Tag: diversity programs

Supreme Court

Supreme Court Ends Affirmative Action in University Admissions

In two related cases, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on June 29 that using race as a factor in university admissions violates both the 14th Amendment of the Constitution and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. At the root of the Court’s decision is a profound questioning of whether “diversity” and […]

Helping the Business Community—and the Community at Large—Tackle Issues of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have increasingly become key areas of focus for businesses across the country and around the globe. Businesses are increasingly recognizing the importance of DEI to their bottom lines. Diverse and inclusive companies tend to be more creative, better understand diverse markets, and avoid some of the costly PR blunders that […]

Culture

Lack of Diversity in Start-Ups: Is ‘Culture Fit’ to Blame?

Austin, Texas, has been a fast-growing hub for tech start-ups in recent years, attracting top talent from all over the United States. Some even lovingly refer to Austin as “Silicon Hills,” a reference to the rolling hill country upon which the city sits.

Fairness in diversity programs: Know how to avoid a backlash

Employers and academics alike have long touted the value of diversity in the workplace. But diversity efforts also have detractors—a fact born out in December when criticism was heaped on the CEO of Sam’s Club after she spoke out about her commitment to building her own diverse leadership team and encouraging the same from her […]

Obama Inauguration Gives Hope to Diversity Exec

When Patrice Hall sat in Denver’s Mile High Stadium listening to Barack Obama’s acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) last August, she had never felt so inspired and hopeful. After almost two decades in line management, Hall has spent the last 13 years as a diversity executive, most recently as head of the […]

Question and Answer: Diversity ideal, but not always good for business

As president of San Diego training firm Cross-Cultural Communications, Sondra Thiederman has spent the last 25 years helping companies create diversity programs that actually work. Author of the book, Making Diversity Work: Seven Steps for Defeating Bias in the Workplace, Thiederman’s clients include General Motors, Xerox, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Marriott Corp., American Express, and AT&T. We […]

A Seat at the Table: Define diversity as “mission critical”

When Corbette Doyle took on the role of chief diversity officer at Aon Corp. two years ago, she did so at the request of the CEO. “Without his support and commitment, I wouldn’t have considered making this leap,” says Doyle, who was previously a line executive at the Chicago-based company. “Our senior leaders ‘get’ the […]