The Leaders Championing the Diversity and Inclusion Movement

George Floyd's death sparked a national conversation about racism, inequality, and police brutality that could no longer be ignored by corporate leaders and has already started to transform workplace culture permanently. Under pressure from stakeholder activism, CEOs have made big bold promises in the form of public statements, followed by donations of millions of dollars to Black Lives Matter and minority funded companies. Some CEOs have even stepped down from their positions, like Reddit's Alexis Ohanian and CrossFit's Greg Glassman, to make room for minority CEOs. This national reckoning has also made companies publish diversity data, promote more minority leaders, and expand their diversity teams. Regardless of industry and company size, a diverse workforce is a more creative, innovative, and productive one.

I spoke to standup comedian D.L. Hughley, one of the Original Kings of Comedy, for the 5 Questions podcast about race in America. He said that Caucasian men with high school diplomas make more money than African American men with college degrees. When verifying his statement, I found a more shocking and saddening truth. It turns out that the average Caucasian high school dropout earns more than an African American college graduate! Inequality early in life affects the rest of your life, putting African Americans at a lifetime disadvantage. But Hughley is optimistic about how Floyd's death has shifted not only the national dialog but also human behavior. "There's a mantra we use all the time, 'if you see something say something' and now it's 'if you see something do something'," he said. And this mantra is starting to be adopted by leaders that can no longer stay silent.

Workplaces continue to lack diversity at all levels

We've always heard that a more diverse workforce has higher outcomes than a homogeneous one. Still, even with this acknowledgment, a Mercer study found that Caucasians comprise 64 percent of entry-level positions and 85 percent of executive-level ones. The higher up you look in an organization the fewer minorities you'll find. And, at the very top of the ladder, there are only four African American CEOs in the Fortune 500. Diversity and inclusion demonstrate corporate values and a commitment to driving an innovative work culture that has a material impact on business performance. Amidst the social unrest, companies are rushing to hire chief diversity officers (CDOs) or elevate their current ones by expanding their responsibilities to address their own racial divisions.

The challenging role of a Chief Diversity Officer right now

The demand for chief diversity officers is rapidly increasing as companies seek to address diversity and inclusion. There's been about a 30 percent increase in the number of chief diversity officers employed at Fortune 500 companies between 2005 and 2019. While on the surface, you can predict what a chief diversity officer focuses on, their role is more extensive than you'd imagine. Their goal is to ensure all employees, regardless of age, gender, disability, race or sex, are comfortable coming to work every day, and that no employee is discriminated against along those dimensions in recruiting and when promoting. They oversee discrimination and harassment complaints, manage diversity data, and create inclusion strategies.

CDOs have historically faced a lack of resources and support from executive leadership, which has resulted in high turnover. The same problems that CDOs were hired to solve decades ago, such as harassment, discrimination, and pay inequalities, are still mostly unresolved and require even more attention today. But, when I speak to CDOs, they are overall optimistic about the future and are focused on the necessary programs and policies to make positive change happen.

A conversation with leaders about diversity and inclusion

Since last November, I've highlighted the remote work, mental health, gender pay equality, financial wellness, virtual learning, and post-Covid workplace experience movements. Today, I'm focusing on diversity and inclusion because companies can no longer just talk about it. Now, stakeholders are expecting action, transformation, and permanent change. I've selected some thoughtful leaders from some of the world's most admired companies, in a variety of industries, that have committed to creating a more diverse workforce that promotes inclusion and belonging. Their role is to bring clarity, thought, and insight into how the workplace can evolve to meet the needs of their employees and business.

I spoke to eight Chief Diversity Officers and HR leaders in order to hear their perspectives around the topic. These leaders include David Casey (Vice President, Workforce Strategies and Chief Diversity Officer, CVS Health), Keisha Smith-Jeremie (Chief People Officer, Tory Burch), Sandra Sims-Williams (SVP, Diversity & Inclusion, Nielsen), Trisch Smith (Chief Diversity Officer, Edelman), Kim Drumgo (Chief Diversity Officer, Anthem), Victor Terry (Chief Diversity Officer, State Farm), James Fripp (Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Yum! Brands) and Singleton Beato (Chief Diversity and Engagement Officer, McCann Worldgroup).

Dan Schawbel: Even though research shows that a more diverse workforce enhances innovation and yields higher financial performance, companies still lack diversity, especially in senior leadership roles and on boards. What do you think is the root cause of this problem and what obstacles have to be overcome to change the composition of organizations like yours?

• David Casey (CVS Health): I’m proud that CVS Health was recently recognized as one of the top 25 companies for diversity, but still have a long way to go. Our new investments will support our commitment to ensuring that our Black and Brown colleagues have fair access to opportunities for advancement and development at all levels, including senior-level positions. We work to ensure our mentoring, sponsorship, and employee development programs support the advancement of all employees, with a heightened focus on the experience of our Black colleagues.
• Keisha Smith-Jeremie (Tory Burch): The root cause is two-fold—a lack of awareness on the part of hiring managers about the positive outcomes associated with diverse teams, and a lack of the practical skills to recruit and lead inclusively. To create real change, corporations need to address both of these issues head-on. At our company, we are excited to be developing a series of mandatory courses for our corporate and retail leaders focused on exactly these skills— ‘How to Recruit Inclusively,’ which teaches managers how to intentionally expand the pool of talent when they have the opportunity to recruit, and ‘How to Lead Inclusively,’ which increases managers’ awareness of the importance of equitably distributing their most valuable assets: their time, advocacy, network, and contacts.
• Sandra Sims-Williams (Nielsen): In order to grow the garden, you have to plant the seeds, then feed and water them as they grow. While many companies are focused on hiring diverse talent, we need to make sure that these associates continue to be nurtured and supported. It’s also not enough to give equal opportunity, because not everyone will be at the same starting point. At Nielsen, our goal is to provide support and programs so that underrepresented groups have equity in terms of opportunities. Too often companies look at how to provide equal opportunity, but the reality is that we need to also drive equity in order to minimize disparities. e.g. At Nielsen, we have a Diverse Leadership Network program just for diverse associates. It’s an MBA-style development program, coupled with mentoring and high profile assignments that will help them grow their capabilities, raise their profile, and expand their network within the company. Graduates of this program are staying on and getting promoted. It’s only a few years old, so they aren’t at the top leadership roles yet, but they are getting there!
• Trisch Smith (Edelman): Years of systematic and institutional racism have led to the situation we're in now. That systematic racism isn't going to be undone overnight. Even when we talk about having a seat at the table—that implies those traditionally at the top of the power dynamic have ownership of the table. When I counsel clients and leaders about diversity, similar songs are often sung, "we have invested heavily in recruitment," and "we're partnering with all the best schools to get talent." What we don't often talk about is what happens to individuals when they get in the door and are seated at the table. Growth opportunities promised earlier seem harder to achieve, and the overall company culture is unwelcoming. That's where we see the disconnect now in employee experience – and ultimately their choice to either leave or stay. To drive change, everyone must take on ownership and drive accountability. Establishing the D&I leadership position is not a quick band-aid solution. It is not the sole answer. The D&I leader cannot be successful unless the organization's full leadership is committed to real progress, considers the experiences of diverse employees, and breaks down conscious and unconscious bias at all levels.
• Kim Drumgo (Anthem): (1) Uncovering and mitigating bias both explicit and implicit. Getting the root cause means addressing all points of human capital decision-making process where bias may play a role. For example, in a quest to expedite the hiring process and secure candidates who can “hit the ground running”, recruiters often and hiring managers unintentionally rely on and select candidates they know best - people like themselves. By diversifying the decision-makers at all points of the process where bias might exist, we can diversify the outcomes. (2) Encourage continuing education. High volume customer-facing roles typically do not require a college degree. In most organizations, Black and Latino associates fill a high number of those roles. As time passes, the opportunity or the encouragement to take advantage of tuition reimbursement programs to obtain a degree often eludes both the manager and the associate until time for a promotion or other opportunities in the organization. Continuing education should be a priority for associates and their managers to ensure they are filling the pipeline of leadership roles with well qualified diverse talent. (3) Develop leadership talent. Many organizations leverage key talent programs and their associate resource groups (ARGs) to host intensive traditional development programs to develop leadership skills. However, the focus has shifted to experience, exposure, and education. Seventy percent of the development is experiential and assignment-driven, twenty percent is through interactions, relationships, and exposure in the organization, and ten percent is through workshops and education. This model challenges the traditional leadership programs heavily focused on instruction and clarifies the expectations of how to ascend in most organizations. (4) Provide clarity and transparency of the path to leadership. For those who do have college degrees, a lack of access to networking, and understanding the cultural norms is challenging. Mentorship and sponsorship programs that foster relationships between associates and influential leaders who can speak on behalf of diverse talent, their desires, and potential are very intentional ways organizations can change the composition of their leadership. (5) Honest dialogue. Most importantly, within each of our organizations, we should build work environments of trust and the ability to have authentic conversations. Associates should trust that when something is wrong, action will be taken without retaliation. This type of trust and dialogue should lead to collective action at multiple levels and in various places.  
• Victor Terry (State Farm): At State Farm, we are intentional about embracing Diversity and Inclusion as an integral part of our business. As a result, our workforce mirrors many of the communities we serve, from entry-level up through senior leadership positions. Organizations that view diversity and inclusion as a standalone activity or an item on a checklist may face challenges. We believe diversity and inclusion should be embedded and executed in every aspect of the business and take deliberate steps to integrate it into our daily business operations, our programs, processes, and policies – in recruiting and hiring, in employee learning paths and career development, as well as in succession planning. With a sincere commitment to this approach, organizations can possibly put themselves on a path towards success.
• James Fripp (Yum! Brands): The root cause of this problem is a lack of what I refer to as “ART,” or Authentic Relationships that build trust. For years, companies have focused on the numbers, but when it comes to who gets hired or promoted, it comes down to relationships. People hire and promote people they know and trust. Typically, these are people who share a similar upbringing and/or are within their network (e.g. University, profession, etc.). This impacts diverse associates as, many times, they may not share these similar attributes with their supervisor or leader, which typically results in a “surface-level” work relationship vs. a robust and “trust-building” relationship. To break this cycle, it’s crucial to have a diverse group of leaders and voices at the table providing input and creating solutions. Yum! Brands are on this journey and still has progress to make in this space. We are actively seeking and bringing in diverse talent by ensuring we have diverse interview slates. We are also leveraging mentorships and reverse mentorships to foster those “trust-building” relationships that lead to sponsorship for bigger roles. Some results we are proud to share include the progress we’ve made moving women into senior leadership roles. Over the past two years, we have promoted more women into leadership roles than in the prior 10 years, and our goal is to make this same kind of progress with under-represented minorities.
• Singleton Beato (McCann Worldgroup): The issues we face are the result of systemic, structural, and institutional discrimination and bias that has been normalized within the majority of powerful organizations in our country — and the world.  The enduring harm and negative impact of racism and unequal treatment of BIPOC citizens in the U.S. have not been addressed to the degree that is necessary to generate a societal change nor create workplace environments where those that represent marginalized groups feel empowered, and given the complete breadth of support and opportunity to grow and participate to their full potential. We have to overcome the obstacle of having an organization that was created to operate in a manner that mirrors the legacy norms and values of a society that continues to overwhelmingly undervalue and underrecognize BIPOC. And when workplace culture and leadership decisions signal to the diverse talent that there is a limitation to their opportunity for upward mobility, status, and level of influence – they leave.

Dan Schawbel: While many companies have Chief Diversity Officers, employee resource groups, diversity training, and consultants, there is still a lack of diversity. How have the recent political and social events, such as the killing of George Floyd, impacted your job/position and what steps have you taken to address inequality?

• David Casey (CVS Health): We’re investing nearly $600 million over five years to advance employee, community, and public policy initiatives that address inequality faced by the Black community and other disenfranchised communities. The company will also use its position to advocate for public policy that addresses the root causes of systemic inequalities and barriers, including efforts to address socioeconomic status, education, and access to health care. While we know that CVS Health alone cannot erase the toll that 400 years of institutionalized racism and discrimination have taken on the Black community, we recognize that we have a role to play in living up to the potential the future holds.
• Keisha Smith-Jeremie (Tory Burch): This conversation is not new at Tory Burch, though it certainly has intensified in recent weeks. To provide some context, three years ago, The Tory Burch Foundation, which launched in 2009 to advance women’s entrepreneurship, expanded its mission to challenge stereotypes and raise awareness of unconscious bias. Through our Foundation’s Embrace Ambition initiative, we have hosted numerous events reaching hundreds of thousands of people that have included difficult conversations about race, equal justice, and gender. As a company, we are extremely fortunate to be able to draw on this wealth of content for our internal teams as well as our external audiences. This moment has inspired everyone in our organization to be more introspective about whether we are walking the walk and living our core values of inclusivity. Tory asked her leadership team directly – What are the conversations we need to have at this moment to ensure that we are living our values? And so we’ve begun a series of powerful conversations on this topic. Tory gathered our Creative teams who create all of the images that our customers see to state unambiguously our goals around equality. It comes down to this: delivering on our brand promise to make every woman feel seen and welcome. As Tory noted in her conversation with our Design, Creative, PR, and Marketing teams, “I created this company for all women. I am inspired by all women and I have always been clear that I want every woman to be able to see herself in some aspect of our company. I want everyone to know that we stand for diversity and also to know that it is our differences that make us all truly unique and special. This is what I find beautiful and this is why I started our company 16 years ago.” Finally, this moment has also moved us to launch our “Color Brave” series, a term we adopted from a talk that Mellody Hobson gave at our Embrace Ambition Summit, with content for team leaders, employees and parents; we began the initiative by launching Healing Circles for our African-American employees to connect them with professionals who specialize in the impact that racial trauma has on mental and emotional health. We are committed to having authentic and, yes, at times difficult conversations around race and identity within our company. There is no turning back.
• Sandra Sims-Williams (Nielsen): My role has typically been focused on what’s inside the house, and this is where we need to start. But we also need to speak up and act — now is not the time to be silent, and we are also encouraging our associates to tell their truths and/or be allies. We are looking at how we can use our assets - data and analytics, marketing tools - to help Black-owned small businesses. We are working with partners, like the National Urban League, to develop programs that help Black-owned small businesses that have suffered from not only discrimination, but now the impacts of a global pandemic, and the current situation. We empower our associates to make a difference in their local communities or in the areas they are most passionate about. Many of our associates are leaning in on a voluntary basis to run the small business programs. We all have 24 hours of volunteer service hours every year that we can use to make an impact. Our Government Relations team is pursuing a program to make it clear to elected officials that we expect all of our people—associates, Nielsen families, etc.—will be treated with dignity and respect. Our first efforts will be to explore state legislation, like that which the Minnesota Attorney General is supporting, which would require police to intervene whenever they witness other police using excessive force. We are partnering with the Ad Council to analyze Public Service Announcements that look to debunk stereotypes and eradicate hate.
• Trisch Smith (Edelman): The focus on racial justice following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless others, amid a global pandemic and the politicization of the pandemic have allowed for a moment of increased dialogue and calls to action. Shortly after the killing of George Floyd, Edelman fielded new research on "Brands and Racial Justice in America." As part of the study, Edelman surveyed 2,000 people, and researchers found that the majority of consumers want—and expect—brands to step up and play a central role in addressing racism and systemic oppression. Two-thirds 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. In addition, young adults (age 18-34)—specifically call out choosing or selecting an employer based on workplace diversity and public activism for racial justice. We've hit a pivotal point where not changing isn't an option. The dual expectation and push from employees and consumers are too significant. In my role specifically, my team and I have gone back to the drawing board to refocus and re-strategize around what our workforce and clients need most during these times. We are encouraging more courageous conversations – we must rethink the notion that race and racism aren't appropriate workplace conversations. In the last two months, we've hosted several different events for our staff to dialogue specifically about systemic racism and allyship. One of the most standout included a global discussion led by New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds and Managing Director for the Black Cultural Archives in London, Arike Oke. We are also revamping our internal processes, such as how we're integrating people into teams and our approach to career development, including mentorship and succession planning. We're also blowing up the idea of what the "right fit" is as we identify and recruit new talent in the future.
• Kim Drumgo (Anthem): When I was a newcomer to diversity and inclusion close to two decades ago, my mentor told me that I would have to learn very quickly how to compartmentalize my feelings and emotions about diversity and inclusion so that I could effectively address the needs of others.  As an I&D leader, this work is no longer about you and your gain; it’s about everyone else’s. This mindset came naturally to me, and I had never been challenged to heed my mentor’s advice until witnessing the death of George Floyd and the events that followed in our communities. As the chief diversity officer at Anthem, I was keenly aware of my role and the need for me to have the insight and guidance to help our leaders craft the right messages and take immediate actions to alleviate the angst, fear, and uncomfortableness that many of our associates were experiencing. As we mourned the lives and deeper meaning behind the senseless of deaths George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Amaud Arbery my leadership and experience were critical. But the reality was that I, too, had a lot of angst, fear, and uncomfortableness as a mother of two black sons, one of which was activated as a National Guard reservist to assist local police in protests in North Carolina. What transforms my fear into hope was knowing that the work I am doing for Anthem and the work my son is doing for our nation are small drops of action that will one day create sustainable change for a massive problem in our country. Emotionally through tears, I told my son, before he drove off to meet his unit, “I need you to do two things: #1 Don’t let what happened to George Floyd happen to anyone on your watch. #2 Bring yourself home safely.” I knew in my heart that both of those tasks would be difficult for anyone. I also knew in my heart that if anyone could do it, it was my son. And he came home safely. Perhaps that’s what our missions should be as well – not on my watch – a personal commitment to not let injustices and discrimination happen on your watch and ensure that all of us get home safely. To achieve these things, it takes intentionality, collective responsibility, and persistence. Here are few ways recent events have turbocharged Anthem’s focus on Inclusion and Diversity: (1) Increase our intentionality of evaluating our associate hiring and development processes to ensure we are eliminating inherent bias and enabling professional success for all of our associate populations. (2) Increase awareness and education for all associates to understand the connection of unconscious bias and healthcare disparities both internally and externally. (3) Address COVID-19 amplified disparities: Address health disparities facing minority and underserved communities disproportionally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and other drivers of health. (4) Make financial commitments: Expand existing current and making new financial commitments to organizations supporting social justice issues and addressing health and economic disparities. (5) Enable our associates: Expand associate giving programs and volunteer opportunities to support organizations playing an important role in fighting health disparities and/or racial inequality. (6) Empower all individuals: Empower individuals to understand and take action on health risks that affect them personally, including racial and ethnic risk factors, social drivers of health, and pre-existing conditions. (7) Collaborate with our providers: Collaborate with care providers, health advocates, and community leaders to address gaps in care and provide data and resources to effect positive health outcomes. (8) Work with our partners: Work with nonprofits and other local, state, and community partners focused on health opportunities, economic development, and job creation.
• Victor Terry (State Farm): The recent unfortunate events created a defining moment for our country, for our communities, and for corporations like ours who serve those communities. Interestingly enough, months before the COVID-19 pandemic and the civil unrest driven by the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, State Farm started in-person and online discussion sessions with our employees on the topics of race, unconscious bias, and allyship. In doing so, our goal was, and is, to provide opportunities for employees to have open, honest, and empathetic conversations to build more trusting, collaborative, and productive relationships within our Company and communities. Since the tragedies, we have taken several unprecedented steps to effect positive change in the communities we serve. One of those steps has been a $1 million donation to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund that goes toward education and research around social injustice and its impact on our communities. Another step was formalizing my position as Chief Diversity Officer. In stepping into this role I am now leading a well-established team of Diversity & Inclusion professionals as we further define and advance our Diversity and Inclusion efforts. Moving forward, we will continue our listening sessions. These conversations have not only provided our employees at all levels with a platform to share their experiences, challenges, and frustrations related to the inequalities they have faced in society but also granted them an opportunity to share solutions and educate others. This has been invaluable to us.
• James Fripp (Yum! Brands): The turmoil caused by COVID-19 and the unrest surrounding racial inequality has brought our company closer together. As a result, my role has been thrust into the very heart of all that is going on in the business today. Now, more than ever, I see my role as an enabler for people to lead in a more inclusive way, which means bringing ALL diverse voices and perspectives to the table, listening with open minds and hearts to understand those around us and being courageous enough to make big decisions and take bold actions. It’s become clear that we can and must do more as iconic brands to fight racism and ensure an equitable and inclusive culture across our system. More broadly, our global leadership team recently made the decision to launch a five-year global initiative to fight inequality by unlocking opportunity for our frontline restaurant teams and communities, focusing on education and entrepreneurship in addition to equity and inclusion. This is only one step on the long path of change, and we’ll continue to commit ourselves to make a lasting and positive difference.
• Singleton Beato (McCann Worldgroup): The impact of George’s Floyd’s death has been profound. The immediate priority has been to focus on supporting employees at a time of pain, anger, and frustration. The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 in the Black community, and the series of unjust acts against BIPOC citizens days before, set the stage for what we are seeing now. In terms of programs and training – sure we’ve done those, and we will continue to. Continuous education and social groups that enable our diverse talent to participate and influence change in our culture are definitely critical. But the fact is that the actions organizations have taken, while they are steps in the right direction, are nowhere near enough. The public murder of George Floyd poured a gallon of salt into an open wound for Black people. It was the visual of his horrific death that jolted the masses within white society into the rude awakening that injustices against Black people were not incidental or isolated. The mobilization of passionate calls for real action and societal change that continue to take place in our communities extended to our internal “workplace” culture. My daily reality became – caretaker for our Black and Brown employees across the network who needed to talk about their anger and nearly unspeakable pain. Making sure that they felt heard, encouraging them to prioritize their self-care at a time when work demands might cause them to do otherwise, was and remains my focus. In addition, I publicly shared how I was managing my own pain, as well as my place in the world as a Black woman and in our organization as a Black executive in advertising. And, of course, it was important to offer guidance to non BIPOC employees who needed a safe space to ask questions about how best to show up and support their Black colleagues - knowing that they were going through an unspeakable experience that they couldn’t relate to personally. Basically, they wanted to respectfully demonstrate allyship and use their privilege in a meaningful way but feared that reaching out would seem insensitive or just plain wrong.

Dan Schawbel: There are multiple trends happening now between the rise in remote hiring, onboarding, and working, combined with the use of technology to operationalize, automate, and scale. What impact with these trends have on your ability to promote diversity and inclusion at your company?

• David Casey (CVS Health): As a health care innovation company, to me, diversity and innovation go hand in hand. Diversity is one of our biggest strengths here at CVS Health and together - all 300,000 of us – join forces daily for the greater good and uphold the commitment of mutual respect in everything we do.
• Keisha Smith-Jeremie (Tory Burch): From a recruitment position, we don’t see technology as a barrier to promoting diversity and inclusion. On the contrary, anything that helps us to expand the pool of talent should have a positive impact.
• Sandra Sims-Williams (Nielsen): Inclusion has never been more important as we are working remotely and connecting virtually. Technology is a blessing in this day and age as it enables us to at least see each other — no matter where we are located. It does mean that we have to work harder to ensure that those who have not been visible or have not been the loudest in the room are not forgotten. We have a regular manager newsletter where we include remote working tips and how-to guides to keep their teams engaged. It’s on their minds and on most associates’ minds.
• Trisch Smith (Edelman): One of the long-term trends I hope to see come out of this pandemic is the breaking down of physical office barriers. Telecommuting opens up doors to talent who may not live and work in a particular city. We now have more flexibility to build teams across networks, where people in different cities can work together more regularly. There's also more opportunity for greater cultural awareness and understanding of themselves and others.
• Kim Drumgo (Anthem): At Anthem, these recent trends have illuminated the unique experiences and lifestyles we each possess. (1) Understand different working styles and preferences.   As we began to transition to remote working, our leadership emphasizes the importance of meeting our associates where they are given our increased remote working arrangements due to COVID-19. A component of our diversity is how we work and many of our associates thrived in a formal working setting. (2) Be sensitive to time zones and working schedules. We stress the importance of being sensitive to times zones when scheduling meetings. While was a concern prior to increased remote working, it’s more important now as the “work time” lines have begun to blur. Additionally, we strive to respect each other’s boundaries and time. Being on time and finishing on time is a sign of respect. (3) Be intentionally inclusive. If you are not intentionally inclusive, you may be unintentionally exclusive. Over invite if necessary and allow others to excuse themselves if the topic does not involve their workstream. This may also mean a few more emails to inform others of side conversations. (4) Welcome families to the team. We also encouraged teams to be welcoming of the occasional “family” officemates (the furry ones and the human ones) that mysteriously appear during WebEx calls. Our families have become important parts of our teams. (5) Communicate with regular check-ins. Our leader led monthly culture concepts and conversations have been the foundation of how we maintain and increasingly promote an inclusive culture and a sense of belonging for all of our associates. Using the culture concepts, we encourage our leaders to have at least three check-ins (formal or informal) with their team individually or in a team setting each week.  In response to COVID-19 and moving forward we have mitigated the risk of losing personal connections and fostering inclusion by ensuring managers understand the protocols to maintain connections and open communication with their teams. Our commitment to inclusion extends to our future associates as well. Now more than ever, leaders are more aware of systemic racism and how biases lie dormant within policies and processes often undetected. As our leaders, decision-makers, innovators learn more about institutionalized racism, sexism, cronyism, xenophobia, and many other isms and inequities; they can eradicate them by ensuring the processes and technology we implement mitigate bias versus perpetuating them. As we see more automation, we will strive to upskill and redeploy our associates to roles critical to our ability to deliver whole-person health. COVID-19 related attacks targeting Asian Americans and the most recent acknowledgment of racism and trauma experienced by Black Americans for centuries, has awakened our country to hard – but critical -- realities. At Anthem, these events set in motion honest and authentic conversations with our associates to address the raw emotions, the support needed, and a renewed vision of action to be taken during this unprecedented time. While uncomfortable, these conversations would not have been possible without intentional and careful work to build a culture embedded with respect, appreciation, and inclusion. As an organization committed, connected, and invested in our communities, Anthem is also speaking out and taking action to support social justice. With our culture and values as our guide, we knew we couldn’t stand on the sidelines of history. The status quo was simply not acceptable, and we knew the important leadership role we needed to play for our associates, for our consumers, and for our communities. We are modeling our values of leadership, community, and diversity through a $50 million, five-year pledge aimed to impact racial injustice, strengthening our communities, and addressing health inequities. Our goal is to help revive and rebuild impacted neighborhoods and support our local communities.  We will strengthen our commitment to work with nonprofits across the country focused on economic development, job creation, and social justice. Our associates are passionate and dedicated to helping rebuild communities we serve.
• Victor Terry (State Farm): Modern-day technologies have enabled us to continue our D&I efforts in all facets of our business. From a recruiting standpoint, we have been able to leverage our external social media channels to attract, engage, and educate potential employees and agents on our career opportunities. We have been intentional in making sure the content and images we share represent the diverse culture we have curated within our organization. Our goal through these materials is to make sure both active and passive career seekers ‘see themselves’ in the imagery and captions. As a result, to date for 2020, 68% of our new hires are minorities and 64% are women. To keep the D&I awareness and dialogue going with our employees, we leverage an internal social media platform. All of our Employee Resource Groups have their respective pages where they freely share information, events, and conversations around topics of interest. Because diversity is defined by more than demographics, employees have started several other pages on this platform. If you are a photographer, there’s a page for it. If you are a Sneakerhead, employees have built a page to discuss the upcoming and latest releases. This has been a win-win because tools and resources like these have allowed people to find common ground and fostered a sense of belonging for many of our employees.
• James Fripp (Yum! Brands): Whether it’s adapting to remote working or innovating in a low-contact restaurant environment, everyone across the Yum! system has had to pivot and make adjustments in the COVID-19 world. Even before COVID-19, we worked to ensure that inclusivity was integrated into all aspects of the business, and despite the changes, we’re seeing in the way we work and operate, I’m proud that Yum!’s core value of believing in ALL people is stronger than ever. In fact, in many cases, the “virtual world” has made it easier to connect with many more people simultaneously. We have been leveraging this to drive our culture even deeper in the organization by creating open dialogues, as well as communicating our recent commitments around fighting inequality. I’m inspired to see that Yum!’s people are still dedicated to and passionate about building a diverse and inclusive culture.
• Singleton Beato (McCann Worldgroup): If there is something positive to be said about this horrible time of COVID-19, it is that it has opened up opportunities for us to further expand/increase the diversity in our candidate pool because we’ve seen that remote work does not prevent talent from being highly productive and effective. This can also make it possible for opportunities to be more attractive to parents with school-age children, or caretakers previously unable to work at a company without a flexible work arrangement. The remote work environment has also allowed us to bring our internal communities closer, creating space for agency-wide gatherings that focus on cultural issues to exist beyond office walls. So, in many respects, there is a greater sense of closeness and community than before. We communicate more frequently because we need to be intentional about coming together, on a more regular basis, in one place using technology. We’ve been able to leverage technology for purposes of operationalizing how we manage and monitor our progress against workforce diversity goals and hold leaders accountable for results. We have, and will continue to, leverage technology and digital tools to apply interventions to mitigate bias within our business practices and talent processes so that we can increase the hiring and retention of diverse talent.

Dan Schawbel: How do you ensure that you are actively incorporating D&I in hiring and promoting the best diverse talent?

• David Casey (CVS Health): Fostering a culture of inclusion is a critical priority for CVS Health. For CVS Health to thrive, we need different worldviews, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, and ages. Our diversified workforce is truly the cornerstone of our business and my goal is to continue to foster our culture of inclusion and make a meaningful impact in the communities we serve.
• Keisha Smith-Jeremie (Tory Burch): Promoting diversity and hiring the best people are not mutually exclusive. This myth is one of the most significant barriers to diversity in the workplace; debunking it is a high priority for our company, and one of the first things we will address in the course we are launching in September on recruiting inclusively. The reality is that most people’s networks tend to be homogenous, and whenever we rely on our networks or even the networks of search firms, we are recruiting from a limited pool. We need to help hiring managers understand that diverse candidates are not in their consideration set not because they aren’t qualified, but simply because they aren’t in their networks. We also need to look closely at how we define “required skills” for an open position; managers often put in skills that are not actually required—such as having previous experience in the industry for roles where those skills could be learned on the job. Being more mindful about what we put in that “required skills” section will expand our pool to many more qualified candidates.
• Sandra Sims-Williams (Nielsen): Internally, we’ve implemented a few initiatives: (1) Inclusive hiring — We ensure that for every open role, there is a diverse slate of potential candidates and that unconscious bias training for managers is offered to help ensure they are fair and inclusive when interviewing candidates. (2) D&I is part of every associate’s performance review - each associate must state how they have been proactive in embracing D&I e.g. by their participation in ERGs (Employee Resource Groups), increasing the number of diverse team members, etc. (3) We provide career development opportunities like the Diverse Leadership Network and invite high potential associates to events like BEWOP. (4) There are also plenty of opportunities to meet face to face with our senior leaders to gain more visibility for yourself. Our leaders host “Ask Me Anything” sessions and the ERGs hold regular “Diversity Dialogues” with leaders. It's important that we're also tracking whether leaders and managers are creating opportunities for our diverse associates to grow at Nielsen. We are putting that discussion first in our Board meetings and HR reviews. We talk about: How are you doing with your team? How diverse is it? Who got promoted and who got hired? We have to be people first— if you get that right, success with financials, clients, products will follow.
• Trisch Smith (Edelman): It's a falsehood that increased racial, or gender diversity means lesser qualified candidates. Diversity recruiting should be about opening up the pools where you're looking for talent to reach highly qualified candidates while increasing your diversity mix. Additionally, we are currently working with HR to make sure D&I is being integrated within our performance reviews and adequately measured through KPIs. We're adding training on inclusive leadership and arming mangers with daily and systemic actions they can take to promote a culture of inclusion and a work environment where everyone can feel welcomed and appreciated when they bring their whole selves to work. Those actions can be as simple as active listening for cultural curiosity and understanding how a manager sponsors and helps path someone's career. We've also developed a mid-level mentorship program specifically for emerging diverse leaders. Each participant is paired with senior executive leadership based on personal and professional interests. The program is designed for participants to expand their strategic skills and leadership capabilities for continued development and career growth aspirations.
• Kim Drumgo (Anthem): At Anthem, we are focused on building a culture centered on diversity, inclusion, and belonging. We believe talent is evenly distributed, but the opportunity is not. At Anthem, we serve more than 40 million consumers from all walks of life, representing myriad diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We partner with many external organizations, colleges and universities, and our nine associate resource groups to recruit, retain, and develop a workforce that reflects the communities we serve -- and to implement best practices to offer an inclusive environment for all. We depend on associates who understand the views and perspectives; this is how we provide exceptional service. The diverse insights, perspectives, and experiences of our associates are essential in helping us better serve all of our consumers and develop innovative solutions to meet their unique needs. Our commitment to inclusion and diversity enables us to infuse new thinking, deeper insights, and broader perspectives into everything we do – enabling us to achieve our purpose, while also improving our performance.
• Victor Terry (State Farm): As I shared earlier, we take an integrated approach where the execution of D&I lives in the business. Not as an add-on, not an end-of-meeting topic, but a critical part of every conversation being had at all levels of our company. We have developed – and are executing this year – a comprehensive enterprise-wide D&I Learning Strategy with specific learning outcomes and targeted training solutions for all levels of employees designed to promote inclusive behaviors and diversity in our organization. We are also enhancing our transparency around key talent management processes (e.g., career paths, sponsorship) as we’ve learned that creating more understanding can mitigate barriers for promotion, especially for women and minorities in our organization. It’s important that we’re providing chances for people to compete for opportunities within the company.
• James Fripp (Yum! Brands): When we actively promote diversity and inclusion of under-represented groups, it’s natural for people in the majority to have questions and concerns about how it might impact them. Sometimes the question itself implies that people in under-represented groups are less qualified, and many people instinctively think that providing opportunities to one group means that opportunities are being taken away from another. Obviously neither is the case, but it’s important to explicitly assure people that helping one group is not at their expense. Once this understanding is achieved, it improves the chances of turning passive participants in the conversation into active allies who recognize that we all win if everyone is on a level playing field of opportunity.
• Singleton Beato (McCann Worldgroup): There is not a balance to strike. It’s about prioritizing the needs of the business to have the right mix of qualified talent from diverse groups and increase the focus and effort to do so. It’s not an either/or situation, where we either hire someone diverse or we hire someone qualified for the job. It’s also about being objective in how we describe and define what the actual qualifications are and applying interventions across our recruiting journey that disrupt and mitigate bias in the decision-making process. Same with promotions.

Dan Schawbel: What is your hope and/or prediction about the future of diversity and inclusion and what can be done today to realize that future?

• David Casey (CVS Health): Over the next few weeks and years, we will continue to make meaningful impacts in improving the employee experience, enhancing our culture of inclusion, and using our influence to be a force for good in the communities we serve.
• Keisha Smith-Jeremie (Tory Burch): It has been encouraging to see how companies and leadership teams have coalesced around this issue, are thinking deeply about it, and are taking necessary action. As someone who has been working in corporate America for over 20 years, it feels like we are poised to see substantive change. At Tory Burch, we are committed not just in this moment but for the long term. I hope that is the case for our industry, and corporate America at large.
• Sandra Sims-Williams (Nielsen): It’s going to take time to change the systemic racism that’s been in place for hundreds of years in this country. It will take time to address other forms of discrimination. It’s based on human nature, but people are already taking the first steps — they are becoming more aware and engaging with others who aren’t like them to learn from them. There are so many who are recognizing their power and privilege and taking the next step to becoming allies to advocate for those who are underrepresented. And as John Lewis said, we have to get in “good trouble - necessary trouble” so that change can happen for the better.
• Trisch Smith (Edelman): I am hopeful that change will come. We must maintain a clear and resolute focus on making lasting, real change and that begins by ensuring that DE&I efforts are approached as crucial components of a company's business strategy. D&I should be addressed with the same priority and urgency as other critical business objectives, including investments in resourcing, expertise and voice within senior leadership to be the most impactful. Additionally, to drive change, everyone must take ownership and drive accountability. I'd like to see more action and sincere interest from senior leaders in all ranks. We need to completely eradicate the normalization of one racial/ethnic group or gender being "in the room." Our world doesn't look like that, so the boardroom and c-suites shouldn't look like that either. Finally, the culture within our organizations must better reflect our changing world. We need to empower employees to authentically share their experiences so that we can all learn and grow—personally and professionally. We have to let go of the fear that we all feel toward addressing bias and microaggressions displayed by our peers and leadership. The best starting point for employees to get involved is to first and foremost model inclusion.
• Kim Drumgo (Anthem): My hope for the future is that all organizations stand behind their bold statements and commit to real action: I hope that organizations are truly ready and willing to take a stand and take meaningful action towards equality and justice for the long haul. Our workplaces and communities cannot and should not have to witness yet another national tragedy. We have a real opportunity to make a difference, and talk alone will not suffice. Every employee can do three things: own it, lead it, and act upon it. (1) Ownership. We all own diversity, inclusion, belonging, and equity. While we may not be the ones making decisions, we can’t unsee, unhear, or unfeel what is happening around us. (2) Leadership. Leadership happens at every level of our organization. Your words matter, and your actions matter. Regardless of our position in an organization or your community, we can all demonstrate leadership and create change. (3) Action. Diversity is who we are; inclusion is what we do. Without intentional inclusion, there is unintentional exclusion. We should all take action to foster inclusion, equity, and belongingness, wherever we are in the world. 
• Victor Terry (State Farm): As the demographics in our country shift from a majority-minority to a minority-majority society, I hope businesses shift how they view D&I. In addition to the moral imperative, businesses have to focus more on the talent and business imperatives. I believe the best way to make new customers and serve existing ones is to do so with a workforce that resonates with the markets we serve. While we traditionally develop our talent internally to fill open positions, including leadership positions, we also see opportunities to bring in talent with specific skills and diverse backgrounds to leverage different experiences and perspectives in support of company goals. We see this strategy continuing into the future.
• James Fripp (Yum! Brands): We’ve been having a lot of honest and tough conversations with employees across our brands. My hope is that we continue to have these conversations, make good on our commitments, and share Yum!’s messages around who we are, what our culture is, and what’s important to us. There’s still so much work to be done, and it’s important to continually evolve strategies to meet the changing needs of employees and customers. With more than 50,000 restaurants in over 150 countries and more than 2,000 franchisees globally, diversity IS our organization. As we move forward, Yum! will invest significantly more time, talent, and resources to be a greater force for positive change and equality.
• Singleton Beato (McCann Worldgroup): My prediction is that the energy and passion that we have experienced regarding social justice will not dissipate as it has before. My feeling is, the world is different and the people in this country who demand an end to discrimination, inequality, and oppression have no intention of allowing community, government, and business leaders to fall back into a passive state. My hope is that this time, those in power are smart enough – and moved enough – to use their authority and privilege to do the hard work and actively participate in doing all that they can to change the systemic issues. My hope for my fellow BIPOC community members is that we take this moment, and all of our passion, to use it wisely by supporting each other. I’m seeing a lot of us doing harm to our sisters and brothers right now and that’s just not o.k. If we don’t show that we value each other, why would we expect anyone who doesn’t look like us sees us as valuable and worthy of respect? This is a sea-change moment where we can take productive steps to drive real change and not be distracted with another set of actions or programmatic solutions that, as history tells us, will not change the system. Let’s throw our support behind those that look like us in powerful positions so that they can use this time of heightened interest and energy to accelerate the work instead of spending the time saying and doing things that disparage the very people currently in these roles. My hope for my BIPOC in society is that we use our intellect, passion, and talent to position ourselves in a way that can influence change in local government and community organizations so that the needs and demands of Black and Brown citizens are felt in the places and spaces where decisions are made about how our children are educated and treated, as well as whom the economic opportunities are given to.

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