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    • Five Essential Leadership Competencies of Effective Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leaders

      Company Level: Any SizeType: Informational and Implementation

      Business has been a field of study for centuries. The first MBA was issued by the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration in 1908. Within the field of business, however, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) are relatively modern concepts that only recently have received much-needed attention. The growing emphasis on DE&I has been driven in part by a heightened awareness – by customers, employees, shareholders, and the public – of historic inequities in social systems, including employment. 

      At the same time, employers themselves increasingly recognize that diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential objectives, not only from a moral standpoint, but also for organizational success. DE&I is simply good for business, and the return on investment is significant. This awakening has been evident in West Michigan, where employers have demonstrated their willingness to affirm their commitment to advancing DE&I. This is progress, but it leaves the business community facing a question: How can DE&I commitments be transformed into effective strategies and sustainable efforts? By building on the foundation established by experienced DE&I leadership, this guide seeks to support the progress of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in West Michigan and beyond.


      This guide documents what a DE&I leader needs to know and be able to do to be effective in their role.The second edition builds on the foundational content of the 2020 release. The equity section is expanded to provide examples of how to create more equitable workplaces. A new section was also added offering examples of how to gauge inclusion beyond tracking workforce demographics by measuring attitudes, the human experience, and community involvement.

      Download the full story PDF

      Resources

      YouTube Channel Purchase a hard copy on Amazon

      TAGS

      • D&I Leader
    • TalentFirst CEO Commitment Form

      Company Level: Any SizeType: Implementation

      Visible and genuine leadership results in successful DE&I efforts. This CEO commitment is a pledge to make measurable progress toward diversity, equity and inclusion within a company.

      View form

      TalentFirst CEO Commitment

      TAGS

      • leadership
      • CEO commitment
      • best practices
      • getting started
      • diversity plans
      • organizational values
    • A Leader’s Guide: Finding and Keeping Your Next Chief Diversity Officer

      Company Level: Mid-size employer (250-1000 total employees)Type: Informational and Implementation

      Diversity, inclusion & equity have become headline issues, putting pressure on organizations and leaders to respond
      in a meaningful way. Investors are also expressing their displeasure with discrimination allegations. Russell Reynolds
      Associates’ review of 2017 and 2018 incidents involving bad executive behavior showed that companies experienced
      an average 7 percent decline in market capitalization, or $4 billion, in the days and weeks following the news.

      In this paper, we take a data-driven approach to analyze the Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) role and what makes it successful. We examine
      the career paths and competencies of today’s CDOs, based on the 234 CDOs currently at S&P 500 companies. We
      then uncover the barriers many CDOs face within their organizations. Finally, we look at the actions leaders and
      organizations can take to make CDOs more successful. Three key questions are addressed: 


      1. What experiences and competencies define today’s CDOs?

      2. What are the current barriers CDOs face in embedding D&I into the organization?

      3. How can CEOs, CHROs and other top executives set CDOs up for success?


      Download the full story PDF

    • Catalyst Information Center | Why Diversity Matters

      Company Level: Any SizeType: Informational
      This tool kit provides data to use in creating a D&I business case within organizations
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      TAGS

      • business case
      • strategic plan
      • resources
    • Talent Framework: The Inclusive Leader: Optimizing diversity by leveraging the power of inclusion

      Company Level: Any SizeType: Informational and Implementation

      Many companies already have diverse teams. Inclusive leaders are those who have an understanding of how to both embrace diversity and work well with their diverse teams. 

      Download the full story PDF

      TAGS

      • inclusion
      • leadership
      • diversity plans
      • mentoring
    • Using your Top Executives as Diversity and Inclusion Communicators

      Company Level: Any SizeType: Implementation

      Today, executives and company leaders are expected and asked to communicate their organization's diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. It is important to have a DE&I communication plan in place with executives, which can be developed by keeping six key questions in mind. 

      Using your Top Executives as Diversity and Inclusion Communicators

      TAGS

      • communications
      • executives
      • leadership
      • communication plan