Survey of Top Black Executives in Corporate America Reveals Current State of DEI

Amid the rising tension and legal challenges against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, a new survey by The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) reveals a resilient commitment to business enhancing DEI among top Black executives. This survey exclusively engaged top Black executives, providing invaluable insights into the priorities and strategies that should guide DEI efforts.

How to Be a DEI Leader When DEI Is Under Siege
Our expert explains why DEI leaders need to think strategically to thrive.

Why So Many Organizations Get Stuck Implementing DEI
Below, Nadia shares five key insights from her new book, Beyond Discomfort: Why Inclusive Leadership Is So Hard. Listen to the audio version—read by Nadia herself—in the Next Big Idea App.

What does DEI mean in todays workplace

DEI stands for “diversity, equity, and inclusion” and is an initiative meant to advance equitable business practices within an organization. The goal of DEI is to involve and amplify a more significant number of diverse perspectives from which a company can draw. Where it’s been implemented, the results have been overwhelmingly positive.

How attacks on DEI undermine workplace equity and harm BIPOC employees
DEI professionals say they’ve witnessed shifts in their clients’ approaches to diversity and equity since the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling

Why DEI Leaders Are Burning Out — and How Organizations Can Help
Why do DEI leaders burn out so quickly? Research finds that this job demands constant emotional labor and surface acting, particularly for professionals of color. As a result, frustration and exhaustion mount. One solution stems from the way DEI programs are

Will corporate DEI survive a growing ‘anti-woke’ movement?
Corporate backing of diversity, equity and inclusion has become table stakes in the last few years. While employer attention to DEI was already growing, the 2020 murder of George Floyd and subsequent global reckoning on race dramatically accelerated DEI to the top of the corporate priority list, solidified by evolving expectations about DEI, particularly among younger entrants to the workforce. But now, is a building “anti-woke” movement threatening the future of corporate DEI?

Adidas Expands the Role of Its Global DEI Head Amid Broader Shakeup in HR Leadership
Adidas has expanded the role of Vanessa Abrahams-John, its global head of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

How a Diversity Initiative Changed Course With the Times
Amid a fresh backlash against D.E.I. efforts, OneTen met resistance as a program for Black workers only. It has shifted its emphasis to “equity for all” and a more hands-on approach.

8 Workplace Trends to Eye for 2024
Next year's trends could affect retirees, DEI in the workplace and the 5-day workweek.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace
A majority of U.S. workers say focusing on DEI at work is a good thing, but relatively small shares place great importance on diversity in their own workplace

Degrees and Certifications Help Inform the Future of DEI Leadership
As the work of DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) in higher education has expanded, several institutions have recognized the need to create a clearer and more comprehensive pathway for individuals interested in serving as DEI advocates and leaders. To meet the growing demand, many are developing distinctive degrees, certificates, and other programs that help graduate students, faculty, and workforce professionals develop the required skills.

Making the banking industry more inclusive for all
Organisations thrive in a culture where everyone feels welcome and respected, regardless of their background

What’s next for Chief Diversity Officers?
Mita Mallick breaks down the rise, fall, and reinvention of the CDO.

Johns Hopkins spends millions on university-wide DEI programs using 'roadmaps'
The roadmap also planned to increase the recruitment of diverse students and to start up diversity training for undergraduate students.

The ROI of DEI: How Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Drive Business Success
There’s a lot of attention on diversity, inclusion, and equity efforts lately. From massive corporations and international brands to small businesses and startups, DEI is taking center stage. Being a diverse and inclusive company means that everyone is welcome and has the ability to make change.

Why Business Leaders Are Pulling The Plug On DEI
A shaky, uncertain economy isn’t the real reason. Nevertheless, it’s being used as the excuse for getting rid of chief diversity officers; significantly reducing DEI budgets and staffs; and pivoting to raceless, all-lives-matter-style workplace culture initiatives.

The Legal Assault on Corporate Diversity Efforts Has Begun
Conservative groups are challenging Amazon, Comcast and others using many of the same arguments that boosted minority representation in the workforce.

Affirmative Action’s End Will Crush the Diversity Talent Pipeline
Banning race-conscious admissions will alter who gets into the most selective schools that often determine who fills C-suites and even the Supreme Court bench.

Know a DEI Skeptic? Use These 3 Strategies to Engage Them
Not everyone is on board with diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. For those that are hoping it will fade away, it is time to engage them proactively before they disrupt the culture.

Why Business Leaders Must Resist the Anti-ESG Movement
U.S. business leaders are increasingly being exposed to the culture wars, with company decisions around issues like DEI, LGBTQ+ rights, abortion and even ESG investing being attacked by right-leaning politicians and pundits. Instead of retreating to the sidelines, this article argues that leaders can’t avoid these topics and that they have a business and moral obligation to address them head-on with courage.

Workforce Diversity
Hispanic Workers Are Underrepresented in the Media, and More Data Are Needed for Federal Enforcement Efforts

Asian Americans most likely to join employee diversity groups but don't feel supported, report says
“The pattern they see is regardless of whether they’re involved in these ERGs, they’re not seeing much in the way of progress,” said Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder of AAPI Data.

Going deeper with diversity and inclusion
Progressive, innovative companies are striving for more than just surface-level diversity efforts. They’re finding ways to ensure their employees can be themselves and thrive.

Getting Serious About Diversity: Enough Already with the Business Case
It’s time for a new way of thinking

Quiet Black History Month ‘a warning sign,’ DEI pros say: Black professionals worry that a quiet Black History Month is indicative of a growing apathy.

Greg Abbott tells state agencies to stop considering diversity in hiring: In a memo written Monday and obtained by The Texas Tribune, Abbott’s chief of staff Gardner Pate told agency leaders that using diversity, equity and inclusion policies in hiring violates federal and state employment laws, and hiring cannot be based on factors “other than merit.”

Diversity roles disappear three years after George Floyd protests inspired them: The wave of change in workplaces through diversity, equity and inclusion roles has quelled, and Black workers will feel the brunt of the officers' absence.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion shouldn’t be the first casualties of hybrid work: As companies chart the next phase of hybrid work, many have embraced new ways of working that allow employees greater flexibility while still coming together for moments that matter. However, it’s also important to recognize that the impact of hybrid work on employee experience is more complex than meets the eye.

How Women on Boards Navigate the “Warmth-Competence” Line: Gender parity on boards is showing signs of improvement. But having a seat at the table is just the first step; exerting influence around high-stakes decisions is vital, too.

For Female Founders, Fundraising Only from Female VCs Comes at a Cost: According to recent reports, women-led startups receive less than 3% of all VC investments. In response, many leaders have advocated for getting women more involved in venture financing, since studies have shown that female investors are more likely than their male counterparts to invest in female founders.

Inclusive Design Is Not Niche By Caroline Casey  The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 15 per cent of the global population have a disability, forming the world’s largest minority community.

Study: Asian American Employees Experience Lower Levels of Inclusion at Work. BY XINTIAN TINA WANG Here's how to improve Asian Americans' sense of belonging in workplace.

¿Cómo son la diversidad e inclusión laboral en América Latina? Las iniciativas de inclusión y diversidad laboral están en la mesa de todos los Consejos de Administración y gobiernos nacionales. También en América Latina, una de las regiones que más sufre la desigualdad económica, y por ende...

5 ways to achieve mental health inclusivity in the workplace According to the World Health Organization, approximately 1 in 5 adults in the US experience mental health conditions each year. That's a statistic that shouldn't be ignored – but, for some reason, it often is in the workplace.

Take a critical look at equity, diversity, and inclusion policies Evaluate your company policies and programs to ensure they support people of color, LGBTQ+ populations, and people with disabilities.

SFNet Presents: Results of Groundbreaking Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness Survey | June 28, 2022
Join the conversation as members of SFNet’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness Committee discuss the results of SFNet’s much-anticipated, groundbreaking DEI benchmarking study of the secured finance industry. This undertaking, in conjunction with Rutgers University and underwritten by the Secured Finance Foundation and Wells Fargo, provides a first-ever comprehensive perspective on the current state of diversity, equity and inclusiveness among SFNet member companies. The outcomes reveal insights and tools to drive continuous improvement and provide a baseline to mark improvements in hiring, retention, advancement and increasing engagement of diverse professionals within our institutions and the SFNet community.

‘We Made It, All Of Us’: Ketanji Brown Jackson Marks Her Own History Tearfully, Poetically, Powerfully By Erin Spencer Sairam Thursday afternoon, Kamala Harris, the first Black woman to serve as Vice President, presided over the vote to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman on the Supreme Court of the United States.

The state of Diversity and Inclusion in 2022 By Scott Birch Diversity and Inclusion are key to business success and sustainability. That is the popular theory, but are organisations practising what they preach?

Employment rises for disabled workers By Taylor Borden, Editor at LinkedIn News There are more than 60 million Americans with disabilities — and while they are much less likely to be employed than those without disabilities, the number of disabled workers in the U.S. is on the rise.

Experts Share DE&I, Training Forecasts for 2022 By Kathy Gurchiek Peering into the swirling mists of the new year, HR leaders share their predictions for organizational and employee development; diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I); and well-being initiatives. Read ahead for a look into the great beyond of 2022.

Las marcas apuestan por la diversidad apoyando pequeños negocios propiedad de colectivos étnicos Más allá del respeto al medio ambiente y la lucha contra la emergencia climática, las marcas y compañías persiguen también otras metas con la intención de contribuir a la consecución de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible, entre ellas, la reducción de desigualdades o el fomento del trabajo decente y el crecimiento económico. En un contexto, además,  en el que valores como la integración, la diversidad y la inclusión cotizan al alza, cada vez son más las empresas que apuestan por brindar apoyo y acompañamiento a pequeños negocios propiedad de empresarios y emprendedores hispanos, asiáticos o negros.

Diversity, equity and inclusion report from Ingredion sets four goals By Jeff Gelski Ingredion, Inc. listed four goals and milestones and four pillars when releasing its first-ever diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) report on Sept. 2.

Diversity and Inclusion Efforts That Really Work  By David Pedulla A Stanford and Harvard professor convened a symposium on what’s actually working to improve diversity and inclusion in organizational life.

SFNet Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness Committee By Michele Ocejo, SFNet director of communications and editor-in-chief of The Secured Lender Interview with Betty Hernandez, chair of SFNet’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusiveness Committee.

Women in the Workplace 2020

By Sarah Coury, Jess Huang, Ankur Kumar, Sara Prince, Alexis Krivkovich, and Lareina Yee, McKinsey & Company This is the sixth year of the Women in the Workplace study—in a year unlike any other. This effort, conducted in partnership with LeanIn.Org, tracks the progress of women in corporate America.

Diversity still matters

By Kevin Dolan, Vivian Hunt, Sara Prince, and Sandra Sancier-Sultan, McKinsey & Company COVID-19 is confronting companies around the world with a daunting degree of disruption. In the immediate term, some face devastating losses of revenue, dislocations to operations and supply chains, and challenges to liquidity and solvency. Others are coping with enormous unexpected spikes in demand.  

Why diversity matters

By Vivian Hunt, Dennis Layton, and Sara Prince, McKinsey & Company New research makes it increasingly clear that companies with more diverse workforces perform better financially.  

Ten things to know about gender equality

By Mekala Krishnan, Anu Madgavkar, Kweilin Ellingrud, Lareina Yee, Vivian Hunt, Olivia White, and Deepa Mahajan, McKinsey & Company In 2015, the 193 member countries of the United Nations came together to commit to 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Goal 5 focused on gender equality and set the ambitious target of achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls everywhere by 2030.

The Value Of Diversity

By Jill Griffin, Forbes Joanna Rees is an investor, entrepreneur, advisor, educator and mentor with deep expertise in helping companies and organizations define their market and build powerful brands.

Diversidad, el negocio en el que todos ganan

By Jesica Mateu, Forbes Políticas y acciones concretas de inclusión y diversidad ya no solo generan más oportunidades, también promueven la productividad y la innovación, provocando un crecimiento del 20% en la calidad de la toma de decisiones.  

Diversidad e Inclusión, ¿por qué es importante para los negocios?

By Lissett Bastidas, By Sintec Consulting La Diversidad e Inclusión cada vez son más críticos para la sostenibilidad y competitividad de los negocios. Entender nuestro estado actual y la manera en que lo hacen las empresas mejor rankeadas en este ámbito nos puede ayudar a dar pasos importantes hacia adelante.

Where Does DEI Go from Here?
Fostering four freedoms can benefit employees and companies alike. by Laura Morgan Roberts

7 Small Ways to Be a More Inclusive Colleague: Workplace inclusion is not a static, one-off act of service. It’s an ever-evolving experience that requires the contribution of every employee — regardless of their level of seniority in the organization — to make each other feel included.

Two-thirds of Black women change their hair for job interviews, even as CROWN Act support grows: Minnesota is the latest state to pass a law prohibiting hair-based discrimination.

Black History, DEI, And Becoming A True Ally: As we observe Black History Month, it’s a good time for businesses and individuals to reassess just how well they are living up to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace and to explore how they can improve.

ActOne Group Founder Janice Bryant Howroyd: Never Compromise Your Values in a Quest to Succeed

Top 20 essential leadership resources for Black executives: To celebrate Black History Month, here are 20 resources for Black leaders – from business books to leadership coaches to business school exec programs

The Connection Between Mental Health and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion By ANNA CHMURA Mental health issues are not new, but the COVID-19 pandemic increased the emphasis on this dilemma, especially in the workplace. In 2019, before the pandemic, one in five adults in the United States experienced mental illness, most often depression or an anxiety disorder. 

Caring for Your Mental Health Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, act, make choices, and relate to others. Mental health is more than the absence of a mental illness—it’s essential to your overall health and quality of life. Self-care can play a role in maintaining your mental health and help support your treatment and recovery if you have a mental illness.

Bring Your Whole Self To Work By Henna Inam How well do you know your co-workers? Really know them. Do you know their highest aspirations? What did they want to be when they were kids? What keeps them up at night? Chances are we keep even our personal conversations at work at a surface level.

DEI Gets Real By Dagny Dukach It’s easy to view the corporate world’s growing emphasis on DEI—diversity, equity, and inclusion—with cynicism. Too often attempts to address discrimination seem to be more about optics than about real change, with business leaders’ being quick to issue statements of support but sluggish when it comes to taking meaningful action. And if you’ve ever rolled your eyes at a buzzword-laden corporate diversity training, you’re not alone.

Diversity wins: How inclusion matters By Sundiatu Dixon-Fyle, Kevin Dolan, Vivian Hunt, and Sara Prince iversity wins is the third report in a McKinsey series investigating the business case for diversity, following Why diversity matters (2015) and Delivering through diversity (2018).

The Power of Belonging

La relación entre diversidad cultural y salud By Ana Hernandez La salud pública se ve enfrentada a grandes desafíos. Especialmente, en Latinoamérica, donde para brindarle a la población protección sanitaria necesita integrar varios componentes. Es así, como la diversidad cultural, agrupa conocimientos médicos, creencias indígenas y practicas ancestrales tradicionales.

The case for accelerating financial inclusion in black communities

By Aria Florant, JP Julien, Shelley Stewart, Nina Yancy, and Jason Wright, McKinsey & Company A lack of financial inclusion for black Americans exists at every level of the financial system. Understanding the sources of exclusion is the first step to fixing the system.

Taking a "big picture" approach to workplace DEI
As diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the workplace continue to evolve, many employers are taking a bigger picture view of their efforts. Beyond the workplace itself, how are their initiatives impacting employees outside the office, as well as the greater community and the company’s reputation there? And how are changing trends putting at risk all the gains made over the past several years?

One More Time: Why Diversity Leads To Better Team Performance
Discussions on diversity in the workplace can be heated and contentious. All too often, we see attitudes toward diversity in the workplace shift like a pendulum, as the explosion in corporate DEI efforts that began in 2020 has changed dramatically to groups pushing against corporate investment in DEI initiatives.

The backlash against DEI is bad business. Here are 4 ways in which inclusion drives growth
Mita Malick explains why inclusion is a competitive advantage.

Diversity In The Workplace: Breaking Barriers And Building Bridges
Founder and Chief Culture Officer of Ideal Outcomes, Inc. Author of the new book Culture Ignited: 5 Disciplines for Adaptive Leadership.

5 Challenges To Leadership Development And How To Overcome Them
Effective leadership is crucial to an organization’s success.

Diversity Fatigue: How Brands Can Keep the Momentum Going
The causes of diversity fatigue and how brands can keep the momentum going with their DEI initiatives.

Diversity, equity and inclusion: Pushing back against pushback
As attendees at the Research Professional News Live webinar on the topic heard, in the last few years there has been genuine progress on diversity, equity and inclusion measures in research.

How to Avoid the Unexpected Consequences of Your DEI Policy
Will the DEI policy you’re about to implement actually hurt some of the people you’re trying to help? New research on this question shows that, yes, this can happen if you fail to take a systems-level view — but the good news is there are three key ways to avoid...

Creating Effective Leaders: Redefining Manager Training through DEI
Despite the billions that companies pour into manager training each year, many L&D professionals find themselves grappling with a sobering reality — traditional management skills training often falls short of delivering meaningful results.

How to Attract and Retain a Diverse Workforce in Today’s Hybrid Work Space
These successful practices will help address DEI issues for remote employees

DEI initiatives are essential, not just the right thing to do
No workplace is truly inclusive until all employees have an opportunity to obtain positions in equitable spaces where their voices are not just heard, but listened to.

DEI Efforts Are Key Factor In Workers’ Job Decisions
New Eagle Hill research finds a company's DEI efforts are a key factor in over half of workers' job decisions, but only 29 percent of organizations are upping those actions.

Viewpoint: Incorporating DEI into Decision-Making
Most people don't think of themselves as biased or prejudiced, and people often explicitly endorse diversity as something companies should strive for. But many organizations struggle with DEI. Why?

A Guide to DEI Training for Small Businesses
Delivering DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) training to your small business’ employees has its benefits—mainly, it can help you build a more inclusive culture and better attract, retain, and engage diverse talent.

How corporate America is slashing DEI workers amid backlash to diversity programs
DEI officers say they've faced cuts in the years since George Floyd's murder.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace
A majority of U.S. workers say focusing on DEI at work is a good thing, but relatively small shares place great importance on diversity in their own workplace

Leveraging Differences: Tapping The Power Of DEI In The Workplace
On May 25, 2020, Minneapolis police officers arrested George Floyd, an African American man, in an incident that resulted in Mr. Floyd's death during the arrest.

How Investing in DEI Helps Companies Become More Adaptable
When companies successfully implement DEI policies and practices, the authors of this article have discovered, they also improve their ability to change. That outcome can be enormously valuable, because with an improved ability to change comes better financial...more

4 Benefits Of A DEI Strategy That Addresses Social Issues
As people, many of us have a deep personal investment in the trending social issues that are contributing to the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) conversation.

7 Ways to Promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has been a focus for American companies since the 1960s, when the U.S. government enacted equal opportunity employment laws and other anti-discrimination legislation. Initially viewed as a compliance issue, DEI is now regarded as a business priority — a stance bolstered by recent research indicating companies with greater employee diversity are more profitable than their less-diverse competitors.

Companies say they want diversity. So why are Latinos left off corporate boards? Cisco Systems, the multinational tech giant based in San Jose, has no Latino on its board of directors.

Creating A Workplace Culture Of Belonging, Diversity And Inclusivity: OD & Change Management Consultant (Human Capital Innovations); Professor, Woodbury School of Business (UVU), Social Impact & Innovation Guru

For Asian American Women, DEI Needs to Be Addressed as a Progression Issue, Not a Pipeline One: When perusing through the raw numbers, Asian American women certainly appear to be a rising force across corporate America.

Latino CEOs Share Insights On Business Success: As American companies focus on their growing success, perhaps one of the most powerful and widely accepted ways is for them to continue to expand on their achievements through building more diversity and inclusion efforts, especially at the executive and board levels.

Why Diversity and Inclusivity Is Good for Latinos and Your Business: When speaking at a World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Cid Wilson, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR), described an often overlooked consumer market.

Leaders aren’t taking ownership of diversity initiatives: Reports continue to identify company leaders as key to implementation of DEI programming. Role modeling by leaders, especially, is a best practice touted by various analysts, meaning front-line managers may be particularly important to DEI success.

Employers with ‘tech bro’ vibes may miss out on top talent: A gender gap in applicants can create a vicious cycle of “diversity debt,” according to one study.

Could pay equity going ‘mainstream’ help close the racial pay gap?: Those in the industry say pay equity is gaining ground thanks to a push for pay transparency.

What does antisemitic discrimination look like at work: It includes appearance bias and so-called “jokes.”

Biden’s DEI executive order aims to set the tone for 2023: The executive order, published Wednesday, mandates that each government agency create an “equity team” and also establishes a DEI steering committee.

Education Is a Critical Component of DEI Work: Not Only During Black History Month But Year-Round, Says HR Advisory Firm McLean & Company

HOW TO LAUNCH A SUCCESSFUL DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION PROGRAM: According to the Society for Human Resource Management, only 32% of companies require some form of DEI training for employees. Even fewer have DEI included in the company’s leadership development or overall learning and development curricula (25%).

This trait is a manager's superpower.  Here's how to develop it. 

Diversity, Equity And Inclusion-Based Communication

If You Want To Be A Truly Inclusive Leader, Take A Few Simple Pointers From The New White House Chief Of Staff: Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei has long researched “how leaders create the conditions for organizations and individuals to thrive”.

6 ways to avoid performative DEI in 2023: Over the past 10 years, many companies have adopted diversity, equity and inclusion platforms to signify their commitment and support of social issues.

4 lessons learned for infusing DEI into your corporate culture: Best practices enhance any business effort—and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives need them as well.

KPMG Chief DEI Officer Elena Richards: ‘Be Part of the Diversity Journey’: Richards, who believes there is great value in embracing individual lived experiences, will kick off GW Business Diversity and Allyship Week as the featured guest of a George Talks Business episode.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lighthouses 2023: Leaders need clarity on what works to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our 2023 report shows success factors that contributed to significant, quantifiable, scalable, and sustainable DEI impact.

While Some Corporate Dei Progress Has Been Made, Real Growth Remains Low, Especially In Black Leadership Roles: Data also shows around 81% of CEOs of large companies are white men, compared to just 3.2% who are Black, based on a recent report.

Do You DEI? Get The Top 5 Secrets To Fostering Inclusion & Belonging At Work: Whether you are a founder or people leader, an entrepreneur or corporate veteran, you’re likely thinking about DEI—diversity, equity and inclusion—more than ever these days.

Creating an Inclusive Workplace with Mental Health Awareness We know that an inclusive workspace starts from the top with leaders setting the tone and acting as a model for their employees to follow and embrace. This begins with a wider understanding of the issues at hand.

Inclusión y diversidad laboral en México, ¿qué es y cómo lograrla? By Haydee Jaime  De acuerdo con el “Estudio de Remuneración PageGroup México y Centroamérica 2020” existen diversas variables que pueden fomentar una buena cultura de trabajo, siendo una de ellas el ambiente diverso e incluyente.

How Diversity of Thought Can Fit into Your DEI Strategy By Ella F. Washington Fawn Weaver started a distillery using her own money to honor the life of Uncle Nearest, a former enslaved man who was Jack Daniel’s first master distiller. The company took off to become the fastest growing spirits company in the world, winning many awards.

A Better Approach To Setting DEI Goals For Your Company By Paolo Gaudiano. One of the most common challenges faced by leaders is how to set diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals for their organizations.

Why Managers Need To Better Understand Mental Health Warnings From The National Institutes Of Health By Denise Brodey Mass mental health woes including stress and anxiety are disabling the workforce, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and yet managers are still asking the same question they were three years ago: Are you okay?

To Avoid DEI Backlash, Focus on Changing Systems — Not People  By Lily Zheng The enemy of well-intentioned DEI initiatives is backlash — and not just from people from privileged groups. Backlash from all directions is often due to DEI initiatives being framed as solutions to individual problems to be fixed rather than to correct for systemic issues.

Want to Move the Needle on DEI? Do More Than Put Your Diverse Team Members in Charge By MANDY PRICE, CEO AND CO-FOUNDER, KANARYS For serious change, you need to prioritize your diversity, equity and inclusion goals so the whole organization benefits

A report from ZRG Partners examines how work has been disrupted by the past two years. What changes are going to stick around, and what will be the bedrock of the next “normal”? Let’s take a closer look!

New FCA Policy Statement on Diversity and Inclusion on boards and executive management (UK) By Laura Nelson  At the end of last year the Financial Conduct Authority consulted on increasing diversity and inclusion on company boards and executive management in the financial services sector, and on the back of the responses received, has yesterday published its “Policy Statement” which sets out the changes it intends.

DEI in 2022: Key trends and findings  hNow, more than ever, organizations are beginning to recognize the urgency of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). While many companies made racial justice commitments in the summer of 2020, few have made meaningful progress beyond hiring some DEI staff and making small investments in programming.

5 Podcasts for Leaders Looking to Build Inclusive Workplaces BY KATIE BURKE, CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER, HUBSPOT Looking to lead with more empathy in 2022? Start by tuning in

3 Steps to Battle Microaggressions and Improve Workplace Inclusivity BY DONNEBRA MCCLENDON Left unaddressed, microaggressions not only undermine people in the workplace but also affect a company's well-meaning intentions to create diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces.

How to Continue Your Diversity Initiatives in 2022 By Rashan Dixon Diversity isn't something you can just focus on for just a year or two. Ensure that you meet and exceed all of your inclusivity goals in the coming year.

4 DEI Practices Your Company Should Adopt In 2022 By Janice Gassam Asare Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has become a top priority for organizational leaders across the globe. The murder of George Floyd sparked a racial revolution that pushed social justice to the forefront.

Getting Serious About Diversity: Enough Already with the Business Case By Robin J. Ely and David A. Thomas “The business case has been made to demonstrate the value a diverse board brings to the company and its constituents.”

10 Steps to Improve the Development and Retention of Your Diverse Workforce By Keith R. Wyche Over the past few years, much attention has been paid to the importance of attracting, developing and retaining diverse talent. This focus has increased exponentially given the war for talent, the mass exodus of talent due to the “Great Resignation”, and the changing demographics as America moves ever closer to a “majority minority” country.

4 Ways New Managers Can Lead Diverse Teams By Marie Deveaux Here are a few tips on how you can prepare your organization and your new managers to lead diverse teams successfully.

Diversidad laboral: los beneficios de ser una empresa inclusiva By Javier Castillo Las empresas inclusivas han demostrado ser más productivas y exitosas pero ¿cuál es la razón? Te explicamos qué es una empresa abierta a la diversidad y los beneficios que te puede traer.

Are you missing the mark on DEI? What employees think By Michele McGovern You made serious strides in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI). But do your employees think it’s good enough?

How ‘unconscious bias’ training improves culture and productivity By Natasha Nicholson We all hold some type of unconscious bias or stereotype – an unsupported opinion in favor of or against someone or something – that we aren’t even aware of.

4 Steps to Making Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Part of Your Company’s Culture By Scott Lepisto Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in a corporate context is sometimes thought to be synonymous with implicit bias training. This is unfortunate because implicit bias training has been shown to have shortcomings when implemented incorrectly and because training alone isn’t enough to create an inclusive culture in the workplace.

Majority of employees want to work for a company that values diversity, equity and inclusion, survey shows By Susan Caminiti Workers want business leaders to speak up on social and political issues and think companies can do more when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, according to the latest CNBC|SurveyMonkey Workforce Survey.

7 Ways Leaders Can Level Up Their DEI Workplace Strategy By Angela Kambouris Here's how to go from strategy to meaningful action in building a workforce that is diverse, equitable and inclusive.

Sustaining and strengthening inclusion in our new remote environment

By Diana Ellsworth, Ruth Imose, Stephanie Madner, and Rens van den Broek, McKinsey & Company Thoughtful action now can help teams build new habits, strengthen connections, and encourage the growth of inclusive cultures that will better realize the full potential of all employees.

How companies can make meaningful progress for LGBTQ+ employees

Podcast, McKinsey & Company Despite visible signs of progress, workplace challenges persist for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Here’s what companies can do to help their LGBTQ+ employees bring their authentic selves to work.

How the LGBTQ+ community fares in the workplace

By Diana Ellsworth, Ana Mendy, and Gavin Sullivan, McKinsey & Company LGBTQ+ rights over the past two decades, with many companies making public gestures of support. Hundreds of major consumer brands have become regular sponsors of annual Pride events.

Closing the gap: Leadership perspectives on promoting women in financial services

By Stacey Chin, Alexis Krivkovich, and Marie-Claude Nadeau, McKinsey & Company Men still make up most of the management ranks at banks and insurers. New survey data and interviews with female executives point the way to improving gender diversity.

How Can Diversity In Leadership Change The Way We Work?

By Quora via Forbes How can diversity in leadership change the way we work? originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

If You’re Expecting Diversity & Inclusion Leaders To Fix Workplace Racism, Think Again

By Dana Brownlee, Forbes In response to recent Black Lives Matters demonstrations in the wake of George Floyd’s killing, corporate America doubled down on its commitment to antiracism.

Dealing With Race At Work - Why Diversity Initiatives Need To Go Further

By Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, Forbes Black History Month 2020 provided even more attention to events and discussions focusing on creating cultures where sensitive conversations are aligned with practical ways to move forward.  

How To Make Diversity And Inclusion Successful As Part Of The War For Talent

By Liz Kislik, Forbes Many organizations see diversity and inclusion (D&I) as a complex, challenging subject or a burdensome task without an assured payoff. Leaders often don’t know where to start their D&I efforts, and they may turn away from initiatives when they’re not sure how to get traction.

Want More Diverse Senior Leadership? Sponsor Junior Talent.

By Herminia Ibarra and Nana von Bernuth, Harvard Business Review Sponsorship is emerging as a valuable tool for increasing diversity in an organization’s senior ranks. The authors define sponsorship as “a helping relationship in which seHernior, powerful people use their personal clout to talk up, advocate for, and place a more junior person in a key role.” In this piece, they define a number of specific do’s and don’t’s that apply specifically to the use of sponsorship to help the careers of promising employees from underrepresented groups, and to boost diversity at the executive level.

Do You Know Why Your Company Needs a Chief Diversity Officer?

By Mita Mallick, Harvard Business Review The growing force of the racial justice movement in the United States has pushed many companies to start searching — internally and externally — for their first Chief Diversity/Equity/Inclusion Officer  

Are Your D&I Efforts Helping Employees Feel Like They Belong?

By Michael Slepian, Harvard Business Review Sometimes, efforts at inclusion can backfire. Consider the manager who talks to her low-wage employees about upcoming international travel plans, or the co-worker who expresses surprise that a Black colleague doesn’t conform to a stereotype. 

Webinar "ESG: Making Sense Out of the Evolution"

December 2, 2022

Europe may have been on the forefront of ESG regulation, but the U.S. remains a confusing and ever-changing landscape for lenders. Our panelists will help you wade through the changes surrounding ESG, from state and federal legislation (and their backlash), and give you guidance on how to credibly structure deals with an ESG label.

Moderator:

Michael Wesley, Partner, PKF Clear Thinking

Panelists:

Aaron Flynn, Partner, McGuireWoods LLP
Paul Stanley, Director, Sustainable Finance & Advisory, Wells Fargo Corporate & Investment Banking
David Szmigielski, Vice President Sustainable Finance & Advisory, Wells Fargo Securities
Penny Zacharias, Partner, McGuireWoods LLP

ESG in the News

• Gildan Announces First Sustainability-Linked Loan
• Trimble Underscores Commitment to Sustainability with New Five-Year, $1.25 Billion Revolving Credit Facility
• Ares Management Commits Sustainability-Linked Debt Facility to EdgeConneX®

ESG Resources

• LMA, APLMA and LSTA announce joint publication of two new ESG guidance documents to support the development of green, social, and sustainability-linked loans
• LMA Sustainable Lending Resource Site
• Sustainability Linked Loan Principles 
• ESG Glossary
   

Ready, Set, Disclose? ESG Lending and The Middle Market

By Jeffrey Dunlop, Chris Swartout and Salma Taleb

The European Union’s recent passage of its Sustainability Financial Disclosure Regulation marks yet another milestone in the progression of environmental, social and governance matters. This article will review this regulation and related ESG disclosure requirements, together with other notable ESG developments, and discuss their impact on middle-market lenders.

Read More

Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance: How They Interact With Our Organizations and the Markets We Serve–What We Can Learn From Europe

Leaders across our industries discuss what ESG means to them and their customers. Panel originally aired on November 1, 2021 at the SFNet 77th Annual Convention.

Panelists: