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Leading financial services company <keyword id="19904855" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Wells-Fargo" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Wells Fargo" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Wells Fargo">Wells Fargo</keyword> on Thursday said it has broadened its <keyword id="21638388" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Talent-Attraction" source="keywords">talent attraction</keyword> strategy by launching the <keyword id="23053308" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Transgender-Persons-Hiring-Program" source="keywords">Transgender Persons Hiring Program</keyword> in <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword>, a move that will increase <keyword id="21441079" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diverse-Representation" source="keywords">diverse representation</keyword> across levels. Building on the programme's initial pilot with its 2022 cohort of 13 individuals hired in its technology function, the company aims to train and attract additional talent across multiple lines of business in 2024. The programme aims to provide <keyword id="23053309" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Employability-Skills-Training" source="keywords">employability skills training</keyword> and <keyword id="20128844" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Professional-Development" source="keywords">professional development</keyword> for transgender talent, Wells Fargo said in a statement. "Investing in diverse communities to upskill and unlock potential and, at the same time, set up the right environment for success is a critical area of focus for Wells Fargo," said Uday Odedra, executive vice president and Region head of Wells Fargo India &amp; Philippines. In partnership with community organisation <keyword id="23053310" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PeriFerry" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="PeriFerry" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="PeriFerry">PeriFerry</keyword>, the company currently sponsors 30 transgender individuals focused on enhancing their options for employment and building a robust talent pipeline at Wells Fargo. "By offering meaningful employment and professional opportunities to transgender individuals, we are not only enhancing our workforce <keyword id="20051946" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diversity" source="keywords">diversity</keyword> but also driving a culture of <keyword id="20074544" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Inclusion" source="keywords">inclusion</keyword> that everyone can thrive in," said Sneha Suresh, executive director, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion leader, Wells Fargo India &amp; Philippines. As part of our commitment to continually enhance the inclusive environment, Wells Fargo India conducts sensitisation and awareness sessions with community partners, such as Periferry. Wells Fargo has an active Pride Connection Employee Resource Network (ERN), advocating for LGBTQ employees, customers and allies. The Pride Connection ERN facilitates reverse mentoring, promotes visible allyship, and engages senior leadership to support all employees. They organise floor huddles, conferences, rainbow conversations and training sessions to ensure day-to-day inclusivity across the business.

Wells Fargo launches Transgender Persons Hiring Program in India

The world of tech has been nursing its newest baby for a while now: artificial intelligence. Much like a baby, the tool has been growing at a blazing rate for a while, and we’re really proud of them for it — many of us already have it accompany us to work everyday. And while AI may very well be the smartest baby on the planet, it has one fatal flaw that it shares with all real-life children: their all-but-human parents. Just like we inherit many values, routines and beliefs from our parents, AI software like ChatGPT have been trained on decades of human-generated data — data that can suffer from inherent prejudices. This makes the tools far from perfect in its current state, as it has been shown to present bias against minorities, such as how <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-amazon-com-jobs-automation-insight-idUSKCN1MK08G/">Amazon’s AI recruitment process preferred men over women</a>, or how<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2024/04/05/ai-chatbot-chatgpt-racial-bias/73206637007/"> ChatGPT treated black-sounding names differently.</a> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The employment bias saga continues" comment="subhead" text="The employment bias saga continues">The <keyword id="22152746" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="employment-bias" source="keywords">employment bias</keyword> saga continues</cmsannotation> Most of these examples come from the landscape of recruitment, since this is a field where <keyword id="20096338" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-tools" source="keywords">AI tools</keyword> are increasingly being used to streamline the process of summarising resumes and ranking candidates. However, a recent study has uncovered another type of significant biases within these systems, particularly against <keyword id="21157356" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="disabled-individuals" source="keywords">disabled individuals</keyword>. The study found that ChatGPT consistently ranked resumes with disability-related honours and credentials lower than identical resumes without such distinctions. For example, a resume featuring the "Tom Wilson Disability Leadership Award" was ranked lower, with the AI providing biased justifications. It suggested, for instance, that a resume highlighting an autism leadership award had "less emphasis on leadership roles," reflecting harmful stereotypes about autistic individuals. "Ranking resumes with AI is starting to proliferate, yet there's not much research behind whether it's safe and effective," explains study author Kate Glazko. "For a disabled job seeker, there's always this question when you submit a resume of whether you should include disability credentials. I think disabled people consider that even when humans are the reviewers." To investigate, the researchers used a publicly available curriculum vitae (CV) of one of the study's authors, extending about 10 pages. They created six “enhanced” CVs, each implying a different disability by including four disability-related credentials: a scholarship, an award, a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) panel seat, and membership in a student organization. These enhanced CVs were then ranked against the original for a real "student researcher" job listing at a large US-based software company using ChatGPT's GPT-4 model. Each comparison was run 10 times, and in 60 trials, the system ranked the enhanced CVs first only 25% of the time. "In a fair world, the enhanced resume should be ranked first every time," remarked Jennifer Mankoff, another author. "I can't think of a job where somebody who's been recognised for their leadership skills, for example, shouldn't be ranked ahead of someone with the same background who hasn't." The researchers also discovered that customising ChatGPT with instructions to reduce ableism mitigated the bias for five out of six disabilities tested — deafness, blindness, cerebral palsy, autism, and the general term "disability". However, only three of these resumes were consistently ranked higher than those without <keyword id="22152745" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="disability-mentions" source="keywords">disability mentions</keyword>. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Biased explanations provided" comment="subhead" text="Biased explanations provided">Biased explanations provided</cmsannotation> When the researchers asked GPT-4 to explain its rankings, the responses revealed explicit and implicit ableism. For example, it noted that a candidate with depression had "additional focus on DEI and personal challenges," which it claimed detracted from the "core technical and research-oriented aspects of the role." "Some of GPT's descriptions would colour a person's entire resume based on their disability and claimed that involvement with DEI or disability is potentially taking away from other parts of the resume," Glazko explained. "For instance, it hallucinated the concept of 'challenges' into the depression resume comparison, even though 'challenges' weren't mentioned at all. So you could see some stereotypes emerge." This study underscores the urgent need for greater scrutiny and refinement of AI tools in hiring. While generative AI like ChatGPT can streamline processes, it also perpetuates and amplifies biases, potentially undermining efforts to create more inclusive workplaces. The findings of this study can be accessed <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3630106.3658933">here</a>.

Here’s what ChatGPT said about why it discriminated against CVs with disability mentions

Indian workers persist in expecting higher salaries to offset escalating living expenses. Also, to feel valued for their contributions and <keyword id="19986702" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="flexibility" source="keywords">flexibility</keyword> remains a pressing concern for most employees, says a recent report. According to recruitment firm <keyword id="20450097" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Michael-Page-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Michael Page India" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Michael Page India">Michael Page India</keyword>'s Talent Trends 2024 report, flexibility has become a major point of contention in most parts of India as employers grapple with implementing <keyword id="22109728" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hybrid-working-models" source="keywords">hybrid working models</keyword> and policies that meet both business needs and employee preferences. At a time when a whopping 94% of respondents in India are open to exploring different roles in 2024, employers must look beyond competitive salaries and address broader aspects such as flexibility, <keyword id="20051946" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="diversity" source="keywords">diversity</keyword>, <keyword id="20046237" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equity" source="keywords">equity</keyword>, and inclusion (DE&amp;I), and positive workplace culture to effectively attract and retain top talent, the report said. "A successful recruitment strategy needs to go beyond merely offering competitive salaries. It should prioritise cultivating a robust company culture, providing flexibility, and addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&amp;I) initiatives to effectively attract and retain top talent," Ankit Agarwala, Managing Director of Michael Page India, said. The report titled "The Expectation Gap" covered responses from approximately 50,000 skilled white-collar professionals across 37 countries, including over 3,000 individuals from India. According to the report, India leads APAC in reporting <keyword id="19975932" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="workplace-discrimination" source="keywords">workplace discrimination</keyword>, with 47% of employees reporting workplace discrimination, higher than the APAC average of 31%. However, 45% of the workforce still faces barriers in formally reporting such incidents. Globally, 28% of organisations report similar retention challenges, indicating a heightened pressure on Indian companies. To maintain high levels of job satisfaction among all age groups, organisations must understand and address the distinct priorities of each generation, from Baby Boomers to Gen Z, the report said. Among various sectors, 26% of Indian employers report <keyword id="22109727" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="recruitment-challenges" source="keywords">recruitment challenges</keyword>, while 25% face difficulties in retention. Meanwhile, 31% of organisations in the Indian healthcare sector experience recruitment challenges, and 30% struggle with retention. The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector in India reports the highest retention issues, with 54% of companies indicating difficulties in keeping their talent. "The rise of e-commerce and shifting consumer preferences are prompting FMCG companies to adapt quickly, leading to high demand for professionals with expertise in digital marketing, supply chain management, and consumer insights," the report noted.

Flexibility, salary key jobseeker parameters for new roles in India: Report

This article is part of "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/talent-insider">Talent Insider</a>," a series containing expert advice to help business owners tackle a variety of hiring challenges.Ashley Black is the managing director of equity strategies at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-and-worst-airlines-us-ranking-list-wsj-2024-1">Delta Air Lines</a>, which said it had more than 100,000 workers and more than 190 million customers in 2023. She's held various roles in her 23 years with the Atlanta carrier, 18 of which were in employee communications. Black spoke with Business Insider about the company's efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion. The following has been edited for brevity and clarity.What works best when it comes to DEI?At Delta, our mission is that no one better connects the world. We talk about the fact that we don't just connect people to places, but we connect people with people. To do that, there needs to be this level of understanding. That requires both an understanding strategy but also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-dei-expert-helped-startup-founder-canary-culture-equitable-2022-12">a learning strategy</a>.And so we've been investing in our people, both employees and leaders. We have employees who work and interface every day with customers — customers who may be like them or could be different than them.We've created this tapestry, if you will, of learning — meeting people where they are in their journey and catering to a broad range of learning styles. This tapestry offers both <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/diversity-inclusion-strategy-corporate-plan-advice-2020-10">in-person learning opportunities</a> about differences and online sessions for all Delta people, regardless of their level of knowledge or expertise.We partner with an organization called Nova Collective, a women-and-minority-owned DEI consulting firm that provides optional learning opportunities through instructor-led sessions and web-based training. These trainings build upon the foundational concepts that employees have previously learned at Delta.We also are investing in racial equity workshops with the Groundwater Institute, which offers Delta leaders training and resources to apply <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-business-owners-can-prioritize-diversity-equity-inclusion-hiring-2022-8">equitable leadership practices</a> effectively.It's looking at data and analysis and inequities that exist, particularly with systems, and some of the history of how those systems came to be created. We have been taking our leaders through that, and it's helping them dig in and understand some of the causes and the roots of where we may have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dei-programs-america-diversity-equity-inclusion-pushback-how-to-fix-2024-2">equity gaps</a> within our policies or processes — this is an almost 100-year-old company — that we need to address. That has been extremely helpful.On that same wavelength, we're doing work on the experiential side. We take buses down to Montgomery, Alabama, and we go to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alabamas-lynching-slavery-memorial-america-montgomery-opening-2018-4">Equal Justice Initiative Legacy Museum</a> and spend time going through that museum and also hearing from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/michael-b-jordan-extras-weep-courtroom-scene-jamie-foxx-advice-2020-1">Bryan Stevenson</a> and talking about the work he's been doing and some of the history there. In some cases, employees raised their hands and expressed an interest in going, and in other cases, we've had leaders who sponsor a bus.These are all ways where people can learn and upskill and help navigate this journey more effectively. It's made a difference for people in getting more proximate — to both leaders as it relates to our employees, but also our employees to our customers — and understanding.Another piece I'll mention is our business resource groups. We find those to be incredibly effective. Some companies call them employee resource groups. They started as employee resource groups focused on career mobility, upskilling, and networking.But what we found was that those groups are really insightful and powerful and bring forth life experiences as well as perspectives that are important to our business, whether that's in how we navigate what products we offer our customers or even experiential design as it relates to our headquarters or airports and the way of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dei-challenges-small-business-how-entrepreneurs-diversity-inclusivity-2024-3">making spaces more accessible</a> for customers and employees.We use them both in the capacity of being thought leaders but also bringing forth opportunities to grow their careers and connect. And we have a really engaged workforce. We have upwards of 36,000 employees who are involved in our business resource groups.The bus trips are interesting. Who's going on these?It's everybody. It might be a customer-experience specialist who works in our call centers, or it could be a leader or frontline employee from the airport. They opt in.We also have leaders who have said that as a result of going through this Groundwater experience and learning about some of the history and the outcomes from the data in the analysis, they want to go to the Legacy Museum and experience that and do that with their teams. They come forward and say, "Hey, I want to take 36 people from my business unit down and let them experience that and spend some time together talking about the history and the learnings."More than 1,000 of our people have made the trip.Leaders are also saying: "How does that apply to the work we do? <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-create-meaningful-diversity-and-inclusion-policy-2021-2">What are the inequities</a> that exist in our business unit?" Whether it's related to policies, hiring processes, or recruitment. That's been really impactful as well.You may have a lawyer from our legal team alongside one of our aviation maintenance technicians. When you talk about the lived experiences and the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-hollywood-needs-change-to-become-more-inclusive-dei-experts-2021-8">diverse makeup of our workforce</a>, which is powerful and incredible, and they experience this together, while their experiences are different, there's something in uniting and relating and having that moment together that changes the way we work together.What would you say to leaders of companies that are similar in size to Delta when it comes to making progress around DEI?For years, Delta had a global office of diversity and inclusion. In 2020, we expanded our focus and really saw that equity was a key lever in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/signs-dei-serious-workspace-hr-professional-2023-12">DEI strategy.</a> Right now, you hear many of the buzzwords about DEI, but we have said equity is at the center of our strategy.Equity is a constant pursuit. We haven't solved all the issues. We know that it's going to take time. With us being a highly regulated industry and also being a nearly 100-year-old company, there are things that we can take the time to look at. We started that work during COVID and have continued it.When you have leaders who are working across the business, after participating in these workshops and learning sessions, they <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-dei-expert-helped-startup-founder-canary-culture-equitable-2022-12">understand the inequities that exist</a>, and then they go look at their business unit and the policies that are specific to their workforce. That's been a game changer for us because it's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-ask-yourself-before-applying-for-diversity-officer-role-2021-9">expanding the people doing this work</a>.We said this was an inside-out approach. We needed our employees to see what we were going to do and how we were going to be held accountable, and really believe in and buy into it and see that it was something that was going to happen. It wasn't just us talking about it externally and not doing the work inside.Why did equity become the key lever in your DEI strategy?If you look at what equity is, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/free-online-courses-diversity-equity-inclusion-2020-10">it's about access</a>. It's about fairness. It's about opportunity for everyone. That's why equity is so important. We want people to see that it benefits everyone.I'll give you an example. We started our skills-based talent journey pre-COVID, but we really ramped up in COVID as a result of our partnership with the OneTen coalition, which is focused on getting 1 million Black people in family-sustaining jobs.Focusing on skills helps everyone at Delta in the way of hiring and recruitment. Because when you looked at that data at the time, it said that 70% of Black people in the US 25 and older do not have a four-year college degree. At that same time, 60% of white people 25 and older did not have a college degree. It's trying to help people see that, when you look at this, the barrier exists for millions of people. So how do we make it fair for everyone?At Delta, we often talk about "inclusion for all," with our workforce <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dei-experts-give-tips-to-improve-diversity-in-advertising-2021-8">representing a wide range of diversity</a>, not only demographically but also in perspective, life experience, and learning styles.We value college degrees. Some people get their skills that way. But other people get skills by working in the operation, by interacting with our customers. Really saying, there's not just one way to get those skills. How do you get the skills? What is your <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-land-diversity-inclusion-equity-job-2021-7">proficiency with those skills</a>? I hope people can see themselves in that journey.I worked leading employee communications for 18 years at Delta. I do not have a degree in DEI. A lot of people who do this work don't, but there are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-diversity-trailblazers-making-american-companies-more-inclusive-2022-12">skills that can make you effective</a> at it.It's narrative work. And it's looking at things that may have historically been in place, whether they're narratives or even systems, where the data analysis shows the impact.How do you tackle that? That's been a big piece for us.

At Delta, equity has become a 'key lever' in its DEI strategy

<ul class="summary-list"><li>KT Thornton, Taco Bell's chief of equity, inclusion, and belonging, said she felt "fully embraced."</li><li>In the latest <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/the-equity-talk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Equity Talk</a>, Thornton shares how she's ensuring equity efforts aren't performative. </li></ul>Katrina "KT" Thornton has a big personality and is using it to make strides involving equity, inclusion, and belonging in corporate America. As Taco Bell's first <a href="https://www.tacobell.com/blog/ep-20-the-evolution-of-equity-inclusion-and-belonging-in-the-workplace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chief equity, inclusion, and belonging officer</a>, Thornton knows she has a big role to play, saying: "I view E, I, and B as this enabler to fuel the growth of a business and the people." <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?disabled=1&amp;h=573c53deb1d75f1bd220cc4314d49ece46bf75388bcb252444c136c1f0283fe4&amp;postID=643d4afb2328216df15050fd&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fkatrina-%25E2%2580%259Ckt%25E2%2580%259D-thornton-she-her-hers-dsl-7402a620%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow sponsored">Thornton</a> told Insider, "Since I've joined Taco Bell a year and a half ago, they have fully embraced me — my personality. You're probably getting the sense of my perspective; it's often maybe different."She said that all levels of Taco Bell, which is part of Yum Brands, also the parent of KFC and Pizza Hut, had supported E, I, and B work. "They have truly, truly embraced the strategy and the work and are comfortable saying, 'Here, here's what we need.' 'KT, here's what we're not quite getting.' 'Here's how we can grow more,'" she said. "That has been not only positive and so uplifting, it helps to energize and ignite and say, 'All right, this is how we can go faster.' 'OK, here's where we need to slow down because we need this piece right before we speed up.'"In the latest installment of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/the-equity-talk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Equity Talk</a>, Thornton shares how she makes sure initiatives aren't performative — or even appear to be. And whether an employee works in a restaurant or in corporate, she wants to ensure there are career paths and opportunities.Taco Bell offers restaurant workers a scholarship program, an "incubator" program for new ideas, opportunities for employees of all levels to visit corporate headquarters for training and team building, and a leadership program for general managers from restaurants.Thornton said she'd found success in her role because "I can bring who I am as a person in this newly created role" at a brand "that creates the envelopes others push."The following interview was lightly edited for length and clarity.Your title is unique. Many folks have heard of diversity, equity, and inclusion — DEI — but yours is slightly different and is E, I, and B. Why is that?Equity, inclusion, and belonging is a term we use across our entire Yum system. The key piece of that is equity being in the forefront — to show that we're leading with equity, which is really important, how that also helps to then bring in a sense of inclusion or inclusion as an action. That then hopefully brings a sense of belonging. If you think about this as a holistic approach — and I love that it is different from what you see in most places — it's very intentional.Can you define E, I, and B? I'll speak for what it means for me personally and what we brought forth to the brand. Equity is so important because, to me, it is talking about how do you break down barriers to ensure there's a level playing field. It really drives fairness and consistency. So when that's the anchor, it just sets the tone on how businesses operate — before you bring in the diversity piece. And that's so critical when I think about inclusion. For me, inclusion is action. It is, "What are the behaviors that we're going to continue to make sure that we operate?" That we lead — in that we model to ensure that we're inviting others in — regardless of who they may be.And then, lastly, belonging is really the output, right? It's a sense that my full aspect of who I am — it's not just a cliché. It is celebrated. It is valued. It's wanted. I can feel as if I can bring all of who I am and contribute to the organization. As a person of color, the journey sometimes is not easy. I have faced everything from imposter syndrome to people wondering why I'm in the room to not feeling comfortable enough to actually use my voice and have a seat at the table. And then when I have one, I don't know what to do with it. How has your journey been? Is there a moment when you embraced what this could be? I started my career as an HR business partner and HR business leader of many different companies. And I saw the side of the table where you're making decisions. And one of the things I will always keep in my mind: Sometimes being "the only" in the room, or being one of the few — I said, "How am I going to use my seat?" Maybe that is me having to be bold and courageous. And sometimes I don't know how the outcome is going to be when I'm speaking up for when I see things — to ensure that there's fairness. And I have used that in every aspect of my career, even when I was scared, even if it may have been unpopular.I feel as if my purpose and my vocation are now colliding. There's a wonderful collision that has taken place. It's now a calling.Also, I take a moment to say, "How do I seek to understand in many ways — and not leave with an assumption — and have those tough conversations?" And in those tough conversations, what I'm learning about myself, what I've learned about others, and what nugget of wisdom can I leave."I view myself as I'm a business partner who happens to sit in the seat of the E, I, and B. And so that is how I'm going to lead enterprise-wide. And I'm going to push and I'm going to challenge. But I also want the feedback as well to say, "OK, how do we make sure we bring everyone along?" E, I, and B are expected as company priorities. They're no longer "nice-to-haves." They're "must-haves." How are you and the company living up to that expectation?You hit the nail on the head. You said it's a necessity. And the key piece of talking about how we're bringing this forward — it truly is as leading with action. The first step of this, even with action, is ensuring this work is actually integrated into every aspect of the business. It doesn't just sit in HR; it's not in the siloed approach. It's not just programming. In every part of our business, are we leading with action and having an E, I, and B lens? Is there an example of when the question led to an everyday action that now is being used more widely? Or sometimes it's all about starting the conversation, too. We're asking questions that we wouldn't have asked three years ago, five years ago.In April 2022, we did an E, I, and B immersion where we brought the entire organization together — in a hybrid way because of the pandemic. We flew in some restaurant leaders, including general managers and area coaches, and actually had about 200 folks on-site and 200 folks virtually.The purpose was, one: How do we further socialize the E, I, and B strategy and help the team understand what that means? Two, how do you start applying these concepts and think about what does that look like from the seat I sit in, whether I'm a leader or individual contributor? How do I again lead in this space? Thirdly, how do we build this community of trust and vulnerability? We talked about what it meant from a personal view. Let's have these tough conversations, but what are maybe our biases? How did these show up? How do we address it? How do we learn more? Then we talked about the business. Why is this needed for the business to be relevant? How does this show up in the business — our everyday moments — whether in our restaurants or teams or how we're connecting with our consumers? Then, lastly, we looked at it from a cultural standpoint. Why is this needed for the culture to win? That was such a huge moment — the first time that's ever been done — but it really set a tone in the sense that anyone can say, "What's my role? Now, understand the role I play to bring this to light."Now, whether it's our hiring practices, we're looking into having coaching and learning sessions, so you're able to say, "How do I apply this concept?" Or, "How do I look at my biases and mitigate those?"You probably hear my passion coming through. It's this 360 approach from a personal lens, a business lens, and a culture, and it's really helped folks to see themselves in it, because it goes beyond me. It's the power of the collective.What is the biggest challenge you face in getting executives to understand that these initiatives can't seem performative? Employees need to feel and see progress.This is a part of our business strategy. And that's what makes it very real and not performative. When we're connecting the dots to E, I, and B, it is actually being utilized as a growth fueler for our people. We're not just chasing the ad-hoc moments, like, "Oh, we're just checking the box." It goes so beyond that. It's part of our business updates — having our leaders have it in their goals for the year. That's a whole different dynamic, and it makes it very real and that our teams can feel and also the investments that we're putting in for it.We're transparently saying, "We can always get better." Using these dynamics externally and internally helps people to see that it's real.What are you most worried about in terms of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in corporate America? One of the things I've seen in just the space of equity, inclusion, and belonging is it's often posed as this journey. And when you think about journey — most folks look at a road, right? You can see this road; you can drive forward. You can put it in neutral and just watch it all go around. Or you can put it in reverse and start to backtrack. One of the things we've done at Taco Bell that helps really keep this fire burning is we call this our E, I, and B evolution. We've chosen not to use the concept of journey. We're asking, "How do we constantly evolve our thinking and our operating model?"It's tough to do those reverse mechanisms; it'll be very tough to neutralize it. One of the things I hope that we continue to see is that we continue to embrace this sense of E, I, and B as an evolution and integrate all parts of the business. It becomes a part of how we operate.Yum Brands is a well-known name that can set standards across the industry in terms of diversity, education, and exciting career paths. What are your top priorities this year?My No. 1 priority is around education at every level of our organization but, specifically, starting with our coaches and our leaders. Two, continuing that feedback loop from our employees. The more insights and feedback that we get, the more we can apply. In addition to that, my partnership and connection with our restaurant teams. How do we start to really integrate this into our restaurants at a greater level?

Taco Bell's chief of equity, inclusion, and belonging opens up about using her voice and her seat at the table

<ul class="summary-list"><li>June 19, or <keyword id="13756477" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="juneteenth" source="Orion">Juneteenth</keyword>, is a day commemorating the effective end of slavery in the US. </li><li>For Juneteenth, <keyword id="14234993" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lisa-ross" source="Orion">Lisa Ross</keyword>, the US CEO of <keyword id="12990232" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="edelman" source="Orion">Edelman</keyword>, gave her thoughts on the state of racial justice.</li></ul>On June 19 last year, Lisa Ross, the US CEO of the public-relations powerhouse Edelman, penned her thoughts about Juneteenth, the national holiday marking the effective end of slavery in the US. "It's nice that Congress came together to get something done," she wrote in a LinkedIn post, referring to the decision by lawmakers days earlier to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. "What's necessary, however, is for Congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, and the Emmett Till Antilynching Act, for starters." There was a sense of frustration to her words, a marked shift in tone from previous posts. Now, a year on, that sense of urgency might be here to stay for the woman who runs the US arm of the world's largest PR firm. The Emmett Till Antilynching Act <a href="https://www.vox.com/22995013/anti-lynching-act-emmett-till">became law</a> in March, but Congress has yet to pass the other two bills. This year, Ross, who is Black, is renewing her calls on congressional leaders and business titans to advance racial justice in meaningful ways. "My thoughts on the holiday haven't changed much since last year," she told Insider. "I, unfortunately, still see many brands continue to think of Juneteenth as a box to check." "It's been two years since George Floyd's murder, but despite adding Juneteenth to the list of federal holidays, there hasn't been the real progress that our nation needs or deserves," she added. Despite promises from corporations after Floyd's death in 2020, Ross said many companies are still engaging in surface-level commitments to <keyword id="10156607" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="racial-equity" source="Orion">racial equity</keyword>. But at the same time, recent <a href="https://www.edelman.com/trust/2022-trust-barometer">research</a> from Edelman shows that most of the issues employees want their business leaders to take action on revolve around the idea of social justice. More than 52% of workers wanted leaders to do something about issues such as wage inequality, racism, and LGBTQ rights, Edelman found."Businesses, and CEOs specifically, are being called on to address our deepest structural challenges," Ross said. <div type="image" title="Juneteenth" height="1901" width="2844" msid="92317423" hostid="261"></div>More than 60% of Americans believed CEOs had "a responsibility to take a stand" on societal issues, according to a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/americans-support-woke-ceos-inequality-wages-racism-just-capital-survey-2021-11">2021 poll</a> conducted by the nonprofit research firm Just Capital. And many Americans said there was more work to be done, especially when it came to paying sufficient wages for everyday workers.To make a difference, companies shouldn't just rely on marketing campaigns or social-media posts. Instead, Ross said, companies should put money behind issues they care about, change their business practices, build a more representative workforce, and push for policy changes by government. Days of celebration, such as Juneteenth, and commemorative months, such as Pride Month, Ross said, should spark long-term action.She said, "They are a time to double down — tent poles in a larger, more comprehensive <keyword id="11893563" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="strategy" source="Orion">strategy</keyword>, not opportunities to pick your head up after months of silence."

The US CEO of the world's largest PR firm doubles down on her Juneteenth message: 'There hasn't been the real progress our nation needs'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Nearly 8 out of 10 <keyword id="11908912" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="biotech" source="Orion">biotech</keyword> companies say that <keyword id="11929860" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="diversity" source="Orion">diversity</keyword> is a priority.</li><li>But executives and CEOs in the industry are still overwhelmingly white and male.</li></ul>It's not news in 2022 that <keyword id="11893568" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="diversity-and-inclusion" source="Orion">diversity and inclusion</keyword> are important tenets of running a successful company. Reports from <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters">McKinsey</a> and <a href="https://hbr.org/2018/07/the-other-diversity-dividend">Harvard Business Review</a> have shown that companies with a diverse workforce are more profitable, for example.But in the biotech industry, there's still plenty of room for improvement, according to a new survey from industry group BIO and nonprofit think tank Coqual. On Monday, the pair released their third annual survey <a href="https://www.bio.org/sites/default/files/2022-06/261734_BIO_22_DEI_Report_P4.pdf">measuring diversity</a> in 99 biotech companies. Some of the survey results were encouraging: Women now make up half of all employees at biotech companies, and 42% of companies surveyed said they increased the number of non-white executives. The upper echelons of the industry, however, still remain homogenous. Nearly 80% of biotech CEOs are men, and 70% of CEOs are white, according to the survey. The lack of leadership diversity costs women in the biotech and <keyword id="6363818" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pharma" source="Orion">pharma</keyword> industry an estimated $532 million a year, according to an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gender-inequity-drug-industry-little-progress-on-diverse-female-ceos-2021-4">Insider analysis</a> published last year.However, there are some solutions. At the 2022 BIO conference in San Diego, biotech executives laid out three concrete steps that companies can take to increase diversity in their ranks and instill confidence in their workers. <h2>Increase diversity in clinical trials</h2>Veronica Sandoval, principal of patient inclusion and health equity at Genentech, said companies need to think about patients, not just workers. She said biotech firms need to start recruiting more diverse patients in clinical trials. Right now, she said, "we are not representing the patients that we want to treat." It's a sentiment that was recently echoed by the US Food and Drug Administration. In April, the agency released <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-important-steps-increase-racial-and-ethnic-diversity-clinical-trials">draft guidance</a> for companies to include more diversity in biomedical research. Companies often go to academic medical centers to recruit people for clinical trials, Sandoval said, which results in <a href="https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(20)31259-3/fulltext">over 90% of clinical trial patients being white</a>. She suggested that companies instead bring clinical trials to community centers, and compensate participants for their involvement. Recruiting diverse patients has also helped Genentech move through the recruiting process more quickly, she said. For a study that enrolled only Latino and Black patients to study multiple sclerosis, Sandoval says they completed enrollment two months faster than normal. <h2>Hold CEOs accountable for their companies</h2>While nearly 8 out of 10 biotech companies surveyed said that recruiting and keeping diverse employees was a priority, only 11% of companies said that their CEO's evaluations and compensation are linked to diversity and inclusion metrics."Adding diversity considerations to leader evaluations sends a clear message that the ability to lead employees of all backgrounds is a requirement of growth and seniority at a company," according to the BIO report. <a href="https://travere.com/senior-leadership/eric-dube-ph-d/">Eric Dube</a>, president and CEO of <a href="https://travere.com/">Travere Therapeutics</a>, said it's essential for executives and boards to not only talk about diversity, but also measure it. He said that every company executive should have a stated objective on how to address diversity and inclusion within their company"I can guarantee you that your employees are listening to your silence," he said, "and they will vote with their feet whether this is the company or industry for them." <h2>Analyze and address pay inequity </h2>According to the executives, there is one factor that makes the biggest difference in promoting diversity within a company: equal pay. "Many of our research studies have shown that if you do not offer <keyword id="11956156" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pay-equity" source="Orion">pay equity</keyword>, many of your other DE&amp;I initiatives are for naught," said Jyoti Agarwal, managing director of Coqual. 61% of companies that responded to the survey said they conduct a pay equity analysis, and only 58% said they take steps to ensure pay equity. More companies should be conducting these analyses, according to Coqual, because they are linked to perceptions of fairness at work. "If we have to say what is the top thing an organization should do if they're not doing it now, pay equity would be right at the top of that list," she said.

Biotech execs share the 3 most important steps companies can take to increase diversity and inclusion in the industry

<ul><li>There’s no doubt that in 2022 and beyond, companies and advertising agencies will dedicate more attention and resources to improving <keyword id="61889" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="diversity" source="Orion">Diversity</keyword>, <keyword id="12546708" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="equity-and-inclusion" source="Orion">Equity and Inclusion</keyword> (DEI).</li><li>While the ad industry has a lot of women today, many drop out by the time they reach mid-management levels, primarily due to the lack of flexible hours, or the flexibility to work from home.</li><li>Advertising agencies, therefore, have been working towards training more women, to prepare them for leadership roles. They are also launching special programs to encourage queer people to join advertising agencies.</li><li>We speak to a few Creative Agencies that appear to be making strides in improving DEI to find out what’s their current <keyword id="1014511" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gender-ratio" source="Orion">gender ratio</keyword> and got them to share a few ways in which they think the industry can evolve to become more inclusive.</li></ul>The advertising industry is known to lead to change and advertising agencies have the power to shape how people see themselves through their creative campaigns. They have the power to make a positive impact on society. The industry can use its influential power in mending belief systems and nudging people to question their regressive thoughts. From challenging stereotypes to pushing people to embrace the entire gender spectrum, advertising campaigns can work wonders in bringing about acceptance. Apart from using their advertising and marketing tools tactfully, ad agencies can work towards improving gender representation inside their organisations at a structural level. However, at the creative stage, too many perspectives have been excluded over the years. Many organisations hire one queer person and make them the face of diversity. Last year, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/ad-agencies/article/cannes-lions-to-onboard-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-specialist-consultancy-after-former-dean-abraham-abbi-asefaw-called-out-the-organisation-for-lack-of-representation/articleshow/83030888.cms">Cannes Lions was </a>called out for hiring one person of colour at Roger Hatchuel Academy and making them the face of diversity. After drawing flak, the academy and Cannes Lions onboarded a specialised Diversity, Inclusivity and Equity agency to correct its course. In the last few years, advertising agencies in India have taken baby steps towards improving Diversity, Inclusivity and Equity inside their organisations as well. They are trying to build an inclusive culture that transcends barriers, biases and bureaucracy, and makes employees truly feel like they belong. With equal representation of different voices on the inside, historically underrepresented demographic groups are authentically and positively represented in the campaigns too. This leads to robust dialogue, richer decisions, it helps build empathy within the organization to design good, and human-centered solutions. Advertising and Media Insider gathered insights from industry leaders and agencies who appear to be making strides towards DEI about how employers can boost diversity and inclusion in their organisations. A look at the current gender ratio MullenLowe Lintas Group’s gender ratio stands at 35% and the agency network has a similar ratio even at the leadership level. Garima Pant, Group HR Director, MullenLowe Lintas Group told us about their hiring process. She said, “For us, DEI goes beyond Gender. This year with our Apex Council, we plan to steer initiatives and changes aimed towards shaping and embedding DEI in the DNA of the organization. Our commitment to hire more diverse voices has already been put in action; we are signatories on the UN Women Empowerment Principles, we introduced our Referral program with 2X referral bonus aimed at hiring women, PWD’s and LGBTQ+ team members and are also systemically looking at embedding DEI in our processes to ensure accountability while we lead with intent. For advertising, more than most other industries, DEI is not just a humanistic issue, it is a business case. At the heart of diversity and inclusion is getting diverse thinking, diverse perspectives, thereby inspiring imagination and impacting societal change.” DDB Mudra Group, which was one of the first agencies in India to update its insurance policy to include same-sex couples and live-in partners, ended 2021 with a gender ratio of women-to-men at 40:60. Rita Verma, EVP &amp; Head - HR, DDB Mudra Group told us all about the agency’s roadmap for 2022. She said, “DEI has been a key priority for us in the last few years, and our plans for the coming year are built off the work that we have done in the last three years. The Phyllis Project is a DDB global initiative that kicked off in 2018 to help women leaders stay the course and rise more effortlessly through the ranks. In 2020, in the middle of the challenges of the pandemic, we managed to launch the India leg of the program, which is a more intense, consistent and personalised program for our top 25 women talent. We will proudly be graduating the first batch of the Phyllis India project in March of this year, and kick-starting a 2022 batch. Through the last two years, with a mix of mentoring engagements with the best in the business within and outside DDB, training and skill-building interventions and exposure to some of the most inspiring women leaders, we’ve built a set of powerful women leaders. We are proud of the ones who have stayed with us and grown their influence within DDB in India, like Mehak Jaini who heads strategy for us at 22feet Tribal Worldwide, and also the incredible women talent who have gone on to take on bigger challenges in the industry such as Sonal Jhuj at Lego and Shagun Seda at Netflix. Our Open Pride program has seen us consistently engage in conversations with our employees to increase awareness and sensitize them towards the LGBTQIA+ community. We have made a conscious effort to improve our policies, whether it is in the context of insurance for same sex partners, or increased paternity leave, or wellness leaves. This is a result of six monthly reviews to see how we can be more inclusive and sensitive to all employees. We want to lead the thinking in contemporary employee policies and not follow the market, and are constantly seeking inputs from our people to get better at this. Another initiative that we are truly excited about this year, is a series of our Equal Parenting workshops to help our employees become the kind of parents and professionals they want to be and normalise the essential conversation around balancing parenthood and professional success.” At TBWA, 35-40% of their employees are women across client servicing, creative and planning functions. To encourage young women and employees of all genders to speak up their minds, the agency network has been working towards making leaders on the top more accessible to new employees. Namrata Nandan, Executive Director – West, South &amp; New Initiatives, TBWA said, “We have provided a platform to our young promising stars to establish a direct connect with the CEO and present their thoughts on matters pertaining to strategy, operations, organization culture, etc and play a part in the decision-making process. Young millennials and Gen Z are vocal &amp; creative, coupled with a strong need to belong and to be heard. This forum provides a great opportunity for the organization to leverage their creative/out-of-box thinking and at the same time gives them the opportunity to express themselves and participate in decision making.” Ways in which the advertising ecosystem can improve DEI It is important to build a work environment where all employees feel seen, accepted and valued. Rohit Suri, Chief HR Officer, dentsu South Asia said that agencies should ‘foster an Inclusive Culture by cultivating a supportive, welcoming and inclusive workplace where everyone can contribute to their full potential.’ Sharing how the entire advertising ecosystem can elevate DEI across the board, he said, “The advertising industry has a huge responsibility to uphold DEI and ensure stereotypes are removed, create products and service offerings that mitigate bias and it is important for the industry to understand that DEI is all about adapting human behavior, something that requires continuous enhancement of inclusion capabilities and ongoing practice every day. Secondly, along with behaviors organizations must have robust feedback mechanisms and listening systems that reinforce the culture of inclusion and belonging. Third, organisations must invest in training programs and initiatives that invite diverse talent from underrepresented groups to join them to ensure the ideas that come from these diverse teams are better and the clients are better served. Fourth, when DEI is treated as a business imperative it moves beyond the responsibility of one team or a group of people it becomes the responsibility of everyone in the organisation.” Pant broke down her advice into three parts and advised agencies to follow M.A.P. “Measure - What gets measured gets done: The Org Business and Talent dashboard needs to have a diversity and inclusion lens across the employee lifecycle. Awareness - Moving beyond the metrics. Awareness is the greatest agent for change. Policies: Put a stake in the ground. Policies ensure that organizations embrace talent practices that systemically drive Inclusion,” explained Pant. Verma pointed out that ‘with the queer community, the task is slightly different because one does not identify candidates at the outset by their sexual identity.’ What DDB Mudra Group is trying to build is an environment that makes everyone feel safe, nurtured and be given equal opportunity. This happens through consistent awareness building, education, and sensitization workshops and interactions. To bridge this gap, the agency has organised various masterclass sessions for its employees. Adding how the HR industry needs a refreshed approach after the pandemic, she said, “The advertising industry in India is experiencing a lot of change. And it is a great time to re-evaluate the principles on which we want to build our agencies going forward, and therefore the overall ecosystem. Especially in the last couple of years, we have seen unforeseen levels of attrition and burnout owing to the pandemic. What it has taught us is the fact that we need to do better by our people as an industry. Whether it is in terms of providing better work-life balance, supporting and propagating equal parenting, consciously seeking women talent in leadership, rewarding leaders for their role in creating and nurturing diverse and inclusive teams, or partnering clients to better represent women and other faultily represented communities in our work – there is so much we must do as an industry. We believe that product and creativity will be exceptional as an outcome of all these efforts as well. It is an exciting time, and we hope to walk tall in the advertising fraternity by leading from the front on all these issues.”

Here’s how Indian ad agencies are improving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within their organisations

<div type="image" title="Melonie Parker smiles in headshot" height="1600" width="2400" msid="91693655" hostid="261"></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Three shootings in the past two weeks underscore America's problem with violence and racism.</li><li><keyword id="6355629" type="General" weightage="60" keywordseo="google" source="Orion">Google</keyword>'s head of diversity shared how recent events affect her personally and professionally. </li></ul>A recent trio of deadly shootings in New York, Texas, and California reveal how violent racial hatred embedded in American culture can make corporate diversity advocates' work feel exhausting but more urgent than ever. Melonie Parker, Google's chief diversity officer, who is Black, feels this acutely. "That could have been my mom," Parker said, referring to the people killed in Saturday's <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/live-updates/buffalo-shooting-supermarket-suspect-payton-gendron-may-15/">mass shooting</a> at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. "What I find horrifying about it, particularly as a Black person, is our wounds are never fully allowed to heal." The violence can be overwhelming: In Buffalo, 13 people were shot and <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/live-updates/buffalo-shooting-supermarket-suspect-payton-gendron-may-15/">10 were killed, all of them Black,</a> in an attack President Biden called "<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/buffalo-biden-meet-victims-families-after-white-supremacist-shooting-2022-05-17/">domestic terrorism</a>." The following day, one person was killed and at least five others were wounded when a gunman attacked a lunch banquet at a <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-05-15/multiple-people-shot-at-church-in-laguna-woods-o-c-sheriff-says">Taiwanese church</a> in Laguna Woods, California. Last week, three people were wounded in a shooting at a Korean-owned hair salon in Dallas that's being investigated as a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/18/us/dallas-hair-salon-shooting-hate-crime-investigation/index.html">hate crime</a>. Many Black and Asian Americans in particular are reeling from the attacks and taking to social media to express <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/aikobethea_today-is-the-official-birthday-i-really-activity-6931698539173478400-j_Hu?utm_source=linkedin_share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop_web">grief</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/srdickenson_i-thought-i-would-be-able-to-move-on-today-activity-6931973010518138880-Qubp?utm_source=linkedin_share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop_web">anger</a>, and feelings of being <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/benhasan_activity-6932095567305011200-RO92?utm_source=linkedin_share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop_web">overwhelmed</a>. Parker knows that many Google employees are hurting, too. In a time when employees want to feel a sense of <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/30/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-are-important-to-workers-survey-shows.html">inclusion</a> at work and CEOs are being <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/richard-edelman-highlights-key-takeaways-from-the-2022-trust-barometer-2022-1">called upon to speak</a> on social issues, Parker sees her role as only growing more important. In the latest installment of <keyword id="12135333" type="General" weightage="60" keywordseo="the-equity-talk" source="Orion">The Equity Talk</keyword>, Parker reflected on the state of racist hate in America, her growing role advising Google's other C-suite leaders, and the company's <a href="https://about.google/belonging/diversity-annual-report/2022/">progress</a> over the past year to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. This interview has been edited and condensed. The events of the past several days are extremely disturbing. What are your thoughts about advancing diversity in a society struggling with ugly extremism? The work of diversity, equity, and inclusion has never been more important. These random, senseless events mean we have to do this work in an even greater way. We talk about it, we hold sessions in solidarity where we partner with an external group, and we bring in counselors and we hold sessions for the impacted community. In this case, it's for the Black community to come together to mourn together. We also recently supported our Asian community because of what happened at the Laguna Woods Church in California. The word I will use here is attunement. We're very attuned to what's impacting our communities externally and internally. I do want to push back on characterizing these shootings as random. It's a very fair point to push back on that. I think what I meant when I said "random" was that it caught us by surprise. It just came in ways that were unprovoked. That could have been my mother. She's 84 years old, and she goes to the neighborhood grocery store. These just keep taking us by surprise. I go back to the fact that these wounds aren't fully allowed to heal, and then they're reopened. Let's talk about the work you've done over <a href="https://about.google/belonging/diversity-annual-report/2022/">the past year</a>. Google increased the representation of Black employees. But the percentage is still low, at just 5.3% of your workforce. How do you plan to increase this? We're gonna keep doing what we're doing. When we think about the pipeline, we're not only looking at who's coming into Google over the next one to three years, but also who's coming into Google over the next 15 years. We're going to see that payoff. With our racial-equity commitments, we set goals for <keyword id="34454" type="General" weightage="60" keywordseo="leadership" source="Orion">leadership</keyword> and then we set goals to more than double the population of Black employees at Google. So we're focused on meeting those commitments and then continuing to increase them from there. How do you respond to people interviewing at Google who might say, "The percentage of Black employees at Google, 5.3%, is lower than I would like to see." We are very focused on representation, which is hiring minus attrition. So we're focused on ensuring that we're bringing people in. At the same time, we're focused on addressing internal culture, internal systems, and internal processes. I use an analogy that we're flying a plane. We're putting people on the plane, we're changing the tires, we're doing several things at the same time to make the progress that we need to make. We can't take our foot off the gas and we're not going to. Google has now reached a point where Black employees are not leaving at higher rates than their white colleagues. What culture shift is happening at Google? One of the most significant things that we did was we translated the energy of the global racial-justice movement into action. So our goal has been to build sustainable equity for our Black community, both internally and externally. We've actually used our Black employees, particularly our Black executives, as advisors and consultants to the company's leadership. They've advised on what changes we need to make, and how we can address systemic and structural barriers. Some 80% of employees said they feel like Google is a place where everyone can succeed, but that also means that 20% might feel differently. Why do you think that they might feel this way and, and how are you working to reach that 20%? What we're doing with that additional 20% is getting as close as we can to answering: What's not working well? What's contributing to those lived experiences? Then we're intervening in those particular spots. For example, we recently created a six-month onboarding program for new Black Google employees. Our new Black employees were a part of the regular, three-day orientation process. But what we saw when we looked at the data is that new joiners were leaving earlier. So when we went back, we recognized there was something different that we needed to do to increase retention of Black employees. And so as part of this six-month program, we also train managers and we are equipping managers to lead across differences. The tech sector is in the midst of a contraction right now. Meta is pausing hiring, and Amazon's CFO said some warehouses are overstaffed. Is Google struggling with this contraction? And how might it impact diversity, equity, and inclusion, or <keyword id="684680" type="General" weightage="60" keywordseo="dei" source="Orion">DEI</keyword>, goals? So, thankfully we've been buffered from that. We continue to have very strong hiring and have been able to close the gaps with attrition of our underrepresented communities. It's not just how we're responding to the racial-equity movement, but recognizing the need for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-increases-vacation-days-and-parental-leave-for-employees-benefits-2022-1">extending our caregivers' leave</a> or making sure that we have the right benefits in place to provide support to employees. It's about the work we've done across DEI, which includes work to stop Asian hate, working with our women's community, and our parents' community as well. Over the past two or so years, we've all been trauma-bonded collectively. We're using that to propel forward for good in terms of the trainings and products and benefits we design. Google is no stranger to how difficult and complicated DEI can be. In 2017, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/james-damore-interview-video-2017-8">James Damore</a>, a white engineer, wrote a 10-page memo that went viral for blasting diversity measures at the company. How are you dealing with that pushback from those who might feel DEI measures are unfair? When it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion, one of the things that I personally say is, "Hey, no Googler's left out." It's a very polarizing society, but we're focused on how we are creating space that your view can be different from my view. I don't have to convince you. You don't have to convince me, but I can accept that your view is different. But we both have to have respect. And so our company values are grounded in respect. But how do you respect people who really believe companies are lowering the standards to get women or to get people of color in. I mean, is there room for respect on that? I'll tell you how we handle that: We embed racial equity into our flagship manager training. What we're saying is that if you want to be a manager at Google, these are the competencies that it takes. We're holding our employees and our leaders accountable to those standards. We are in a difficult time as a country. How are you feeling about the future of DEI? I feel a great stewardship responsibility to my role. It is filled with purpose. I have really hard days, but I am called to stand to uplift and to empower to sustain the momentum in the face of every attack. It just fuels me to do more and greater work to make more impact.

Google's head of diversity opens up about pushing for equity amid violence and racism in America

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A Republican lawmaker asked a lesbian colleague if she was a "pedophile" on Friday.</li><li>The comment was made during a Rhode Island State House hearing on an equity and inclusion bill.</li></ul>A Republican lawmaker asked a lesbian colleague if she was a "pedophile" during <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHpG6ZGeM8c">a Rhode Island State House hearing on equity and inclusion on Friday,</a> drawing widespread condemnation from LGBTQ advocacy groups.The State House was at the time discussing <a href="https://fastdemocracy.com/bill-search/ri/2023/bills/RIB00025291/">HB 5763,</a> a bill that would require all legislation submitted in the general assembly to include an "equity impact" statement on how it might affect "historically disadvantaged" populations.During the hearing, Rep. Robert Quattrocchi, a Republican, raised his concerns that the bill was "very, very broad."He asked Democratic Rep. Rebecca Kislak, the sponsor of the bill, if its introduction would mean legislators would need to take into account the impact on "Satanists on Rhode Island."Quattrochi then proceeded to ask Kislak, who identifies as a lesbian, whether "pedophiles" would also need to be taken into account when exploring the equity impact on sexual orientation."First, I want to point out that pedophile is not a sexual orientation," Kislak responded, adding that it was "really offensive.""Oh, I didn't mean to," Quattrocchi said. "Are you a pedophile? I'm sorry."The response was met with a brief commotion in the House, prompting Rep. Evan Shanley to announce that the lawmakers were getting "a little off-track."Kislak said that the interaction was an "example" of why the House needed to be discussing equity.Janson Wu, the executive director of GLAD, a legal advocacy group for LGBTQ people, said the "offensive" comment comes at a time when <a href="https://www.insider.com/grooming-pedophile-disney-baseless-buzzword-conservatives-dont-say-gay-2022-4">the term "groomers"</a> is increasingly being used as an attack against members of the LGBTQ communities, according to The Providence Journal.Several LGBTQ advocacy groups <a href="https://www.glad.org/post/lgbtq-advocates-condemn-dangerous-pedophile-comment-made-by-rhode-island-representative/">signed a public letter</a> condemning the comment on Tuesday. "Our representatives should be working to ensure safety, dignity, and equity for all residents, not perpetuating dangerous, false comparisons that undermine the humanity of LGBTQ+ people," the letter said.Quattrocchi has not issued a public apology, but provided a statement to local media outlets calling the incident a "misunderstanding," <a href="https://eu.providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/2023/03/22/are-you-a-pedophile-comment-was-misunderstanding-says-gop-rep-robert-quattrocchi/70034131007/">per The Journal.</a>He also said in the statement that he had apologized to Kislak on "four different occasions."Quattrocchi did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.According to The Journal, Kislak was unimpressed by the statement, saying: "It is not an apology."

A Republican lawmaker asked a lesbian colleague if she was a 'pedophile' during a debate over an equity and inclusion bill

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Darryl Page came out of retirement to return to insurer Chubb as its chief culture officer. </li><li>For the latest <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/the-equity-talk">Equity Talk</a>, he pointed out that DEI work helps businesses perform better. </li></ul>There's no rest for the weary, Darryl Page told me during the second week of 2024.He's vice president and chief culture officer at the insurance giant Chubb, and diversity, equity, and inclusion work falls under his remit.Page told me he is focused on having engaging conversations at Chubb around DEI. "I think a view that this work is racist is, in my mind, misguided," he said."I think you have to, maybe, put the rhetoric aside and deal with the absolute facts," he said. In recent weeks, there has been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-ackman-says-dei-is-racist-2024-1">DEI backlash</a>, including tweets between corporate bigwigs <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-duking-it-out-mark-cuban-dei-and-racism-2024-1">such as Elon Musk and Mark Cuban</a>. "The facts would suggest that this work has value, and it brings value to the organization and to the corporations that are engaged in it," he said.DEI work helps businesses perform better, "as well as being the right thing to do," Page said, pointing out that "people start out from different places and have different life experiences." He said there's an important difference between equality and equity. Page used an example of walking into a room of people and giving them all a pair of size 10 shoes. That's equality, he said. While everyone has shoes, it doesn't work if you're not size 10. "But if you're going to treat people equitably, you're going to walk into that room and give them the shoes that fit their feet," Page said."I'm an advocate of treating people equitably," he said."Companies that embrace these concepts outperform," Page explained. "I think it's important that the work proceed."The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.What do you do? Your title is unique.I'm the chief culture officer. What that really focuses on is, overall, the care and feeding of the company's culture. It's a conversation about employee engagement. It's a conversation about how we understand and how we live into the key tenent of what our cultural dynamic is. I actually think that the culture of Chubb is fairly unique. We talk about culture in the context of it's what we practice. It's who we are. It's the behaviors we expect. And it's what we reward and recognize as a part of how we do our business on an ongoing basis.Why did you take on this role? What change did you hope to make?I've been in the insurance industry for more than 40 years. I started my career in 1981. I joined Ace, which is the predecessor company to Chubb, in 2012. I ran the international personal-lines business overseas. So I really came to this work as a business leader with a lot of experience running a business.Interestingly enough, I retired from the company in July 2022. And I actually got a call back from our chairman and our chief human resources officer, and they asked me if I was interested in rejoining the company to take on this role of the chief culture officer. After some back and forth and some dialogue, and after some personal issues that I navigated through, I was excited to be able to rejoin and take on this opportunity. I felt like there was an opportunity for me to make a contribution in a way that would help Chubb's cultural identity get better aligned with its business identity in the marketplace. So that's really my story, and it's why I came back from retirement.You talked about the culture of who the company is — and your workers — and then your business and clients. How are you measuring those two things?I talked about Chubb's culture being unique. We do business in 54 countries and territories around the world. We operate in 30 different languages, minimally. We have three main pillars of our business: commercial lines, personal lines, and accident and health.When you think about all the different combinations of those businesses that we operate, we probably have over 200 different product combinations. And so when you think about 54 countries and territories, 200 different product combinations, 30 different languages, diversity and inclusion is at the core of how we do our business globally.The opportunity, I think, to mesh these two things is to find a way to do our cultural work in the same way in which we do our business work. In my mind, one of the real key attributes I think that I have an opportunity to bring to this work is to create clear pathways to better integrate these two things so that it's not separate work, but it's central to how we do what we do every day.Was there a moment when you thought, "I need to do more? I need to have a bigger impact."I think it first occurred to me right after George Floyd's murder. As you can imagine, a number of different companies were having very different conversations and I was approached by my predecessor in this role as a business leader in the organization to participate on a panel that was going to be part of a global broadcast, to talk about some of the issues that I experienced as a Black man in this industry for 40 years.The subject matter was pretty raw and pretty clear to me. What I experienced after I spent an hour and a half on this discussion with my colleagues is I started getting phone calls and interactions from people, some of whom worked as part of my team, others that I had only met on a couple of occasions, but they were reaching out to me and wanting to have a conversation with me.I think there was something about that, which helped me understand that there was a story I could tell. There was work I could do to help create a little clarity, a little focus, and a little alignment around how we can get some things done.I've been involved in this work in the periphery for as long as I've been in the industry. When I started in this industry, in 1981, it was not unusual to walk into a room and be the only Black man. And the interesting thing about it is that there are still some rooms that I can walk into today, in 2023, where that's still the case. So there's a lot of work to do.Can you recall a moment when you were dismissed and you had to stand up for yourself or you had to find your voice?They're probably too numerous to count, to be really honest with you. There are a few instances where there's important business information that you need to impart, and you may have a difficult time getting the attention of leadership.Early in my career, I experienced those types of situations. What was really interesting to me, and I think it's still a hallmark of how I try to do what I can today, is you have to find a way.Sometimes when you walk into the room and you want to have a direct conversation, and people are preoccupied with other things and other circumstances, you don't have their full attention, or you're not getting the listening that you want. Sometimes when people do that, and they get dismissed or they don't get the hearing that they want to have, they give up. I think the challenge around this is that if you're really committed to your view on this, then you have to find a different way.I worked for a boss early in my career who I had this experience with, and I found out that he read everything. I'd go to his office and talk to him and try to accomplish what I needed to accomplish. I got kicked out a couple of times. So I decided to write a memo to a couple of my colleagues and copied him on it. It wasn't a day later when he came to my office and said, "Is this what you were trying to tell me?" And I said, "Yeah, actually it is." He said, "Well, this is really critically important." And I said, "Yeah, I think so." And he said, "I wish you would have worked a little bit harder to try to make sure I understood this." And I said, "Well, I think I did." I said, "You know, you tossed me out of your office a couple of times, but I understood that you read everything that comes across your desk. So I didn't write this memo for those folks that it's addressed to. I wrote it for you, and now that we're here having the conversation, I think it's fair to say that we got done what we needed to get done."So you find different ways, and I think that's an important element of any type of work that you're going to do in corporate America. Because you can be in a situation where your voice may not resonate the way that others' might. But if you're persistent, and you're focused and you recognize the importance of what you're trying to talk about, I think you can get the work done.What do you find most overwhelming about your job?It probably isn't necessarily overwhelming as much as it is kind of surprising: There's always an element of people saying that words matter.When you begin to have conversations around belonging, equity inclusion, people sometimes have their own definition of what those words really mean. I find that it's very important to try to take those concepts, simplify them, and put them in a way that can resonate with people and where you can create clarity. I think a hallmark of my career from a leadership perspective — I always have said this to people — I said, if I can create clarity, I can create focus, and then I can create alignment. And I think one of the opportunities in this is how do we create clarity, how do we help people understand that this work isn't about advantaging one group over the other. It's about creating fairness and clarity.

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