June sees two major events on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) calendar at
Here,
Why does
Why do corporations have a role in creating a more equal society
NR: Our company can drive change by providing opportunities. Sometimes society can't move quickly enough. For example, patriarchy can be embedded in attitudes, so opportunities for women might not come as often as for men. Among racial minorities, socio-economic barriers can deny people an equitable start. These mindsets developed over centuries so they take time to change. If corporations do something intentional and powerful to increase representation of women and minorities and provide role models in the workplace, we can accelerate change.
As women, and women of color, what progress have you seen in DE&I over your careers
NR: There's more dialogue about representation and awareness, and we talk openly now. The influx of younger generations into the workplace also advanced the dialogue.
Early in my career in human resources, when we talked about female leaders and talent, the emphasis was more on training to a standard template of what it means to be a leader, often based on male stereotypes. The working environment has advanced and women realize we can lean into our natural leadership style and follow our own instincts to be successful. Now we help people find their strengths and focus on them, and build teams to plug the gaps. That collaborative style suits the workplace of the future.
LS: There's been a growth of discussion about intersectionality. A company would bring women into leadership roles, into operational roles, but I wouldn't see a woman who looks like me - a Black woman. Now we're seeing recognition that there's a sea of differences within women, whether that's a woman of color, or LGBTQ+. A lot of that has to do with younger workers demanding change. We want people to ask challenging questions, use a different set of eyes, and that drives innovation.
What are the biggest challenges in DE&I and what is
NR: The top priorities are representation and awareness. We need more female, minority, and LGBTQ+ role models. You can aspire to a role if you see a person who looks like you doing it. In awareness, it's about making all people respected, included, and heard - that needs all of us to examine our unconscious biases so we can change our mindsets.
Our ESG Scorecard holds us accountable to our goals. We have three-year goals to increase females in our graduate program, increase females and underrepresented communities in our leadership, and for all managers to complete our inclusive leadership curriculum. These are stakes in the ground, but we'll go beyond them.
There's a big role for our employee networks and resource groups (ENRGs), too. These grassroots organizations, set up by employees, do good work creating a safe space where people can challenge each other and learn more.
How does
LS: I worked places where I sometimes felt I had to dumb myself down in meetings, that I had to lock my inner 'little Black girl' in my car outside. It's like playing different roles throughout the day - code switching. So how good was my performance if I tired myself out trying to fit in You get a happier person, and the company gets a higher performer with better ideas, if they can be themselves. We're unlocking potential through our conversations about DE&I.
Is there a particular focus area or areas for the next stage of the DE&I journey, and how is
LS: We have to further embed DE&I into processes. We are also looking at the employee lifecycle - how we attract people, how we ensure job ads are gender neutral, what we say at onboarding about DE&I, and take that through development and succession planning, even into exit interviews.
NR: We need to truly see representation in leadership levels the same as it is in the world. I'd also like to see dialogue about diversity of thought, experience, and background.
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