In the daytime sessions, influential leaders from BASF, PwC, Mastercard, KPMG, Toyota North America and other renowned companies took the stage. Topics included the evolving challenges of environmental, social and governance (ESG), economic empowerment through supplier diversity and the significance of self-identification.  

Visit the event recap page to view all articles, videos and photos from the 2023 Top 50 event.  

The evening segment commenced with Fair360 CEO Carolynn Johnson engaging in a conversation with Accenture North America CEO Jimmy Etheredge, emphasizing the importance of inclusion. Johnson also joined Karen S. Carter, President of Packaging & Specialty Plastics (P&SP) at Dow, Dr. Alveda Williams, Chief Inclusion Officer at Dow, and Cynthia Marshall, CEO of the Dallas Mavericks, for a session titled “Moments of Reflection: Sisterhood and the Importance of Support Systems for Women of Color.” The group delved into their experiences and highlighted the power of collaboration among women of color. 

Attendees also heard insights from industry leaders, including Hilton President and CEO Chris Nassetta, Southern Company President and CEO Chris Womack, Eli Lilly and Company Chair and CEO Dave Ricks, Centene Corporation CEO Sarah London and Northwell Health President and CEO Michael Dowling. 

An exciting announcement came from the event host as Johnson announced a strategic change: DiversityInc would now be known as Fair360. This move reflects the company’s commitment to holistic and comprehensive workplace fairness practices. The concept of Fair360 was originally developed by Johnson and DiversityInc Founder and Chairman Luke Visconti in 2016. 

“We embarked upon this journey in January where we were very intentional about how we were going to not only continue on with the DiversityInc Top 50 survey but also start to look at sentiment surveys. With that, we are returning to our parent company name of Fair360,” Johnson said. 

The evening concluded with the highly anticipated presentation of companies that made this year’s specialty lists and the prestigious Top 50 list. Mastercard secured the No.1 spot on the Top 50, having also ranked on an impressive 14 specialty lists, with Top Companies for Asian American Executives being its standout recognition.  

View the entire 2023 Top 50 and other specialty lists here.  

“A recognition like this is priceless. It reminds us as a company that we have a DEI strategy that’s on the right path and we have what it takes to move the needle. But there’s much more work to be done. Tomorrow we’ll jump back in the game to do what it takes to further strengthen our systems, our policies and practices so that everyone who touches our company feels valued and respected and reaches their greatest potential,” said Randall Tucker, Chief Inclusion Officer at Mastercard. 

The event celebrated the outstanding achievements of these companies and marked another successful edition of Fair360’s Top 50 event. 

Womack emphasized the importance of honesty, vulnerability and accountability in leadership. He talked about how the representation of various demographics in leadership brings different perspectives and skill sets, which are critical for success in an industry that is evolving.  

“When you look at an industry like ours, which is going through incredible change, incredible transformation, you have to talk about sustainability,” Womack said. “As we get rid of fossil fuels and use more wind and solar and batteries and other technologies to power your homes and all the things that you love to do, we’re going through major, major transformation. What does technology and data mean for our business? I mean, we’re going through significant change and so having different skill sets with different perspectives is going to be really critical in the success we have now.” 

 The challenges facing the energy industry in the next decade are related to climate change, sustainability and technological innovation. Womack believes that the energy sector has a significant role to play in addressing climate change and that balancing the need for clean energy with affordability and reliability is essential.  

 Click here for more articles, videos and photos from the 2023 Top 50 event.    

PwC has set a goal to award 40% of its reportable spend to diverse suppliers by 2026 and 50% of its suppliers to have science-based targets to reduce their own climate impact by 2025.  

Schuyler emphasized the importance of trust in business and society and highlighted the Trust Leadership Institute that PwC has started to help executives build and maintain trust.  

“[The institute] looks to get 10,000 executives to help them to understand, how do they build trust? What are some of the common things you need to have and really learn? How do you keep it sustainable?” she said.  

The company has been working with Sandra Sucher, Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School, on the Trust Leadership Institute. Schuyler said Sucher focuses on four main areas to build and maintain trust:  

1. Competency: Home in on a skill you can consistently deliver. 
2. A mission: Why are you building trust? 
3. The means to do it: The method by which you will stimulate trust.  
4. Impact: How do you measure trust and how it correlates to supplier diversity? 

Schuyler related these competencies to supplier diversity, emphasizing that it is an incredible way to build trust but can also lead to a loss of trust, given the various stakeholders involved. 

Click here for more articles, videos and photos from the 2023 Top 50 event.    

During the fireside chat at Fair360’s Top 50 event in New York City on May 2 (Fair360 was formerly DiversityInc), Fair360 CEO Carolynn Johnson asked Heinz how his global perspective gained from working in various regions of the world has influenced his leadership and understanding of workplace fairness.  

Heinz discussed his upbringing, which included his grandfather, a World War II veteran, having a disability and a family member coming out as gay 30 years ago. Heinz detailed how those experiences shaped his values and made him an ally for marginalized groups.  

He also discussed the differences he observed in working environments between countries such as Germany, Ecuador, Mexico, Switzerland, and the U.S.  

BASF uses data to drive decision-making and ownership of its inclusion initiatives. Heinz explained that BASF, as a science-based company, focuses on selection and retention based on data and drivers, which the leadership team reviews monthly. 

Heinz said that creating a sense of belonging and ensuring equal opportunities in the workplace is crucial for modern organizations. 

“When you’re at the helm of a company, you can do something. You can make sure that there are certain policies and practices and procedures in place … set an example. Make sure there is more equality and there is more feeling of belonging … that is something that I experience with people all around the globe. They want to be themselves. They want to have a sense of belonging, and they certainly want to have equal types of opportunities.” 

Watch the video to hear more from the session. Click here for more articles, videos and photos from the 2023 Top 50 event.  

The session began with Susan Stith, retired Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at The Cigna Group (No. 14 on the 2023 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list), giving a talk about diversity fatigue and how to avoid burnout. She discussed the evolution of workplace fairness over the past 20 years, highlighting the shift from policies focused on non-discrimination and EEO to DEI as a driver of innovation, growth and strong business results. 

Stith also discussed the emotional, physical and mental toll that DEI work can take on practitioners, especially when met with resistance to initiatives, changing priorities and employees expecting immediate action. She stressed the importance of DEI work, not just as the right thing to do, but also as a competitive advantage for companies, leading to more profitability, innovation and growth.  

She was followed by Randall Tucker, Executive Vice President and Chief Inclusion Officer at Mastercard (No. 1 on the 2023 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list). He shared personal examples of making decisions that prioritized his mental health and self-worth, which ultimately led to better opportunities and respect from executives. He highlighted the importance of being an authentic leader and visible role model, such as coming out as a gay executive.  

As leaders and proponents of workplace fairness, Tucker believes they play a pivotal role in helping to bring people closer together and building the best, most dynamic teams for innovation and problem-solving. However, he emphasized that diversity leaders must take care of themselves first and put their own oxygen masks on before helping others. He provided four key points for diversity leaders to consider: believe in yourself, develop critical business skills, add value to organizations that care and take time out for self-care. He also gave some advice about salary negotiations.  

“Negotiate your salary based on your market worth and then add another 20% to it because everybody else is doing it, too,” Tucker said. “For those experts in this field, get your coins. Leave nothing on the table.” 

The pair then sat with Jenkins for a panel discussion to further dig into the topic. Watch the video to view the full session. Click here for more articles, photos and videos from the 2023 Top 50 event.  

The pair discussed the importance of workplace fairness in business, with Nassetta speaking about how he has been explaining to shareholders the need for it. He also shared the progress that Hilton has made in diversifying its board of directors to send a message throughout the organization that fairness is a priority. 

Nassetta also acknowledged the challenges of promoting fairness within the hospitality industry, particularly at the highest levels, and how Hilton has been working to develop a systematic approach to doing just that.  

“It’s easy for our senior people who we’re asking a lot of to say, ‘I’m going to take the easy way out,’” Nassetta said. “That doesn’t mean they’re bad people, it’s just easier. So you have to make them work harder. But when they start to see that there’s a benefit that it’s working, that in the end, the company is functioning better, the culture of the company is exhibited, and most importantly with the output of serving customers, then it becomes embedded in the data. Then it gets a lot easier even though it’s still hard work. People believe they see cause and effect.” 

Click here for more articles, videos and photos from the 2023 Top 50 event. 

 Accenture was No. 1 on the 2022 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list and was inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.  

 Etheredge spoke about how to prioritize fairness during times of transition and change, such as restructuring or layoffs. Etheredge mentioned that Accenture has doubled down on employee resource groups (ERGs), expanded apprenticeship programs and set targets for increasing diversity in leadership. 

 He then emphasized the power of disruption to drive change. 

 “If you feel like the status quo isn’t where it needs to be, then having something that’s disruptive is going to be helpful to change that.” 

 Click here for more articles, videos and photos from the 2023 Top 50 event. 

Elena Richards, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at KPMG (No. 6 on DiversityInc’s 2023 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list) emphasized the importance of building trust at Fair360’s (formerly DiversityInc) 2023 Top 50 event, “The Link Between Leadership Accountability and Data Standardization.” During her Top 50 Talk, “Enhancing Support for People Through Self-Identification,” she stressed the importance of continuous listening.  

“When you think about the surveys that we are all participating in, you want to hear the sentiment of your employees,” said Richards. “You want to hear and provide access for them to give you information. My team will hear me say this all the time; feedback is a gift.” 

KPMG’s employee resource groups play a significant role in getting that feedback.  

“We have a third of our professionals that are a part of our business resource groups,” she said. “They are a mighty community, swelling things up from the top to the bottom, sharing with us what we should focus on. That’s helping us to evolve our strategy because you’re hearing from your employees.” 

Richards admits the process can be challenging. KPMG has executed the campaign slowly, with the help of its colleagues. But the results are evident. In 2022, the KPMG saw an average increase of 21.4% in self-ID rates among its veterans, LGBTQ Employees and People with Disabilities. KPMG is using its findings to examine the benefits they offer to their workers.  

“I know we’re going to celebrate the wins because that’s the thing that’s going to keep us going,” she said. “We all know that there’s more work to be done. And that’s going to keep us accountable.” 

Click here for more articles, videos and photos from the 2023 Top 50 event.  

 Marshall, along with Carolynn Johnson, CEO of Fair360 (formerly DiversityInc), Karen S. Carter, President of Packaging & Specialty Plastics at Dow (No. 7 on DiversityInc’s 2023 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list) and Dr. Alveda Williams, Chief Inclusion Officer at Dow, shared the importance of support systems for women of color at the 2023 Top 50 event, where the theme was “The Link Between Leadership Accountability and Data Standardization.” 

After a 36-year career with AT&T, Marshall was approached to help Dow reignite its equity and inclusion efforts. Marshall sponsored Carter as Dow’s first Chief Inclusion Officer. Mark Cuban also chose Marshall to lead the Dallas Mavericks during that time. Both women were determining if they should take the roles.   

“When I got the call, I was very hesitant,” said Carter. “The first call I made was to Cynt. What she said to me back then is what I said to her at that moment, which was: ‘This is not about you sister. This is about the moment. This is about the movement. This is also about all those people, some of which look like us, will believe they can because we did.’”  

Carter says one of the most significant lessons she learned from Marshall was the importance of “sending the elevator back down.” Carter paid it forward when she selected Dr. Alveda Williams as Dow’s Corporate Director of Inclusion. 

“They put the brand of Karen S. Carter and Cynt Marshall behind me. They were vested and invested in me,” said Williams.  

One of the first connections Marshall suggested Carter and Williams make was Johnson. 

“Folks are constantly looking for examples of how we show up for one another and what the outcomes, the people and their stories are,” she said. “After tonight, you do not have to look any further. When we support each other, when we show up, when we are fair in our selection process, this is what happens.” 

Click here for more articles, videos and photos from the 2023 Top 50 event.  

 “I spend more time with our investor relations folks answering questions around what is the narrative (in the data)?” Otero said. “So it is about taking a whole bunch of lenses and looking at the data sets that you have. At the end of the day, if you’re not doing that rigor of analysis, you’re not going to fill up those gaps that were mentioned. You’re not going to get to the promised land, if you will, of fixing those opportunity areas.” 

 Otero was joined on stage by Kelly Copes-Anderson, Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Eli Lilly & Company (No. 5 on the 2023 Top 50 Companies list), and Denise Brownlee, Senior Vice President of Global Talent & Top Management at Stellantis (No. 30 on the 2023 Top 50 Companies list).  

 The session highlighted the importance of data standardization for new leaders who need to understand what’s working and what’s not in the company quickly. Copes-Anderson spoke about the standardization of business rules, alignment of definitions and centralization of data sources as essential for consistent data interpretation and accurate data analysis.  

 Brownlee emphasized the role of governance in ensuring consistent data collection and storage across different departments and business units within the organization. Internal audit groups must be delegated with the authority to audit data compliance and accuracy. 

Click here for more articles, videos and photos from the 2023 Top 50 event.    

The CEOs of Eli Lilly & Company, Centene Corporation and Northwell Health spoke about what the companies are doing to expand health equity at the Fair360 (formerly DiversityInc) 2023 Top 50 event: “The Link Between Leadership Accountability and Data Standardization.” 

Sarah London, CEO at Centene Corporation (No. 37 on DiversityInc’s 2023 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list), is working to transform the communities it serves by addressing the social determinants of health (SDOH). SDOH are the conditions in which people live, work and worship that impact their health outcomes.  

“We can start to do the math differently and say, what is the right investment and the right resources to drive health outcomes in an open aperture and think about access to healthy foods, transportation, jobs, security, things like that,” she said.  

Eli Lilly & Company (No. 5 on DiversityInc’s 2023 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list) has been making products for people with diabetes for 100 years. Dave Ricks, Chair and CEO, said the COVID-19 pandemic forced the company to look deeper into the disparities it witnessed.  

“We thought about this problem,” he said. “But to be honest, I think the urgency of the pandemic forced new thinking and new ways of working, starting with how we develop our own products to make sure that the data we present about their effectiveness is inclusive of all communities.” 

Michael Dowling, President and CEO Northwell Health (a DiversityInc Hall of Fame Company) urged organizations to work together to solve health inequities rather than operating in silos.   

“You can act as a catalyst to get other people to work together. If we work together more, we can have an enormous effect,” he said. “There’s a collective responsibility here we all have to take responsibility for. To me, that’s the responsibility of leadership in every organization.” 

Click here for more articles, videos and photos from the 2023 Top 50 event.   

This was the message from Martha, who is Chairman and CEO of Medtronic as he spoke with Fair360 CEO Carolynn Johnson during a fireside chat titled “Navigating the Evolving Challenges of ESG” at the annual Top 50 event in New York City.  

This might be the first time you’ve seen the name Fair360, and you might be wondering where it came from. During the evening portion of the Top 50 event, Johnson announced that DiversityInc would now be DiversityInc Powered by Fair360 to prioritize workplace fairness.  

The Fair360 concept was developed by Johnson and DiversityInc Founder and Chairman Luke Visconti in 2016.

“We embarked upon this journey in January where we were very intentional about how we were going to not only continue on with the DiversityInc Top 50 survey but also start to look at sentiment surveys. With that, we are returning to our parent company name of Fair360. Everything that you see from this moment forward will be ‘Powered by Fair360,'” Johnson said.

As part of the discussion, the pair discussed Medtronic’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals and other achievements.  

 Its accomplishments include 100% pay equity across gender and ethnic lines, $2.7 billion spent on research and development in addition to another $2.7 billion with diverse suppliers.  

Martha said the company achieved these milestones by setting and building goals over time, which can be found in the company’s 2022 ESG Report.   

Medtronic’s CEO emphasized the role of authenticity in building and delivering ESG and workplace fairness programs, policies and practices.  

“I think the most important thing was the authenticity, starting with our mission and the conversations around why this isn’t just the right thing to do, but it’s a business imperative. And those repeating conversations, the authenticity, putting some structure to this, measuring this, making public commitments—it all comes back for us to our mission. “ 

Fair360, formerly DiversityInc, tackled the topic in the panel “The State of the Chief Diversity Officer” at the 2023 Top 50 event “The Link Between Leadership Accountability and Data Standardization.” 

While budgets and DEI positions are being cut, companies that are focused on workplace fairness will remain steadfast in their commitment, said Adrienne Trimble, Vice President and Chief Diversity and Culture Officer for Sysco Corporation (No. 17 on the Fair360 2023 Top Companies for Talent Acquisition for Women of Color). 

“When you make it a strategic part of the business strategy, you can’t just pull it out because it’s so embedded into how you show up in the things you actually do,” she said.  

Wanda Hope, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for Johnson & Johnson (a Hall of Fame Company), said aligned thinking and strategy at all levels of an organization is essential to advancing DEI.  

“When we do that, we can lift the entire organization and drive greater progress,” she said.  

When asked how she navigates DEI’s challenges, including increased political rhetoric and staff reductions, Alicia Petross, Chief Diversity Officer for The Hershey Company (No. 3 on the Fair360 2023 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list) said it all comes back to commitment.  

“Certainly there are challenges out there,” she said. “We know that our business is stronger and healthier. We know that our colleagues grow the more diverse and inclusive we are. It’s great for our bottom line. It’s great for employees and also helps fuel the communities where we operate.” 

Click here for more articles, videos and photos from the 2023 Top 50 event.   

“There are so many things that come across, whether it’s social innovation or partners in human resources, in which we have to decide which direction to go,” he said. “Having data to inform your strategy allows us to do things in a more systematic fashion. Otherwise, we won’t know where to spend all of our energy.” 

This message fit perfectly with the theme of Fair360’s (formerly DiversityInc) 2023 Top 50 event, “The Link Between Leadership Accountability and Data Standardization,” which took place on May 2 in New York City. Bethel spoke to the importance of data and how it informs company strategy decisions during a panel with Senior Business Writer Linda Bell titled “Using Data to Be Proactive About Your Company’s Skills Development Strategy.” 

To ensure a company is making progress Bethel said it’s important to measure the data to see if you are on track, falling behind or need to change course. According to Bethel, leaders must balance being responsive to the data while committing to long-term strategies. They must not be reactionary, but proactive in identifying and addressing root causes. This is particularly important in industries where trends can change rapidly and staying ahead of the curve is essential to remain competitive. 

Bethel said today’s business world also calls for building a conscious environment of learning and development, which is especially important when it comes to employee engagement and retention. Leaders must ensure that their employees feel empowered and have the tools they need to succeed. This can be achieved through continuous feedback, team member engagement surveys and by focusing on the top two or three priorities that have been identified by the team. 

Bell and Bethel also discussed the importance of trust between leaders and employees to retain top talent and foster a more positive work environment. Managers must communicate effectively and build strong relationships with their employees, especially Black and brown workers who have a higher turnover rate than their white counterparts.  

Click here for more articles, videos and photos from the 2023 Top 50 event.  Check back early next week to view the full video recording of the session. 

Part of allyship is being open to feedback, so the session began with a question about a time in the panelists allyship journey where feedback helped them become a better ally. Humana’s President of Group, Military and Specialty Businesses, Sue Schick, was the first to answer, recalling a time where she took in several episodes of Humana’s internal podcast titled “This is Us” where people of color share stories about their experience. Schick felt inspired to do more, so she went to the host of the podcast who is also her accountability partner on the economy’s executive diversity council.

“This is a cringeworthy moment, but I went to our next meeting and I was like ‘I can do more, I’m on the council and there’s more that we can do!’” Schick said enthusiastically. “I give him a lot of credit, cause he didn’t call me out and he could have. He calmed me down and he helped me learn. I went away and realized that I’d just shown up all white savior on him. After that I gave him permission to give me real feedback and I realize that I still have a long way to go on my journey.”

The panel also examined how executives who drive diversity initiatives face a challenge that is unique due to the long-term nature of these goals. For example, the advancement of women of color is a goal that will outlast a given executives time at the company, so how do you build and sustain momentum for something that seemingly never ends.

“I think we have to change the word from goal to purpose,” Elcio Barcelos, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at US Bank said. “A purpose implies that it’s a way of life as we go forward and it’s on all of us to serve this purpose for the greater good of the economy, the greater good learning and talent and our society. At corporations, we often think of a purpose and want to try to find that silver bullet, but 99.9% change at scale does not happen with macro events, but with cumulative micro events.”

As we said at the start, accountability is crucial. But how do you instill it in leaders who may not naturally have skin in the game when it comes to diversity? In the end, it comes down to setting a tone with key people in the organization.

“Setting the tone at the top is critical,” Rae Livingston, Chief Equity Officer at Abbvie said. “I would have you look at organizations where the CEO isn’t making it clear where they stand not just on the softer issues around DEI, but the tougher issues around racial equity and inclusion. Our CEO, Rick Gonzalez made it very clear where he stands on these issues and has made it a part of his agenda, it’s always something he’s speaking about it and focused on actions.”

Watch all the sessions from our 2022 Women of Color and Their Allies event here!

While this might be the case, it is important for women of color to uplift one another and show their support for one another in the workplace. At DiversityInc’s 2022 Women of Color and Their Allies event, experts on a panel titled “How WOC Support One Another at Work,” focused on supporting each other through mentorship, sponsorship and other avenues.

Pilar Ramos, EVP, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary at TelevisaUnivision, said women of color can support one another by embracing the fact that “we’re representing a broader demographic, whether we like it or not.” 

Dr. J. Nwando Olayiwola, Chief Health Equity Officer and Senior Vice President at Humana echoed this sentiment, saying that bringing down another woman of color in a meeting is not good for any woman of color. 

“Even if I don’t agree with you, I will never do that publicly,” she said. “Take it somewhere else. We’ll talk about it and disagree, but keep that safe space. Know that if you’re in the room, if I’m in the room, you are supported, you’re valued, you will be heard.” 

To support other women of color, Dr. Olayiwola said women of color should be looking at what strengths their cohorts have in the workplace have and understanding them so that when an opportunity arises, you can help elevate another woman of color and her strengths.

At Humana, Olayiwola said she has recognized the strength of women of color within her organization through network resource groups and through a women of color group called “Thriving Thursdays” that meets regularly.

“I’ve learned a lot about women of color in my organization who have skills and strengths I could deposit somewhere else if the opportunity comes up,” she said.

Olayiwola added that Humana demands excellence and that excellence has been realized through women of color. She shared that when she got to Humana, she had the opportunity to build a team.

“The team that I built is 70% women of color,” she said. “Eighty-three percent of my leaders are women of color.

“Every single one of them is a leader and a boss in her own right. It’s not that we did them any favors or anything like that. They are excellent all the time.”

Watch all the sessions from our 2022 Women of Color and Their Allies event here!

Capital One and DiversityInc shared the results of their collaborative research report on women of color in the workplace at the 2022 annual Women of Color and Their Allies event held in Louisville on Sept. 21 in conjunction with Humana. The report highlighted insights and actionable strategies to improve the representation of women of color.

“It’s not enough for us to have diverse representation,” said Theresita Richard, Managing Vice President, Head of Diversity Inclusion and Belonging, Capital One. “We need to ensure that everyone here is thriving, and we have a role to play in that our mission is to change banking for good.”

DiversityInc’s benchmarking from the DiversityInc Top 50 Survey and the Top 50 Competition confirmed that even best-in-class companies have work to do when it comes to the representation of women of color in the workplace. While Capital One saw an increase in executive representation of women of color, the company said it remains focused on diversifying its ranks by zeroing in on the power of sponsorship. 

“They understand what those experiences are that are needed to grow in advance and because they’re in the room and they can advocate and they can say your name at just the right moment,” Richard said. “They can support you in getting those advancement opportunities that will help you to thrive and continue to grow in the organization. That’s one of the intentional spaces that we’re focused on within our company.”

DiversityInc’s research also found that participation of women of color in talent programs like employee resource groups had a positive impact on promotions and hiring. 

“Encouraging participation in talent programs at rates that are higher than current levels of representation has positive effects,” said Dr. Chris Parker, Head of Research & Data, DiversityInc. “It influences higher promotion rates and because it’s a talent program and higher hiring rates as well. By working on your talent development programs, that provides a value add for people considering joining your organization.”

Watch all the sessions from our 2022 Women of Color and Their Allies event here!

The WOCA session, titled “Fireside Chat: Healing from Workplace Trauma,” featured a discussion between Harts and Carolynn Johnson, CEO of DiversityInc.

“I thought about the courage of all the black women who had come before me, the ones that we know about, the ones that we don’t know about,” said Harts. “I am a direct beneficiary of their courage, but who was going to be a beneficiary of my courage? Are they just going to inherit the same workplace that I inherited?”

Harts experienced abuse in the workplace, which she said included her efforts being overlooked while simultaneously being sought out for extra work. She is an advocate for the importance of recognizing abuse experienced in the workplace, unpacking it and healing from the trauma.

“As women of color, we’ve normalized the mistreatment in the workplace. The intention might not have been bad, but the constant harm is damaging to us.”

Harts says that the first step is to acknowledge that the abuse is happening. The second step is deciding whether or not you will do something about it. Most microaggressions get swept under the rug, but ultimately, ignoring the abuse — or acting out a “survival mechanism” instead of a “thriving mechanism” — is doing a disservice to the next generation. If we don’t put in the work, the next generation will inherit the same traumas that women and women of color are currently experiencing.

Harts gives a plan of action when workplace abuse occurs:

1. You don’t have to respond or defend yourself immediately.
2. Acknowledge what occurred at that it is harmful so that you can confront it.
3. Document the occurrence so that you don’t question yourself if the abuse is actually happening or not.
4. Redistribute the energy, which is part of your healing.
5. Affirm yourself.

“I will protect my healing by any means necessary because I like the healthy version of myself much better than the version that’s walking on eggshells. I get to finally meet the healthy me. It’s not about bringing your authentic self to work — it’s about bringing your healthiest self to work.”

Watch all the sessions from our 2022 Women of Color and Their Allies event here!

At the 2022 annual Women of Color and Their Allies event held in Louisville on Sept. 21 by DiversityInc in conjunction with Humana, leading academic researchers shared scientific evidence on the experiences of women of color at work and what interventions can be put in place to address the issues. 

Researchers put to the test if the motherhood penalty – the phenomenon in which women’s pay decreases once they become mothers – applied to women of all races. 

“For white women, there is a motherhood penalty such that they are significantly less attractive to recruiters,” said Sreedhari Desai, Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior & Crist W. Blackwell Scholar University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  “For Black women and East Asian women, disclosing motherhood seems to be a bit of a perk. But sadly, when it comes to Latin American women, the motherhood penalty is the hardest and strongest for them.”

Mentorship and sponsorship can be game changers for women of color, but research found that they often face challenges in obtaining mentors and sponsors. Dr. William Luse, Assistant Professor of Management & Leadership, College of Business and Public Management University of LaVerne, cites intersectional invisibility as one of the barriers. 

“The idea is that being both a woman and being an ethnic and racial minority, the people you’re interacting with don’t know how to label you or classify you,” he said. “Because of that, you practically don’t exist to them or they don’t view you as a full person.”  

Black and Latinx women experience mistreatment at work and if the behavior is prolonged, it can lead to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and a lack of belonging in the workplace. 

“To increase employee engagement for Black women and Latinx women, create peer networks to foster more social support which research has shown significantly impacts PTSD symptoms,” said Erica Johnson, Ph.D. Candidate in Organizational Behavior Case Western Reserve University.  “Include Black women and Latinx women in change management decisions, make sure that they’re in on decisions and to foster a sense of well-being and belonging for Black and Latinx women, make sure that they’re valued, make sure that they’re heard and show that you care.”

Watch all the sessions from our 2022 Women of Color and Their Allies event here!

“This is an amazing sight that I have before me, so I want to applaud you for what you’ve done, what you’re doing and what you’re going to do,” the 28-year Air Force Veteran said. “I stand before you as one of 3,200 active-duty colonels in the United States Air Force, of which roughly 200 are African American and 68 of those are female. There are more than 350 that are white females. I’m no engineer, but that math doesn’t add up. We make up about 6% of one of the highest leadership chains in the military.”

The numbers paint a picture of the landscape that Spencer has spent her career navigating. As she began recalling her early days in the Air Force, she painted a picture filled with microaggressions and a lack of understanding of her experience. However, she was quick to note that she would not have risen to the rank and status she has achieved without the help of allies.

“The village that I sought out to surround me, to support me, to bounce things off of has propelled me to different positions, different career choices in life,” Spencer said.

Spencer went on to talk about her identity crisis as a leader. Whether speaking to a public crowd like the one at Women of Color and Their Allies or a group full of airmen, the question becomes who is she?

“Am I someone they believe got there because they had a lot of help they didn’t deserve?” Spencer said. “Am I the angry Black female? Am I the female they feel they can walk over and that doesn’t have a role, that should be in the backseat at all times? That identity crisis becomes fatiguing over time.”

She went on to detail her time overseeing the Heavy Engineer Combat Unit, a group she was the first African American and first female to lead. As she moved out to Montana to take over that organization, she found that at the core of that organization, issues with racism and sexism were abundant.

“As I got on that stage, each and every time, I had to impress upon them the importance of integrity, service before self and excellence in all that you do and remind them that part of that is no discrimination, no sexist remarks. Everyone is treated not because of the package that they were wrapped in, but what they brought to that fight. I had to ask myself what am I representing? Are they seeing an African American? A woman? Or a leader that believes in the values that should be instilled upon everyone when they don the cloth of our nation?”

Watch all the sessions from our 2022 Women of Color and Their Allies event here!

At the 2022 annual Women of Color and Their Allies event held in Louisville on Sept. 21 by DiversityInc in conjunction with Humana, officials from Hilton, Abbott, Toyota and the U.S. Air Force proposed strategies on how women of color can be supported in the workplace through the lens of intersectionality. 

“We need flexibility because we’re dealing with eldercare, childcare or just care for our loved ones,” said Sean Palacio, Divisional Vice President, Diversity & Inclusion at Abbott.

“If it’s upskilling or reskilling — there are several ways in which we approach it through our employee networks, as well as through our benefit programs that we do to ensure that we can address some of the intersectional challenges that women face in the workplace,” he added.

DeShaun Wise Porter, Global Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Engagement at Hilton noted that ERGs can also be used to increase awareness of the struggles women of color face. 

“We use that as an opportunity to educate,” she said. “We have different seminars and sessions on how to overcome impostor syndrome in the workplace and biases that women will face. Then also making sure that allies are right there with us every step of the way.”

Mentorship programs can also help develop and advance women of color professionally. Paige Barton, Lead Multicultural Business Strategy & Operations at Toyota Motor North America said an effective program should connect women of color with two mentors. 

“One of the mentors will act as the navigator to help them navigate certain things that happen within the corporate culture,” she said. “Then the second person will be someone that is a match and looks culturally like the individual so that they can help them navigate those skills that are needed that may not be on the resume and also help them provide a space to share their personal experiences.”

Yvonne Spencer, Colonel U.S. Air Force said solutions will require men and women to work together. 

“You got to get some guys on your team as well,” she said. “Sometimes you gotta whisper in their ear and they will be the ones that speak to others. Sometimes who is saying it is how the message is received. I recognize that and I’m okay with it.”

Watch all the sessions from our 2022 Women of Color and Their Allies event here!

That was the message that was projected from the stage of the Muhammad Ali Center at our 5th-annual Women of Color and Their Allies event held in Louisville on Sept. 21, held in conjunction with Humana.

Dr. Tina Opie, Associate Professor of Management at Babson College, and Dr. Beth Livingston, Associate Professor at the University of Iowa, shared insights from their forthcoming book “Shared Sisterhood: How to Take Collective Action for Racial and Gender Equity at Work.” 

The goal of Shared Sisterhood is to “dismantle systemic inequity,” Dr. Opie said, which is laid out in three practices in the forthcoming book:

1. Dig
2. Bridge
3. Collective Action

She said the first step is about “surfacing your own assumptions about things like race and gender.” This may be asking yourself when you first realized you were white or when you realized others were treated differently based on race or ethnicity.

“That may sound like a common practice, but what’s really interesting when we’ve done this in practice, is that it forces people to be honest with themselves,” she said. “Share sisterhood drags those private, dark thoughts you may have in your own room by yourself into a place where you can hold them up and interrogate them so that you can be honest with yourself.”

Pre-order your copy of Shared Sisterhood today!

When Dr. Opie and Dr. Livingston met, they weren’t sure if they could be friends based on their differences as a Black woman and a white woman. But they gave it a shot and now have a great friendship, which Dr. Opie encouraged others to do. 

“Please put aside your defensiveness, your distancing and your denial,” she said. “Women of color are worth developing authentic connections with and your life will be improved.”

When talking about Shared Sisterhood, Dr. Livingston said it’s all about building connections. 

“Shared sisterhood is for everybody, regardless of gender,” she said. “It’s about finding people who share those values of equity.”

Watch all the sessions from our 2022 Women of Color and Their Allies event here!

This WOCA session, titled “CEO Fireside Chat: Leading a DEI Culture Worthy of a Legacy,” featured a conversation between Lyons and Carolynn Johnson, CEO of DiversityInc. The two CEOs discussed ways to not only implement strategies for women of color, but also ensure that this work will endure in the future.

Part of Ameren’s mission is being a company that people want to work for and continue working for. Building strong values based on diversity, equity and inclusion as well as respect, teamwork, integrity and excellence is at the organization’s foundation. When employees sense this, passion for their work and connection to the company grows.

“The demographics of our organization should match the demographics of the community that we serve, really at all levels of our company,” said Lyons. “We’re very much focused on recruiting, retention, development and a culture that supports a diverse and inclusive environment.”

The tone starts at the top, with the board of directors. Then it stems down to the executive leadership team, who makes sure that diverse, equitable and inclusive standards are met throughout the company.

“We’re making sure that as we go down through the organization, we have the recruiting, the retention and the cultural aspects that foster a diverse workforce, and really allow that diversity to thrive — so women of color are being given the support and opportunities to thrive in the organization.”

Ameren offers multiple programs to ensure that diverse talent is both sought out and retained, especially women of color. The company supports women who have left the workforce and would like to return but aren’t necessarily ready or able to commit to full-time or 100% in-person positions. The programs include upskilling and confidence-building, which allows women of color to return to the workforce at a comfortable pace.

Within the organization, Ameren also offers opportunities for leadership development. These programs help women of color have access to the training, network and exposure they need to reach the next level in their careers.

“We make sure that we have diversity not just in the early parts of careers, but in our pipeline of promotions and in the leadership development program. We’re trying to leverage programs from recruiting all the way through development and retention.”

Watch all the sessions from our 2022 Women of Color and Their Allies event here!

Dr. Stephanie Creary: Speaking up for DEI: How DEI Practices Affect Belonging and DEI-Voice at Work

Many people face the minority tax, or the phenomena of those who are in the numerical minority having most of the DEI work fall on their hands.

“Some people begrudgingly accept this work. Others do more delightfully accept the work, but at the end of the day, there’s this sense that accompanies the work that if I don’t do it, no one else will,” said Dr. Creary.

The responsibility for implementing a diversity strategy can’t fall completely on those that are in the minority. To change this, Dr. Creary says we should focus on implementing DEI strategies, practices and initiatives that are fundamentally interested in improving the sense of belonging, which will allow all members of an organization to speak up and have a voice in diversity matters.

Dr. Creary developed two hypotheses on how implemented practices were working. The first hypothesis was that DEI practices being put into place can increase an employee’s sense of belonging. The second hypothesis was the more employees felt like they had access to these DEI practices — feeling and experiencing them, not just seeing them written down — and the higher their sense of belonging, the more likely they would speak up in different ways at work.

• Subscribe to Fair360 Enterprise to read more about belonging and the evolution of DEI language.

Dr. Creary found that DEI practices need to focus on at least two things from an internal talent perspective: diversity recruitment and workplace experiences.

“The tax is something that many people experience, but it doesn’t have to be that way as long as we are mindful and adopt evidence-based approaches for creating an environment where more people are willing to engage in this work,” said Dr. Creary.

Dr. Rachel Arnett: Navigating the Spotlight: A Two-Dimensional Framework of Minority Racial-Identity Management

Navigating differences within the workplace is challenging, especially for racial and ethnic minorities whose differences are not only underrepresented but also often associated with stereotypes and stigma. Dr. Rachel Arnett, Assistant Professor of Management at The Wharton School and her research partners found that there are four major ways minorities navigate their racial identities in the workplace:

• Open book: People who consider the benefits of bringing attention to their identities wear their identities on their sleeves.
• Laissez-faire: People who don’t suppress their identities, but at the same time, don’t proactively call attention to it.
• Closed book: People who conceal their identities because they are heavily concerned with the risk and want others to feel comfortable around them.
• Curating: People who manifest and suppress selectively because they see the benefits of bringing attention to their identities, but also are heavily concerned with risk.

These approaches are important to show the ways you can navigate a minority identity in the workplace, and also for consequences such as turnover. People who don’t suppress their identities are less likely to think about leaving their organizations, whereas people who constantly suppress often wonder if their organization is the right fit for them.

“Remember that if you value diversity, if you want to show the value that you put on the source of differences in the workplace, it’s not only important to highlight the benefits of these things but also make sure that you’re acknowledging the risks that people are putting themselves in when they are bringing attention to those identities,” said Dr. Arnett.

Michael Park and McKenzie Preston: Let’s (Not) Talk About It: Why Leaders’ Request for Input on DEI Topics Can Yield Employee Silence

Having conversations about diversity in the workplace is necessary to shed light on the challenges that have historically existed in organizations, but it can provoke anxiety. Employees in the racial minority might be unsure if their colleagues are open to hearing their experiences, while white employees might think they don’t know enough to talk about certain issues.

Leaders face this paradox, too. On the one hand, if they don’t ask their employees to speak up about DEI issues, they’re perpetuating the silence of organizations. But on the other hand, if leaders ask their employees to speak up on topics that make them uncomfortable, the anxiety could also cause silence.

Michael Park, Assistant Professor of Management, The Wharton School, and McKenzie Preston, Doctoral Student, The Wharton School explored the role of leaders’ behavioral empathy or the extent to which leaders acknowledge that these are uncomfortable conversations and validate those emotions. The more empathy a leader shows, the more comfortable their employees will feel, and the more likely they will speak up on DEI issues.

“It’s important to research, rehearse and reinforce norms around empathy,” said Preston. “Leaders, research how to talk about these issues with employees, how you can be an empathetic leader. Rehearse what you’re going to say when you’re talking about DEI with your employees. Finally, reinforce norms around empathy, because it goes a long way in encouraging employees to talk about these issues.”

Dr. Nancy Rothbard: Does Power Protect Female Moral Objectors?

Moral objection, or the idea that employees need to talk about something that is wrong in the workplace, is necessary to avoid injustice in any organization. Moral objections should be pointed out and wrongdoings should be corrected early on, but often, those who speak up face retaliation.

Dr. Nancy Rothbard, Deputy Dean & Professor of Management at The Wharton School, presented research on the power shield hypothesis, meaning power protects people. If a minority or a lower-ranking individual in the workplace raised an issue, they are more likely to face pushback than a person in power. These people in power should be the ones raising a moral objection.

However, power shields themselves raise their own moral objection: A high-ranking Black woman wouldn’t have the same power shield as a white man in the same position. This calls for the organizational frame, a tool to help everyone get to the highest level of power, Dr. Rothbard says.

Dr. Karren Knowlton: The Potential of Trailblazing Motivation

Biases in the workplace such as low performance expectations can lead in two directions: people can feel like tokens, compromising their confidence at work, or it can motivate them toward trailblazing. Dr. Karren Knowlton, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Dartmouth, defines trailblazing motivation as the desire to set new precedents that break barriers and open doors for others.

Dr. Knowlton’s research shows that a key variable to trailblazing motivation is an employee’s sense of belonging, particularly with others who share their marginalized identity. Dr. Knowlton provides three ways to help your employees develop their own trailblazing motivation:

• Help facilitate a sense of belonging with things such as employee resource groups, conferences and memberships in organizations.
• Connect employees with those who might benefit from their trailblazing efforts, like a local university.
• Recognize the trailblazing efforts that employees are demonstrating, which can empower and motivate them. 

Dr. Damon J. Philips: Including Returning Citizens in DEI Initiatives

Each year, 650,000 people return to society after being incarcerated. However, 68% of these individuals are re-incarcerated within three years, largely due to unemployment. In general, 27% of formerly incarcerated people face unemployment, but that number jumps to 33% for formerly incarcerated Latinos and 40% for formerly incarcerated Blacks. These unemployment rates are higher than those during the Great Depression.

Many give up on the job search, given the low likelihood of being hired. Those who do get hired are often employed in dangerous situations or have poor wages. DEI work is necessary for returning citizens, Dr. Philips, Professor of Management at The Wharton School, said.

“When you focus on them, you’re also focusing on other underrepresented and marginalized groups,” he said.

Returning citizens have a lower turnover than other employees, and they’re also more likely to start a business than the rest of the population. This allows a great opportunity for companies to engage in supplier diversity.

“Some are in fitness. Some are in food services, some are in high tech. Don’t just assume that they’re only in certain types of industries,” said Dr. Philips. “Include returning citizens in our DEI work.” 

McKenzie Preston: What’s the Bottom Line?: Diversity Management Practices and Firm Performance

Research shows that diversity initiatives can sometimes be a double-edged sword. On one hand, they can lead to positive outcomes for employees from marginalized groups, increasing a sense of belonging and allowing space to speak up. On the other hand, diversity initiatives can sometimes backfire, especially for employees in dominant groups. They can sometimes give the perception of unfairness, reducing motivation at work.

Preston’s research shows that when organizations focus on the bottom line of diversity initiatives — tactical and strategic practices — they are more likely to thrive. Having clear, concrete goals that help guide employees should be the focus, such as hiring processes, implementing diversity committees and having a Chief Diversity Officer.

“You can’t just think about diversity practices in isolation, you have to think about if these diversity practices we’re implementing are tactical or strategic,” Preston said. “We can couple those practices together, and that’s what leads to high-performing diversity management systems, which improves performance.”

Watch the full session below.