singular vision: To use the collaborative power of our alliance to lead the transformation to highquality, cost-effective healthcare. It’s a simple rallying cry behind which everyone can unite and under which all of our activity falls.”

Supplier diversity is an essential component of our members’ success. The diversity of suppliers helps our member hospitals create jobs and improve life in the communities they serve. From there, it’s a virtuous cycle – as I’ve said many times before, our members’ success is our success. In fact, those of us at Premier would argue that diversity was a key part of the success of our pandemic response – 20 percent of our contracts are to diverse organizations. An example of the impact this has on business performance is our Sourcing Education and Enrichment for Diverse and Small Suppliers (SEEDS) program, aimed at increasing the number of small, diverse and regional enterprises doing business with members of the Premier healthcare alliance. The SEEDS program lends support to diverse and small business enterprises, enabling them to grow at a pace that is commensurate with their existing business infrastructure. Through the program, contracted suppliers are provided with resources and educational tools meant to help them gain contract sales with our members while building longterm relationships across the Premier healthcare alliance. SEEDS, in turn, fosters healthy markets by bringing more suppliers to the table and creating more competition and choice for our members.

The evidence is clear – diverse companies are more profitable. Those organizations with diversity perform better than their competition when it comes to innovation and financial performance. At Premier, we firmly believe that valuing and representing the dimensions of diversity isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s imperative to ensure our continued success in the marketplace.

What are the keys to being effective in attracting and retaining diverse talent?

As a mission-driven organization, we seek to attract people who want to affect positive change through their work. When we speak with computer scientists and engineers, something always clicks when they realize that a job with Premier is unlike anything they will find in the big tech space. Our artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, for example, is not designed to influence a consumer’s decision on what pair of sneakers to buy next. Instead, it is designed to change how patients receive care – for the better. Our mission is one that unifies and appeals to people of all backgrounds.

The pandemic has taught us so many important lessons. We always knew that people could be successful in their jobs from anywhere in the country. I like to joke that before COVID19, I spent more nights sleeping outside of the state I live in each week. But I think people are far more comfortable now with the idea of working for a company that might not be headquartered where they live. This has made it exponentially easier for us to attract and retain talent.

Part of becoming more intentional about our diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging efforts is ensuring that we are creating a work environment – albeit virtual at the moment – that makes everyone feel welcome, valued and included.

How important are metrics to measure and track the impact of Premier’s diversity efforts?

I think it was Peter Drucker who said, “if you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” We spend our days working in the nitty gritty of data and analytics. There is no doubt that the numbers on the page matter. We want to see the data confirm that our efforts to ensure diversity are working. We also want to see the data from our employee surveys to make sure that everyone feels seen and heard and that they are treated equitably, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or any other mode they use to define themselves.

While we definitely subscribe to Druker’s concept, we recognize that there are things you can’t measure – things that are much easier to comprehend in action in real time. For example, how someone answers a survey question might not always align with how they feel and behave in a real-world situation. We need to see that our colleagues are respectful and open-minded. We need to see that our colleagues are able to express themselves freely. Those actions tell us far more than anything we can get from the data in a spreadsheet.

Premier serves a diverse client base. How critical is it for Premier’s workforce to mirror the diversity of its clients?

On one end of the spectrum, Premier’s membership is comprised of the largest hospitals in the biggest urban environments delivering high-quality care to the well-to-do and the impoverished alike. On the other side, we have members who are small-skilled nursing facilities in the most remote parts of the country you’ve never heard of. And then there is everyone in between. As I’ve said, we live in the communities of the members we serve, so we have a vested interest in ensuring that they have everything they need to be successful. I would argue that compassion, empathy and emotional intelligence are what sets us apart to our members. So, while we may “look” like those we serve, we understand what they are going through, can relate to them and empathize with their experiences – which is often shared – that is how we make ourselves sticky.

How is Premier making sure that its diverse talent has opportunities to grow and lead within the company in order to retain this talent?

Our employee-based Council on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging acts as our governing committee to define, drive and support our strategic objectives. In addition, our ten and growing Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and other company programs provide opportunities for our colleagues to listen, learn, mentor and grow. Creating an atmosphere of trust and openness supports the engagement, development and retention of everyone who calls Premier home. As part of this work, we have created a pledge to serve as our guide: • Demonstrate commitment and accountability for modeling behavior that drives diversity, inclusion and belonging. • Cultivate and support a values-driven culture that promotes inclusiveness, innovation, openness, listening, learning and compassion. • Build and maintain a diverse workforce at all levels of our organization. Identify, attract and retain a pipeline of diverse and qualified candidates through targeted outreach, recruitment, employee development and selection. • Create a work environment that ensures equal access to opportunities for professional growth and advancement.

What do you tell young, diverse talent about the career opportunities that exist in the industry?

I tell all young people starting out in their careers to say “yes” to as much as you can. Try new things, explore areas that you might not be familiar with. Meet as many people as possible. Take chances. Do everything within reason to expand your horizons as much as possible. Regardless of how your diversity manifests, having a wealth of experience and perspective to draw from when you approach any situation will only serve as an advantage.•

A Strong Sense of Belonging

An Interview with Rachael Gibson, Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Marcum LLP

EDITORS’ NOTE Rachael Gibson is Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Marcum LLP. She became the first person to hold this newly-created leadership position in 2020 as Marcum formalized its DEI Initiative as a policy priority for the firm. Her mission is to raise awareness and help foster a culture that is both diverse and inclusive and that encourages and enables all associates and partners to be successful in their careers. Gibson has had a long career in management consulting, specializing in change management; diversity, equity and inclusion; leadership development; and strategic planning. In addition, she has developed and led numerous national initiatives for clients focused on a variety of leadership and change management issues. She has spoken at national conventions and conferences for organizations including BoardSource, the T. Rowe Price Foundation, and the Texas Council on Family Violence. She serves as an adjunct professor at the Chicago School for Professional Psychology, where she teaches graduate students interested in the field of consulting and organizational development. She also serves on two nonprofit boards of directors. FIRM BRIEF Marcum LLP (marcumllp.com) is a top-ranked national accounting and advisory services firm dedicated to helping entrepreneurial,

middle-market companies and high-networth individuals achieve their goals. Marcum offers industry-focused practices with specialized expertise to privately held and publicly registered companies, and nonprofit and social sector organizations. Through the Marcum Group, the firm also provides a full complement of technology, wealth management, executive search and staffing, and strategic marketing services. Headquartered in New York City, Marcum has offices Rachael Gibson in major business markets across the U.S. and select international locations. Marcum is committed to the advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion. The firm is a founding member of LEA Global and is the exclusive U.S partner firm of ECOVIS International.

Will you provide an overview of your role and key areas of focus?

I lead Marcum’s DEI policies, programs, and services across the firm, which involves working with the firm’s leaders and associates to ensure that Marcum continues to be a diverse firm where all associates feel a strong sense of belonging and see pathways to leadership opportunities.

What excited you about the opportunity to join Marcum and made you feel it was the right fit?

I joined Marcum via the Raffa PC merger in 2018. Joining a national firm of Marcum’s scope has allowed me to have a broad and deep impact in the realm of DEI. I work alongside bright and passionate people every single day. I don’t spend a lot of time “making the case for DEI” here at Marcum. Partners and associates at all levels embrace what we’re doing in our DEI programs and initiatives and are willing to roll up their sleeves to do the hard work that’s needed to truly live these values.

Will you provide an overview of Marcum’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy?

Marcum’s DEI strategy is centered around three key priority areas: 1) Attracting a diverse talent pool at all levels; 2) Fostering a culture of inclusion where all associates feel a strong sense of belonging at work; and 3) Ensuring that associates from underrepresented groups experience pathways to leadership.

How engrained is diversity and inclusion in Marcum’s culture and values?

Although my role is new, diversity and inclusion is not a new concept for Marcum. We’re formalizing existing policies and building upon a foundation that was birthed many years ago. For instance, Marcum has always been a place that supported women in the workplace. We were one of the first firms to embrace alternative work schedules to enable our female professionals to stay on the partner track while they were raising their families. We have associates who represent all races, generations, and sexual identities. Marcum was also the first national firm in the U.S. to establish a Modern Family practice dedicated to serving the unique

“A DEI program cannot be successful without the buy-in and active participation of leadership. Our leadership is well aware of this.”

“Over the past few months, we have explicitly talked about the idea that we do not shed our identities when we come to work – a lesson that solidified during COVID while we are all working remotely.”

“I want our associates and partners to all feel that they have a role to play in walking the talk when it comes to DEI. I basically want shared leadership in this work.”

tax, trust and estate, and financial planning needs of the LBTBQ+ community. While we do have much progress to make in terms of continuing to diversify our firm’s leadership, I am confident that we will get there. We have an incredibly diverse pipeline of future leaders and we’re seeking ways to continue to develop and support them, including those from underrepresented groups.

Over the past few months, we have explicitly talked about the idea that we do not shed our identities when we come to work – a lesson that solidified during COVID while we were all working remotely. As a result, we have started to engage in firm-wide conversations that have begun to normalize talking about issues related to race, gender, caregiving status, and other nuanced personal issues, and it is fostering a stronger sense of belonging in parts of our firm. Our associate resource groups, which are affinity groups for associates with shared interests, cultures, lifestyles, and abilities, have also strengthened over the past year and we’re seeing that inclusion and belonging is permeating many aspects of the firm.

I have also seen some very powerful examples of allyship among associates and partners. Many people are using their spheres of influence to create meaningful change, from ensuring that our marketing materials are representative of the diversity that exists within the firm and broader society, to initiating conversation about developing scholarship funds for college students from underrepresented groups. Culture is about everybody doing their part to live our DEI values and I see amazing examples of this every single day.

How do you engage your employees in Marcum’s diversity efforts?

Our efforts are very associate-driven. I am in close communication with the leaders of our various associate resource groups (ARGs). They help to determine how best to acknowledge and elevate the voices of our diverse associates. We have a national DEI Task Force and a national DEI steering committee, as well as regional DEI committees whose role it is to advance DEI programs in their offices. I also meet with any associate who wants to share an idea and I do my best to help advance these. Perhaps most impactfully, we are having numerous firm-wide DEI conversations. Many of the questions that come from those conversations are incorporated into our programming. For instance, during our firm-wide conversation where we discussed race, many of our associates asked what they can do to be allies to their diverse colleagues. As a result, we used the month of April to host firm-wide allyship education sessions.

Is it critical to have metrics in place to track the impact of Marcum’s diversity and inclusion efforts?

Absolutely. I live by the saying “if it doesn’t get tracked, it doesn’t get done.” We want to evaluate our efforts and know whether or not we’re moving the needle and how we need to adjust. Tracking also helps us be targeted in our approach.

How critical is it to have the commitment of Marcum’s management team in its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts?

A DEI program cannot be successful without the buy-in and active participation of leadership. Our leadership is well aware of this. Our CEO, Jeffrey Weiner, and COO, Ronald Storch, serve on our national DEI committees – one of which meets every two weeks. These committees are comprised of partners across the firm. I work closely with partners across the firm, many of whom are strong allies and active advocates for issues related to DEI.

What are your key priorities as you look to build on Marcum’s diversity and inclusion efforts?

My key priority is simple – I want DEI values to be in the DNA of our firm. I view my role as a facilitator. I want our associates and partners to all feel that they have a role to play in walking the talk when it comes to DEI. I basically want shared leadership in this work.

Finally, I want to play a role in giving our associates from underrepresented groups hope – hope that they, too, can be their best and whole selves at Marcum. I want them to love coming to work, not only because they are skilled practitioners, but because they feel a strong sense of belonging.•

Collaboration, Coordination and Cooperation

An Interview with Alan S. Elkin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Active International

EDITORS’ NOTE Alan Elkin co-founded Active International in 1984. Elkin began his career at Kaiser Broadcasting which, under his direction as Senior Vice President of Sales, later became Field Communications and then a subsidiary of Katz Media Group. He has received the Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award by Ernst & Young and the British American Business Inc. Award in recognition of Active’s global accomplishments. Additionally, he received the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award at the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame annual gala. Elkin believes that community involvement is as important as business leadership and through the company’s Active Cares program, contributions have been made to over 600 charities since 1997. COMPANY BRIEF Active International’s (activeinternational.com) purpose is to transform data into insights, strategy into action, and vision into value. With the entrepreneurial spirit of a startup, and the capabilities of a global corporation, Active continues to redefine what’s possible and turn possibilities into positive business outcomes. Active drives performance through industry expertise, its Corporate Trade Model, and portfolio of companies with a core competency in media, to create and deliver value for leading brands throughout their business life cycles.

What have been the keys to Active’s strength and leadership in the industry and how do you define the Active difference?

Our people – they are our greatest asset and their commitment keeps us on top in our industry. Our team values focus on collaboration, coordination and cooperation. Our strength is in our ability to communicate with each other. We create solutions and solve client challenges together. Like any team in a sport, the NFL for example, while you have multiple teams, the field and the rules are all the same. It’s the champions who have great players, but also great execution and great leadership. They play as a team and they deliver the best team execution. Execution – to coin a phrase we use all the time at Active – means helping our clients achieve more. That’s what makes Active a leader in our industry.

Will you discuss Active’s long and deep commitment to diversity and inclusion and how this focus is a part of Active’s culture?

Our culture is based on the principles of meritocracy and all our people having a voice: we listen to our people and consider all their diverse viewpoints. That’s the key to collaborative problem solving, which is what we do for our clients. This diversity of thought, however, naturally extends to our view on talent. It’s a fact that if we as marketers and traders are going to appeal to the millions of diverse consumers and the increasing number of diverse client

companies that market to them, we have to attract and inspire diverse talent that can meet the needs of these consumers and our business model in general. In 2021, I have made it a personal mission to hold our leaders even more accountable than ever before on this important area of focus. We began with a focus of awareness for all our leaders. We commissioned and delivered an industry-specific, graduate-level course on DE&I and, as you know, all solutions have to start with awareness. Are we there yet? No, but we are always improving and, Alan S. Elkin in addition to our focus on the present, we have embarked upon a strategy to build a future pipeline of diverse talent for our industry.

While diversity and inclusion is the right thing to do, you have also stated that it is critical for driving better business results. Will you elaborate on how diversity and inclusion impacts business performance?

While the moral argument is clear, the business case is too. Let’s start with the marketplace – the population in the U.S. and Europe is increasingly diverse. Once we see that as a business reality, the rest is a simple “connect the dots” exercise. But we have to accept that business as we know it is based on the acceptance of capitalism in our societies. Even the heretofore purist communist regimes have adopted capital entrepreneurship as a means of supporting and appeasing their populations. Capitalism works better than socialism. With capitalism, successful growth leads to prosperity or at least the opportunity for greater prosperity for all of the society’s members. True there are

“Our culture is based on the principles of meritocracy and all our people having a voice: we listen to our people and consider all their diverse viewpoints. That’s the key to collaborative problem solving, which is what we do for our clients.”

“Our team values focus on collaboration, coordination and cooperation. Our strength is in our ability to communicate with each other. We create solutions and solve client challenges together.”

“The bottom line when it comes to the intersection of DE&I talent and business is this: In order to better serve these businesses, Active needs diverse thinking and especially diverse cultural views on the markets and consumers.”

always the “1 percenters” in a capitalist hierarchy who may not play by the rules. But, in general, this theory has been advanced by forward-thinking business leaders and consultants such as Peter Drucker since the 1960s. The entrepreneurial opportunities in a capitalistic market environment play well to the opportunities for diverse people.

Consumers in the societies where we do business are not only increasingly diverse, but their spending power has also increased over the years. Companies that produce products for them are tuning into the needs of these diverse demographics, with many of them being founded and led by diverse teams. There are companies that are moving into markets in different countries and cultures, again to appeal to a diverse demographic with spending power. In a society that depends on the success of capital enterprise, these companies and consumers are being addressed as a viable part of the economic infrastructure – an economic infrastructure that needs to grow and prosper so that all of its members prosper as well.

Prosperity helps meet the needs of people. All people have hopes, dreams and aspirations for themselves and their families. The theory of capitalism as the most effective form of socialism is not new. Each generation, regardless of race, gender, orientation, or ethnicity aspires to leave a better future for those who follow. Aside from basic needs of food, clothing and shelter, education, skills and other benefits of a prosperous society contribute to that better future.

That’s why all participants in the economic, demographic mix are critical to sustaining the economy and society it serves. That’s why DE&I is good for business and, as Active serves these businesses, it’s good for Active. The bottom line when it comes to the intersection of DE&I talent and business is this: In order to better serve these businesses, Active needs diverse thinking and especially diverse cultural views on the markets and consumers. We know that this need is best filled by diverse professionals. The business mantra is therefore: “Include all!” Inclusion is good for business because its good for the economy and good for the societies that are served by the economy.

What are the keys to being effective in attracting and retaining diverse talent and how is Active making sure that it is reaching a diverse talent pool?

We cannot be passive. We need to go after a wide and deep talent pool and inspire them to want to learn about our industry, and in particular, about our ccmpany. That means having the right sort of recruiting message and knowing where to look. The challenge for our managers working with our in-house and external recruiters is to convey the right message: “What sets Active apart as an employer,” and deliver it to the right candidate audiences. This means seeking out Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBC’s) and other organizations that focus on media and marketing as part of their educational mission with minorities and where some of the HBC’s are lacking in the resources or curriculum, we can help them with that as well. We want to build a robust pipeline for ourselves and the industry in general.

How important are metrics to measure and track the impact of Active’s diversity efforts?

Very important and that’s the accountability I am measuring my leaders on. In turn, I expect them to hold their team and functional leaders accountable.

How is Active making sure that its diverse talent has opportunities to grow and lead within the company in order to retain this talent?

The pandemic changed a lot and the competition in our industry for the best talent has never been fiercer. That said, as I mentioned before, we have embarked upon a deliberate talent identification and retention program. It’s a four-step program to attract, competitively pay, retain and grow talent at all levels. This extends naturally to our diversity recruiting efforts. As I said earlier, we start by assigning recruiters to these tasks who are themselves people of color and Hispanic and thereby tune into the best places to proactively seek talent. It’s all about being able to make the case: “Why Active? What will you get from us as an employer?”

What do you tell young, diverse talent about the career opportunities that exist in the industry?

We tell them that we care about them and that we know our role as allies in their efforts to grow and develop in our industry. It’s our responsibility to them and I know all my leaders understand my expectation to approach it that way. Practically speaking, we want to be able to develop and create paths that include diverse experience in the various disciplines and job assignments, and offer continuous training and mentoring.•

Empowerment, Measurement, Representation and Communication

An Interview with Paloma DeNardis, Head of Inclusion and Diversity, DICK’S Sporting Goods

EDITORS’ NOTE In her role as Head of Inclusion and Diversity of DICK’S Sporting Goods, Paloma DeNardis leads the overall strategy and execution of the company’s I&D initiatives, working across the organization to engage leaders, corporate, distribution center and store teammates. Her background is in talent acquisition which is where she grew her passion for people and for advocacy and recognized that diversity makes teams and organizations better. Prior to DICK’S Sporting Goods, she served as Director of Global Talent Acquisition at Mylan, and Senior Talent Manager for Kforce Inc. DeNardis earned a BS in business administration and international business from the University of Rhode Island College of Business Administration. COMPANY BRIEF Founded in 1948, DICK’S Sporting Goods (dicks.com) is a leading omnichannel sporting goods retailer offering an extensive assortment of authentic, high-quality sports equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories. As of May 1, 2021, the company operated 730 DICK’S Sporting Goods locations across the United States, serving and inspiring athletes and outdoor enthusiasts to achieve their personal best through a combination of its dedicated teammates, in-store services and unique specialty shop-in-shops dedicated to Team Sports, Athletic Apparel, Golf, Outdoor, Fitness and Footwear. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, DICK’S also owns and operates Golf Galaxy and Field & Stream specialty stores, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile app for scheduling, communications, live scorekeeping and video streaming. DICK’S offers its products through a dynamic eCommerce platform that is integrated with its store network and provides athletes with the convenience and expertise of a 24-hour storefront.

Will you provide an overview of your role and key areas of focus?

In my role, I’m responsible for building a sustainable strategy for fostering inclusion and diversity at DICK’S Sporting Goods. I seek to make I&D a meaningful part of our people practices by identifying ways to support our team members on their journeys to learn and grow, and also by ensuring that our

team members and customers feel represented. Our key focus areas are anchored within empowerment, measurement, representation and communication, and we drive our work forward through education, training and experiences.

How do you describe DICK’S Sporting Goods’ culture and how critical is culture to the success of the company?

The culture at DICK’S is similar to Paloma DeNardis that of any sports team – we all have a job to do and rely on each other to win the game. It is a no ego environment where no matter your role or level, we work collaboratively to innovate and deliver for our athletes (that’s what we call our customers) every day. This culture has been the foundation to ensuring inclusion is embraced and permeates everything we do. Many of our team members (teammates) are former athletes and understand what it means to truly belong on a team and to walk out on the field and know your team has your back.

Will you discuss DICK’S Sporting Goods’ commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce?

At DICK’S we want to be part of the change we need to see in our nation. We are committed to accepting our responsibility to work toward social justice and seek to reflect the communities we serve. With more than 50,000 teammates from across the country, our organization brings together and celebrates a beautiful array of individual differences, life experiences and unique talent. We aim to create an environment where each and every one of these teammates, as well as our athletes and communities, feels valued, respected and empowered to help one another become better humans.

How important is it for DICK’S Sporting Goods’ team members to reflect the diversity of its customers and the communities it serves?

It’s crucial for DICK’S to reflect our athletes and communities to ensure that the experience in our stores is one where everyone is treated with dignity, respected for their differences and feels that they belong. Diverse perspectives also help us to ensure we are meeting the needs of the communities we serve and support.

How valuable is it to have such deep engagement from the management team and board members for DICK’S Sporting Goods’ diversity and inclusion initiatives?

Inclusion starts at the top, and support from our leadership team and board has been critical for the adoption, activation and amplification of our efforts. Along with backing from senior leadership, I believe that the success and staying power of an inclusion strategy also relies on the support of managers throughout our organization. Many of our messages, trainings, experiences and more are so impactful thanks to the leaders in our stores who cascade the content and activations to our largest population of teammates.

While diversity is the right thing to do, it is also a business imperative. What do you see as the impact of diversity and inclusion on business performance?

Our athletes are as unique as our teammates, and they each have their own individual goals around sport and fitness. Diversity helps us ensure our athletes’ needs are met and that their expectations of us are exceeded with every interaction, whether that is through the products and merchandise we offer, visual representations in-store or personal interactions with our teammates.

Do you feel that there are strong opportunities for women to grow and lead in the industry?

At DICK’S, we are working to set a standard across the industry where women feel empowered and supported to achieve their dreams. Over 50 percent of our athlete base identify as female, and we are fortunate to have a leadership team that reflects them. Our recent “Inside Moves” campaign highlighted some of the persistent, powerful, and visionary women at DICK’S who use their roles at the company to ensure that women and girls everywhere are successful in sports and life.

What advice do you offer to young, diverse talent beginning their careers during this unprecedented time?

Seek out a company that aligns with your personal and professional goals. If the company makes a commitment, hold them accountable with your presence. Remember, your time and contributions are valuable.•

Workplace, Workforce and Marketplace

An Interview with Diana Gueits-Rivera, Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Cleveland Clinic

EDITORS’ NOTE As the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the Cleveland Clinic, Diana Gueits-Rivera is responsible for partnering with leaders and caregivers throughout the enterprise to provide strategic direction to key enterprise diversity initiatives. In addition, she collaborates with professional organizations and community stakeholders to advance Cleveland Clinic’s outreach to the Hispanic community. She has been prominent in advancing Cleveland Clinic’s ranking as one of the top healthcare systems in the country for Diversity and Inclusion by DiversityInc., the American Hospital Association Equity of Care award, and the placement of their Employee Resource Groups as some of the top 25 ERG’s and Councils in the country as awarded by the Association of ERG’s and Councils. GueitsRivera was instrumental in the development and execution of ACTiVHOS, the first fully bilingual youth directed health and wellness program in Northeast Ohio, as an effort to combat obesity and asthma disparities in Latino children. In 2020, she led the efforts to transition the ACTiVHOS Facebook site to provide COVID-19 Spanish information as a benefit to the entire community. She sits on the boards of Hispanic Roundtable, Circle Health, and El Centro. She is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, and advisor to the National Board of the Latino Medical Student Association. GueitsRivera holds a BA in Urban Studies from Cleveland State University, an MBA from Baldwin Wallace University, and Advanced Diversity Practitioner certification from Cornell University. INSTITUTION BRIEF Cleveland Clinic (cleveland clinic.org), now in its centennial year, is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation’s best hospitals in its annual “America’s Best Hospitals” survey. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 70,800 employees

worldwide are more than 4,660 salaried physicians and researchers, and 18,500 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties.

How do you define the role of Chief Diversity Officer and how important is it for the role to be engaged in business strategy?

Diversity and Inclusion is systems work, so it is critical for a Chief Diana Gueits-Rivera Diversity Officer to be involved in the business strategy of an organization. Often times, strategies fall short of their maximum potential because that lens around understanding the forensics of the Diversity and Inclusion impact is not brought in early enough to be baked into an organization’s strategy. It is important for leaders to understand that Diversity and Inclusion is not just part of their social responsibility, community outreach, engagement, or education strategies. It should be a full partner in the ecosystem of their overall mission and work.

Will you provide an overview of Cleveland Clinic’s diversity and inclusion strategy?

It is basically a systems approach. We look at the work through three core areas: workplace – the culture, policies, and practices that support inclusion and equity; workforce – all the demographic analysis, recruitment, development, and retention strategies; and marketplace – which looks at our full cycle of the patient experience, and our investment and connection with our communities. While this is a very simplistic statement, this is deeply significant work when you look at our overall footprint.

How engrained is diversity and inclusion in Cleveland Clinic’s culture and values?

Inclusion is one of our core values and drives and complements every other value. It is critical to our aspiration to be the best place for healthcare anywhere and the best place to work in healthcare.

Will you discuss Cleveland Clinic’s outreach to underrepresented minority communities and efforts to create opportunities that impact health engagement, health literacy, and cultural competence?

This is multifaceted work that we have been engaged in for quite some time. Healthy individuals beget healthy communities and our goal is to be a long-term partner with our communities in that endeavor. We have invested heavily in this space and know that there is much more to do. Cleveland Clinic’s 2019 community benefit was $1.16 billion, demonstrating our commitment to creating a healthier population. We know that we must not only be thoughtful and deliberate with our actions, but also have some longevity resources applied to get us where we want to be.

How do you engage your employees in Cleveland Clinic’s diversity efforts?

Our employees are critical to advancing this work. We have 11 Employee Resource Groups and 13 location-based diversity councils. Members of these groups serve as ambassadors of diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the organization. They support strategies in recruitment and retention, provide personal and professional development opportunities, impact engagement and promote cultural competence and health equity initiatives across the communities we serve. Several of them have been recognized and ranked nationally for their work to advance diversity and inclusion.

Is it critical to have metrics in place to track the impact of Cleveland Clinic’s diversity and inclusion efforts?

Absolutely. It is imperative for any organization, but especially so in healthcare where we are touching and impacting the health and wellness of individuals. Metrics are an indication of how well we are doing. They signal to us when we lag behind, and happily, when we have achieved an aggressive goal. I look at goals with these three (T’s) in mind – is it tangible (achievable), is it tactical (is the strategy sound), and finally is it trackable (what metrics will be assigned that denote we have achieved what we set out to do). As important as having these metrics, you also need to engage in consistent benchmarking to ensure that you are in step with other high-performing organizations in this work. This is part of the continuous improvement model for inclusion, diversity and equity work.

How valuable has it been to have the commitment of Cleveland Clinic’s senior management in its diversity and inclusion efforts?

This is extremely valuable as we have deeply committed leaders who have been championing this work. They are a significant factor in our success. They lead, advise, sponsor, promote and use their influence to move us ahead. Without that sort of action and personal investment, this work falters and diminishes. Senior management must model that commitment so that others will follow. We know that it takes the whole village for this work to be fully realized and be meaningful for everyone. I count myself as extremely fortunate to work at an organization which models this every day.•

The World of Work

An Interview with Gordana Landen, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, The Adecco Group

EDITORS’ NOTE Gordana Landen joined Adecco Group in 2019 from Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), where she held the position of Chief Human Resources Officer. She previously worked in senior human resources and project management positions at Ericsson and SCA (Svenska Cellulosa AB). Landen holds a bachelor’s degree in human resource development and labor relations from Stockholm University.

COMPANY BRIEF The Adecco Group (adeccogroup.com) is a leading global talent advisory and solutions company. The Group’s mission is to make the future work for everyone, and every day enables more than 3.5 million careers. The Adecco Group skills, develops, and hires talent in 60 countries, enabling organizations to embrace the future of work. As a Fortune Global 500 company, the Group leads by example, creating shared value that fuels economies and builds better societies. Its culture of inclusivity, entrepreneurship and teamwork empowers its 30,000 employees. The Group has been consistently ranked one of the ‘World’s Best Workplaces’ by Great Place to Work®. The Adecco Group AG is headquartered in Zurich and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ADEN). The Group is powered by three global business units: Adecco, Talent Solutions and Modis.

How has the role of the CHRO evolved and how critical is it for the role to be engaged in business strategy?

Over the past years, and especially after the COVID-19 crisis we have just experienced, the role of CHROs – and all HR people – has evolved. The rising emergence of new world working, diversity and inclusion, wellbeing, HR analytics, upskilling and reskilling, and the changing role of leadership have turned the HR function into a core focus. Therefore, it is critical that CHROs are closely involved in business strategy.

Will you provide an overview of the Adecco Group’s diversity and inclusion initiatives?

We envision a world in which talent, not labels, matters and where everyone has a chance to be part of the world of work. Our diversity and inclusion strategy aims to foster trust and collaboration and a corporate culture where we recognize and value differences to help our business, communities and clients win. Our approach encompasses multiple pillars: • Inclusive leadership – ensuring diverse thinking is respected, managed and applied at leadership levels. For example, we aim to reach gender parity at the leadership level by 2030 and we have put in place different incentives and programs, such as the Female Talent Program, to promote female leaders across all of the organization. Our board of directors earlier this year already achieved gender parity. • Conscious inclusion – driving an inclusive culture and dialogue across our entire organization through our behaviors, actions and continuous learning. For example, we

conduct regular pulse checks across the whole organization as part of a quarterly employee engagement survey. We have also included an “inclusion” section to track and monitor progress. Moreover, we are rolling out a global training program for our 30,000 global employees, regardless of their position or rank. • Equity by design – enabling accessibility and equality for all through our processes and initiatives, minimizing barriers to maximize our collective potential for success. For example, we have put in place inclusive hiring practiGordana Landen ces, through addressing our recruitment processes, technology and behaviors • Putting well-being at the heart of everything we do – placing value on mental, physical and cultural well-being and providing services and support appropriate for the needs of everyone at the Adecco Group. For example, we have launched several well-being initiatives at Adecco Group to support people around the world during repeated lockdowns.

How engrained is diversity and inclusion in the Adecco Group’s culture and values?

As a people business, we put our expertise and energy into improving everyone’s chances of being part of the world of work. As one of the largest employers in the world, we recognize that we have a responsibility and opportunity to make a real difference around inclusion in the workplace. The path to inclusion starts with a single-minded focus on skills, on what each candidate or employee can do, rather than on their nationality, gender, race, age, background, religion, ableness or sexual orientation. Through

“We envision a world in which talent, not labels, matters and where everyone has a chance to be part of the world of work. Our diversity and inclusion strategy aims to foster trust and collaboration and a corporate culture where we recognize and value differences to help our business, communities and clients win.”

“The rising emergence of new world working, diversity and inclusion, well-being, HR analytics, upskilling and reskilling, and the changing role of leadership have turned the HR function into a core focus. Therefore, it is critical that CHROs are closely involved in business strategy.”

“More than ever, we need innovative, creative and curious mindsets to help us navigate a turbulent and constantly shifting landscape and the only way we can successfully do this is with diverse perspectives, experiences and approaches.”

leveraging the power of diversity, we can drive more innovative decisions significantly faster, truly understand and represent our global customers, and improve our company culture, employee satisfaction and, ultimately, productivity and performance. We have a firm commitment to promoting equal opportunities for everyone working with or through the Adecco Group.

How critical is it to have diverse perspectives and experiences at the table when making business decisions?

Absolutely fundamental. More than ever, we need innovative, creative and curious mindsets to help us navigate a turbulent and constantly shifting landscape and the only way we can successfully do this is with diverse perspectives, experiences and approaches. Our new strategy is all about reimagining how we operate as a business to better serve our customers around the world. We have highlighted the behaviors we need to prioritize to meet the changing needs of our clients. Those behaviors include agility, curiosity, creativity and collaborative listening. In this context, upskilling our employees is key.

How is the Adecco Group reaching out to different organizations and institutions to make sure it is reaching a diverse talent pool?

Complementing our internally focused activities, we actively engage with employers to develop programs that embrace diverse talent. This can be through bespoke programs where we, for instance, support employers in increasing the representation of people with a disability in their workforce, support them in the recruitment of refugees, help build out their employer value proposition, or via dedicated solution lines such as our subsidiary Humando in France or the Fundacion Adecco in Spain. We also provide training on how to manage diversity effectively and run work-readiness and apprenticeship programs to help address skills shortages and increase the labor market participation rate of groups like young people. Through our new business unit, Adecco Inclusion, we are looking to deploy these solutions at scale, leveraging learnings from leading countries such as France and Spain.

We also campaign for more inclusive employment worldwide through a range of global partnerships, associations and other initiatives, including: • Paradigm for Parity®: A business coalition focused on eliminating the gender gap in corporate leadership, and we’re proud to lead by example in this respect. From 2019 to 2020, the share of female global leaders at Adecco Group increased to 32 percent from 26 percent. About two thirds of our employees are women which is a great testament to our efforts. • Valuable 500: In 2019, we joined this global movement which puts disability and inclusion on the global business leadership agenda. Hundreds of global leaders are uniting to unlock the business, social and economic value of the 1.3 billion people living with disabilities around the world. As part of our membership, we will continue to champion the integration of people with a disability in the labor market, notably by strengthening their employability. • ILO Global Business and Disability Network (GBDN): As part of our role on the Steering Committee, we’re encouraging business-to-business support and peer-to-peer learning to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in workplaces. In 2020, the GBDN’s efforts focused on how to ensure that disability and inclusion remain a priority for companies. • European Network Against Racism’s Equal@work: This multi-stakeholder network brings together businesses, social partners, NGOs, public authorities and academics committed to diversity and inclusion to find solutions to increase the participation of ethnic minorities and migrants in the labor market. • Tent Partnership for Refugees: Tent was founded to mobilize the private sector to improve the lives and livelihoods of more than 25 million men, women and children forcibly displaced from their home countries by helping businesses identify and understand opportunities to help refugees. We joined this movement in 2020 because we strongly believe work is a social integrator and recognize the opportunity and the responsibility we have to contribute to the labor market integration of refugees.

What are your key priorities as you look to the Adecco Group’s continued efforts regarding diversity and inclusion?

Regarding diversity and inclusion, my key priorities are the implementation of our diversity and inclusion agenda in the new world of working (especially the hybrid model), the monitoring and tracking of the activity through data and analytics, and leading our transformation and our new strategy (called Future@Work) with diversity and inclusion in mind.•

Personal Branding

An Interview with Erica Lee, Chief Executive Officer, Marquis Who’s Who

EDITORS’ NOTE In 2021, Erica Lee was named the first female CEO of Marquis Who’s Who. She is responsible for driving the overall strategy of the business while improving operational efficiency of the company through software development, product updates, new process initiatives and effective personnel management. Lee has volunteered for organizations such as Autism Speaks, The Interfaith Nutrition Network, Island Harvest and the Community Mainstreaming Associates and served on the Board of Directors of the Early Years Institute, Caribbean Education Foundation, and the Summer Institute of the Arts at Yale, as well as on the Advisory Board of the Uniondale Foundation for Educational Excellence (UFEE), and the exploratory committee for the Lincoln Center Institute for Arts in Education Charter School. She was formerly the Advisory Board Chairperson of Birthright AFRICA and now serves as an ambassador for the organization. She is presently a Board Member of Harbor Childcare and Early Learning Center. Lee is also a member of the Collective of Concerned Black Professionals. She was recognized for her youth services work by winning a Long Island Child and Education Advocate Award and, in 2019, was honored by the Community Mainstreaming Associates for her advocacy and support of organizations providing resources for adults with special needs and developmental disabilities. Lee is a graduate of Yale University and has served as an Alumni Delegate-At-Large. COMPANY BRIEF Established in 1898 by company founder, Albert Nelson Marquis, Marquis Who’s Who (marquiswhoswho.com) began publishing biographical data in 1899. Since then, Marquis has remained the standard for reliable and comprehensive biographical data. The family of Marquis Who’s Who publications presents unmatched coverage of the lives of today’s leaders and achievers from the United States and around the world, and from every significant field of endeavor. While Marquis continues the time-honored tradition of publishing print titles, an emphasis is placed on creating powerful online tools and products and exceptional branding services and networking opportunities.

How has Marquis Who’s Who adapted its business during this challenging and uncertain time?

Marquis Who’s Who is comprised of a driven, determined, dynamic, diverse and dedicated team who is devoted to documenting, propelling and preserving the careers, achievements and legacies of the most fascinating, influential and noteworthy individuals around the world. A company with as long of a history as Marquis Who’s Who, which was established in 1898, has definitely operated through many of America’s periods of turmoil, upheaval, triumphs and change. It was incredibly important to retain the same standards and culture even during one of the most tumultuous times in modern history. By maintaining consistency while we transitioned through the challenges of a remote and hybrid work environment, we were able to retain talent and create an overall sense of stability. These are stressful times for all of us, so I also think it is important to help your employees unwind by offering fun, non-work related virtual events, happy hours and webinars to support employee engagement, team building and give employees a chance to showcase hidden talent.

Will you provide an overview of Marquis Who’s Who’s services and how the company has evolved and transformed under your leadership?

I think everyone has heard of the term Who’s Who and used in in their own lexicon

as it has been synonymous with an elite grouping of individuals at the top of their respective industries and fields. Marquis has a long history of documenting the biographies of noteworthy individuals across a multitude of career fields and industries. Our founder, Albert Nelson Marquis, traveled America in search of the best and brightest in order to publish our flagship directory, Who’s Who in America, in 1899. We have actually covered 22 U.S. presidential administrations. Since its inception, Marquis has been committed to Erica Lee preserving legacies of our biographical listees so that their stories will be recorded for future generations to gain insight and inspiration. While Marquis has made an indelible imprint in American culture and zeitgeist, sitting at the helm during such a pivotal period in history caused me to reflect upon Marquis’ own legacy. Marquis has and always will be an invitation-only organization, meaning you can apply, but you cannot buy your way into the organization. Upon application, every candidate is interviewed by a submissions director before inclusion. Marquis was primarily a publishing company with over 24 different book titles segmented by industry or geographic region. In the early 2000s, we launched a subscription model through Marquis Biographies Online, which is the searchable directory that is accessible for research purposes by many of the major academic institutions around the world, corporate libraries, private libraries and media outlets as well.

“In 2016, when I joined Marquis, we moved the needle further and created a personal branding division, which focused on lifting these interesting individuals off the pages of our registry and gave them life online and in print.”

In 2016, when I joined Marquis, we moved the needle further and created a personal branding division, which focused on lifting these interesting individuals off the pages of our registry and gave them life online and in print. We were surprised to see how many of our listees did not own their own domain name, didn’t have a personal website or a video biography. We created a host of products and services to help our biographical listees brand themselves online, gain greater visibility, tell their stories and leave a lasting legacy for future generations through news releases, features in the Marquis Millennium Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, United Airlines Hemispheres, Bloomberg Business, Forbes, etc.

Aside from adding additional services to our business model, I began to delve into my network to connect with companies owned and operated by minorities and women in order to forge strategic partnerships for the benefit of our biographical listees. I enlisted the expertise of attorney, political commentator, television and broadcast personality Star Jones to create an innovative fireside chat series called The Star Treatment for our distinguished listees. These one-on-one, in-person interviews with Ms. Jones delved into the true spirit of what made our listees successful. During the pandemic, we were able to continue to create meaningful content while conducting interviews safely over Zoom.

I also resurrected Who’s Who of American Women, which was first published in 1959 but went defunct for over ten years, and repurposed it to encompass professional women worldwide. While we will always publish our print titles like Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Law, Who’s Who in Healthcare and Medicine and Who’s Who of Distinguished Professionals, our branding products now truly provide value for our listees from a digital perspective. I would say nearly 70 percent of our business is now driven through personal branding. Now that more business is done online rather than in person, it is more important than ever to have an online presence. We have a number of strategic partnerships lined up for 2021 along with launching an initiative to help the next generation of innovators called the Emerging Leaders program which will connect up-and-comers with influential mentors.

How engrained is diversity and inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who’s culture and values?

When I think of the past year in review and where we are today, the word “syndemic” comes to mind. We have truly witnessed the convergence of multiple epidemics that have reached their tipping point, whether that is from a public health, systemic racism, or gender inequality perspective. Maintaining status quo was no longer acceptable and companies were forced to take a hard look and address some of these issues within their own organizations. We are also witnessing changes within the leadership of this country with a minority female Vice President, Kamala Harris, and the installation of Janet Yellen as the first female Treasury Secretary. Companies are paying attention to changing tides and understand that DE&I is not just a hip acronym, but something their employees and customers are holding them accountable for. It is important to acknowledge that just because you are a half black, half Asian female CEO, like myself, doesn’t mean you were born with a DE&I playbook. I think that was a shortcoming for many companies during the uprisings last year. They looked around to find the minorities and sent frantic emails asking them for help solely based on their race or gender. That was neither a fair nor genuine approach.

Prior to the pandemic, I was proud of leading an organization that was comprised of 82 percent women. At Marquis, women not only had a seat at the table, we were instrumental in building and designing the table at which we sat. I was in an interesting position as I advocated for improving our outreach to the minority and LGBTQ+ communities, while recruiting more males to our team. Our VP of Human Resources and Development, Deborah Morrissey, was tasked with creating an entire program around diversity and inclusion recruitment. Concurrently, we took advantage of a precarious job market in which we were able to attract seasoned professionals who were at pivotal points in their careers. We are also actively recruiting individuals who are looking to reenter the workforce after a lengthy hiatus and others who were stagnant in their other companies. Our new recruiting efforts are breathing renewed zeal into our employees and creating a beautiful mosaic of independent thinkers from a multitude of backgrounds. We also created a pipeline with colleges and even high schools for summer internships, particularly in underserved local communities, from which we are drawing new talent.

Outside of our internal structure, I formed a Selection Committee, launched the Marquis Maker’s List series and tapped Star Jones, who has made DE&I her life’s work, as the Executive Editor. The Marquis Maker’s Lists seek to highlight, celebrate and recognize those people whose ideas, philosophies, positions, example, standards, talents, gifts, aptitude, discoveries, innovations or breakthroughs have the ability to influence, effect change and transform the world we live in. Each list consists of those who by their thoughts, words and deeds, inspire, motivate and encourage us all to be our best selves through service, ingenuity and action. Each month we compile two lists, one main focus and a supplemental list, which are inspired by or coincide with awareness or celebrated heritage months.

Our May lists were devoted to Innovators in our version of STEM (Science, Technology, Education and Medicine) and Asian/Pacific American Catalysts for Change. Our June Lists focused on LGBTQ+ Catalysts for Change and Men of Prominence Making a Difference or our “Lions List.” This month in the spirit of Independence Day, we are highlighting Attorneys, Activists and Agents of Change. Our supplemental list the Peacekeepers, Protectors and First Responders will pay homage to those who risk their lives to preserve our freedom, defend our civil liberties, and keep us safe every day. Our Makers are not just people you know, but we are breaking news by bringing to the forefront names you don’t currently know, but need to know. The Maker’s List series has been featured on Cheddar TV and Nasdaq Spotlight, and in The New York Times, The Hill, The Ladders, and Business Insider, just to name a few.

I acknowledge that it took over 120 years for Marquis Who’s Who to appoint its first woman CEO and this is indicative of the fact that we have a long way to go to make top down changes in diversity, equity and inclusion. Under my leadership, I am committed to doing the hard work, both internally and externally, that will create a positive and lasting impact on this organization for years to come. Concurrently, I am determined to help chip away at this ceiling until there is no glass left, and I stand ready with my heels on.

What advice do you offer young people beginning their careers during this challenging and uncertain time?

There is no longer just a singular path to success in business. Young people should ask themselves, what am I passionate about and what is my own value system. Then, find companies that align with your own moral compass and apply for internships and positions. If you are hired, you need to show up each day thinking of ways to improve productivity and build efficiency. After a few months of learning the lay of the land, start suggesting ideas to management. If they are easily implementable, then ask to lead the project, seeing it through to execution. Small wins will begin to stack up and eventually you will be noticed. Also, if there are non-work-related team exercises, sign up. Become a team player with valuable insight and you will set yourself apart from your peers.

Fortunately, the digital age enables young people to carve their own paths in business from earlier ages. YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Patreon and other social media platforms create a space for reaching a broad audience, monetizing ideas, and curating new content. Similarly, I tell young people to find their passion, then study the biographies and stories of influencers in that space. Dissect how they think, their approach, watch videos about their journey and how they became successful at their craft, and then create your own lane. Just because something looks easy does not mean it is. Successful people are incredibly disciplined, wake up with purpose and ascribe to a methodology that works for them. Warren Buffett is quoted as having read a biography of his professor while he was a student at Columbia Business School that was listed in Who’s Who in America that changed his approach to business and ultimately led him to start GEICO.

Do your research, build a business plan, then set your plan in motion. The worst thing you can do is stay in research mode, without ever taking action. You can theorize forever, but until you put your idea into practice, you will never know if your hypothesis works or not. Moreover, in these scenarios, you will either be inviting yourself to the table or making your own table.•

Sharply Perseverant

An Interview with Sean Magee, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Anchor Trading

EDITORS’ NOTE Sean Magee served in the United States Navy onboard the USS. Thorn (DD-988) in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. In 1996, he joined Active International as a Media Market Specialist and rose quickly through the ranks in Active’s Sales and Account Management Department becoming Vice President of Sales for Enterprise Accounts. In 2008, Magee left Active International to join Sherwood Trading Group as Executive Vice President. He is an active participant and supporter of his community and veteran causes and sits on the Board of Directors for B.R.i.D.G.E.S., the Advisory Council for New York State’s PFC Joseph Patrick Dwyer Vet to Vet Program, and Rockland Community College’s Veteran Affairs Board. He is also a Rally Champion for the National Relay of Carry The Load, a 501(c)(3) national charity whose mission is to restore the true meaning of Memorial Day while honoring and supporting the military, first responders, firefighters and police officers. Magee graduated from the State University of New York at Cortland with a BS degree in political science with a concentration in international relations. COMPANY BRIEF Anchor Trading (anchor trading.com) is a full-service, independent, and veteran-owned corporate trade and media buying company that provides financial and marketing solutions to consumer advertisers across industries. Anchor’s corporate trade programs improve EBITDA and increase cash flow while restoring full value to any type of underperforming asset including, but not limited to, excess inventory, real estate, fleet vehicles, capital equipment, and unwanted sponsorships. It is a cutting-edge technology-driven media company that invests in and secures all types of media including programmatic, mobile, television, radio, print, and out-of-home. Anchor clients have the option of paying for their media and other goods and services with cash, an underperforming asset or a combination of both. Anchor is a member of the American Association of Advertising Agencies and is certified by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

How do you describe the Anchor Trading culture, and how critical is culture to the success of the company?

A strong company culture is the unifying thread that keeps a good company together and as such, we believe that it is crucial to have a shared set of values, goals, attitudes and practices that define our brand. Our company symbol is the Anchor, and it represents the strength and steadfast approach that we take not only to business, but also to our lives. The Anchor moors us and keeps us grounded, not just as individuals, but as a team, just like a ship’s anchor moors the ship to the bottom of the sea, keeping it in place. When I served on the USS Thorn (DD-988), the ship’s motto was “sharply perseverant.” The meaning of this is to be very targeted, and to act quickly and decisively with a never quit, dogged persistence. I could not think of a better motto for Anchor as a company, and we have adopted it as our own. At Anchor, we strive to be sharply perseverant in all aspects of our business, whether it is sales, finance or media.

At Anchor, we have adopted many aspects of the military into our culture. One of the things I’m proud of is the Anchor Challenge Coin we have minted which is used extensively in the military and among first responders and is a small metal coin that represents organizations, units, teams or special accomplishments. The Anchor Challenge Coin is a representation of both our military heritage and our sense of teamwork, and it has become part of the company culture, especially when we meet with our existing and prospective clients and vendors.

In summary, we bring a team approach to work every day, using a grounded, disciplined attitude of respect, integrity and loyalty to each other, our clients and our partners.

How critical is it for Anchor Trading to build a diverse and inclusive workforce in order to bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the table when making business decisions?

We are the proof that enlisting diverse perspectives and experiences provides the best results for our clients, while building an extremely strong corporate culture. As a veteran-owned business, this is in our DNA. We know first-hand that skill, intelligence and capabilities come in all shapes and sizes, and employees are not just “employees,” but rather teammates and, like any great team, we all depend on each other, irrespective of whatever role each person plays in the organization. Building an organization that embraces diverse perspectives and experiences is a win-win-win. Our clients win, Anchor as a team wins, and the individuals win in their own respective professional growth. Our efforts not only

strengthen the workforce by positively shaping the culture and ensuring equal opportunities, but also assist in meeting the increasing demand of attracting and retaining highly skilled workers. We are always looking to grow, bringing new and fresh perspectives to the table for us and our clients which puts us on a path to greater success.

What do you see as Anchor Trading’s responsibility to the communities it serves and will you highlight Anchor Trading’s support for veterans?

Anchor was founded primarily to provide Sean Magee business services that provide financial and marketing value to our clients. However, the company has a secondary, but no less important, mission, and that is to give back to the veteran community. One way in which Anchor achieves this mission is to provide veterans with employment opportunities in an industry they typically would not enter. Anchor’s culture is driven by a service-to-others mentality, and we strongly feel that our business success has given us a great platform to provide opportunities for the veteran community. We are proud to say that more than 21 percent of our team are veterans. On a personal level, I have hired six veterans from nearby Rockland Community College, and I am proud to have had the opportunity to mentor them through post-military life. Secondly, Anchor is committed to providing charitable support to our veteran community. As an example, every year for the holidays, we are proud to partner with Veterans Angels of Hope to provide more than 1,500 holiday dinners to veterans and other military families across Rockland County. In addition to our service to the veteran community, Anchor donates a portion of its profits to charities that benefit veterans and their families. Since inception, we have donated more than $850,000 to select veteran, military and humanitarian charities including Carry The Load, Legacies Alive, The USO, the Memorial Order of the Purple Heart, and Baking Memories for Kids. With our continued success, we look forward to doubling that number in the next five years. In addition to providing services for our clients, we strongly believe that it is our solemn responsibility to give back and extend a hand of compassion to help pull others up along the way with us. Whether that is through employment or other types of support, financial or emotional, we strongly feel it is our duty to play a part. We have a deep passion to give back and work together to make a difference in our community, and that is probably the biggest part of our success that I am most proud of.•