Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: DEI Initiatives to Honor Black Voices Every Month
Black History Month is the time of year when people revisit President Gerald Fordβs call to action to: βHonor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.β Today, Black History Month is a time to honor the contributions of African Americans across U.S. history and society.
Throughout the month of February, we see #BlackHistoryMonth trending on our feeds and companies acknowledging of Black leaders in industry, politics, science, culture, and more. Unfortunately, we have also witnessed world-renowned logos being transformed into the prominent Pan-African flagβs RGB colors with minimal mention about accompanying initiatives to improve diversity, equality and inclusion.
This lends to an important considerationβone that goes beyond the month of FebruaryβHow can businesses honor Black voices every month?
This article will explore DEI, plus how businesses can go beyond the performative activism of 28 days to champion Black people, culture, and achievements 365 days a year.
The Definition of DEI
DEI stands for diversity, equity and inclusion.
Diversity is the presence of differences within a given setting. A diversified workforce generally refers to a company that intentionally employs people with a range of characteristics, such as psychological, physical, and social differences that occur among all individuals.
This holistic approach goes beyond the traditional diversity parameters of different genders, ethnicities, and racial backgrounds to include religion, culture, sexual orientation, language, educational backgrounds, skills, and abilities. A diverse company is one in which a variety of social and cultural characteristics exist.
Embracing diversity in the workplace takes businesses to new heights.
Equity is the process of ensuring that all systems and programs are impartial, fair, and provide equal possible outcomes for every individual. Equity aims to eliminate barriers that prevent the full participation of historically marginalized groups that have been systematically excluded from mainstream because of unequal power relationships between social groups.
According to research published by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, some of the most common marginalized groups are:
LGBTQIA+
Senior Citizens
Racial/Cultural Minorities
Military Combat Veterans
Hearing, Visually, and Physically Challenged Persons
Persons with Cognitive Impairments
Persons Living with Low Income
The Unhoused
Cognizance of specific needs related to distinct demographics, helps companies create fairness in outcomes instead of just support and resources.
Inclusion is the practice of ensuring that people feel a sense of belonging in the workplace. Inclusion doesnβt naturally result from diversity, and in reality, a business can have a diverse team of talent yet that doesnβt mean that everyone feels welcome or valued. Creating an inclusive culture is essential for recruiting and retaining the type of talent needed to succeed as a business.
βThe heart of the DEI movement is the premise that all individuals have the right to be treated fairly and to participate fully in the workplace.β
β Nicole Fernandes, Forbes Human Resources Council
The Value of DEI in Business
Unfortunately, the pandemic amplified many of the inequities in the workplace that human resource professionals and corporate leaders had worked to lessen before the virus impacted the world. For instance, Black and Hispanic workers were less likely to be in roles that were remote-friendly. Parents with childcare duties who couldnβt take on remote-work roles were likely to leave work. And employees with challenges, such as hearing loss, found it more difficult to work remotely, making them more likely to resign.
Harvard Kenedy School Professor of Public Policy, Iris Bohnet, remarked that "businesses spend nearly $8 billion each year on DEI training.β However, training is just a part of the journey, as addressing unconscious bias starts with sourcing talent in an equitable way and putting initiatives in place to empower diverse voices every step of the way.
When leaders make diversity, equity, and inclusion a priority, every facet of the business benefits, including the bottom line.
DEI programs have a direct impact on driving internal and external value. Here are five advantages to implementing or improving DEI in your organization:
1. Improved Talent Recruiting and Retention
With the increasing number of remote-work roles available, accessibility to work is better than ever for people with challenges that inhibit them from readily working in on-site facilities.
Human resource teams can now hire beyond traditional geographies and open the virtual door to candidates from different populations. Companies with strong diversity climates have a higher likelihood of employees with increased engagement, trust, and job satisfaction.
2. Increased Productivity
Diversity in the workplace also instills a desire to be more effective and work more efficiently, which increases productivity. According to findings from the βDiversity Mattersβ project by McKinsey & Company, diversifying your team can boost productivity by 35%.
A workplace that represents a brandβs audience is more likely to understand their customersβ needs and come up with ideas to fulfill them. A heterogeneous workforce will also increase employee morale, which greatly improves productivity.
3. Greater Innovation
DEI enhances innovation. A diverse and inclusive workforce is able to exchange unique perspectives and spark fresh ideas.
A meta-analysis of 108 studies and more than 10,000 teams by Harvard Business Review indicated that the creativity gains produced by higher team diversity are disrupted by the inherent social conflict and decision-making deficits that heterogeneous teams create. Therefore, it makes sense for companies to increase diversity in teams that are focused on discovery or idea generation, and use homogeneous teams to curate and implement those ideas.
4. Authentic Customer Engagement
Authenticity impacts consumer attitudes and plays a part in perception. In a social climateβwhere representation matters now more than everβeach brand who wants to target a wide range of consumers needs a diverse workforce.
It is no longer a wishlist item that can be substituted by focus groups and one hued round tables. By recruiting and retaining talent that represents the customer base, companies can ensure that their brand authentically appeals to a wider target market.
5. Increased Revenue
Increasing revenue is a priority in any business. A study by the Boston Consulting Group suggests that companies with a diverse workforce and increased innovation generated 19% more revenue than companies with lower diversity scores. By reaping the aforementioned benefits of a diverse workforce, companies come closer to their goal of increasing profits.
Companies with Impactful DEI Initiatives
As a Black businesswoman who has worked in corporations for over 20 years, DEI initiatives have made the difference between having a seat at the table and being a voice who is empowered to drive change.
While there isnβt a one-size-fits-all playbook for DEI programs, here are a few personal favorites that have gone beyond Black History Month initiatives to champion Black people, culture, and achievements every day of the year:
United Airlines
I was recently in-flight when I opened Hemisphere Magazine to a memorable letter from Unitedβs Chief Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer, Jessica Kimbrough followed by two consecutive articles honoring Black voices in their workforce.
Over the past decade, Unitedβs focus has evolved from excellence in employee engagement and talent programs to a strategic approach that embeds DEI throughout their business and impacts the communities where they work, live, and fly.
Corporate Culture Inclusion: Change starts from within. United is committed to taking a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture where all employees feel safe to be their authentic selves.
DEI Recruitment: The airline rewards and supports the success of their diverse workforce, plus seeks to attract, retain and advance diverse leaders.
Community Accessibility: United provides a safe and inclusive experience for millions of diverse customers worldwide. That includes a commitment to treating everyone with dignity and respect. Through their work with local, national and global organizations, elected officials and civic leaders, they make a difference and champion causes that reflect their purpose and values.
Amazon
βRemarkably Black means leaning into the resilience weβve inherited from our ancestors. Oftentimes, society attempts to decouple us from our culture-shifting talents and contributions to the world, but we show up, show out, and look good doing so.β
β Gary, Sr. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Program Lead for Amazon Music
I love seeing highlights like this in my newsfeed from Amazonβs #BlackIsRemarkable campaign! To not only see the likeness of my loved ones represented in a brand I readily consume, yet also feel a cultural alignment with the philosophy of itβs leadership.
In addition to their #BlackIsRemarkable campaign to amplify Remarkably Black employees from across Amazon Entertainment, Amazon is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion as an evergreen company-wide goal.
Corporate Culture Inclusion: Amazonβs culture of inclusion is reinforced within their 14 Leadership Principles, which remind team members to seek diverse perspectives, learn, be curious, and earn trust.
DEI Recruitment: Amazon has 13 employee resource groups with more than 87,000 employees across hundreds of chapters around the world. The company actively recruits diverse candidates through their partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions and womenβs colleges, plus they have over 40,000 veterans and military spouses working at Amazon.
Community Accessibility: The brand fosters diversity and inclusion globally by consistently looking for ways to amplify underrepresented voices and empower diverse communities. Amazonβs tech solutions open opportunities to creators from all over the wordβfrom individual sellers to small and medium-sized businesses. They work to build long-term partnerships with vendors and sellers who share their vision of advancing toward a more equitable future that improves the lives of people everywhere.
Peloton
As a proud member of #BPR: Black Peloton Riders, I may or may not be wearing my favorite athleisure set from last yearβs Black History Month collection while typing thisβ¦
In June 2020, Peloton created the Peloton Pledge: a comprehensive action plan to combat systemic inequities. This plan addresses their internal culture and principles, as well as a strategy for amplifying change both in the company and community.
DEI Team: Through their growing DEI team, anti-racism conversation series, and inclusion learning journeys, the brand is pushing themselves to move toward meaningful and measurable change.
DEI Training: Peloton acknowledges that everyone isnβt provided with the same opportunities to achieve their dreams. By investing $20 million into learning and development, they are giving their workforce the education and resources to turn their aspirations into reality.
Wage Equality: The brand has invested in wage equality by investing $60 million to increase the hourly wages of their workforce. All North American and European-based, non-commissioned hourly team members at Peloton receive a starting wage of $19 an hour.
Community Accessibility: Peloton listened to community feedback to make their fitness product and content more accessible. In three years, their goal is to ensure at least 10% of their classes are streamed to and taken by members in underserved communities.
As reflected through these companies and their initiatives, the goal is not simply to celebrate Black people, culture, and achievements in a one-month span, but each and every day of the year.
Key Takeaways π
From understanding the definition of DEI to putting it into active practice, here are some tangible takeaways as you aspire to make changes for yourself, your community, and your company:
Start by reading about DEI initiatives in order to improve your practices, for example, how to preserve diverse workspaces, or, if you own a small business, DEI initiatives that you can actionably incorporate right now!
Go beyond performative allyship and promote and/or financially support Black creators, innovators, leaders, etc.
Make DEI initiatives a prominent focus of your company and/or circle by engaging in conversations and growing in knowledge (for example, our FWD 2022 Summit!)
