Only one month after 175 CEOs came together to launch the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™, nearly 100 additional CEOs have taken the pledge, committing themselves – and the organizations they lead — to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. This extraordinary show of force builds on the energy from the launch and grows the potential impact of the pledge.
Business, nonprofit, and academic leaders are coming together to learn how best to cultivate welcoming, collaborative, and thriving environments for their employees. The collective of more than 270 signatories have shared almost 250 actions across a variety of categories—from supplier diversity and succession planning to mentorship and recruitment—exchanging learning opportunities and creating collaborative conversations via the initiative’s unified hub, CEOAction.com. Continuing this momentum, the signatories will convene at a Summit in November to discuss longer-term growth strategies that will advance the agenda.
Organizations joining the pledge are taking a step towards effecting positive change. A diverse and inclusive workforce facilitates community, but also drives innovation and creativity. A recent study found that 85 percent of those surveyed reported that diversity is a key component to fostering innovation.
“We are so proud that we are continuing to build momentum and support for the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ across companies, industries and regions. This collaboration expands our reach and brings in unique values, actions, and perspectives to continue to raise the bar for the entire business community,” said Tim Ryan, U.S. Chairman and Senior Partner of PwC and chair of the steering committee for the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™. “The overwhelming support for the coalition has been amazing to see and with each and every new organization signing on, we have the opportunity to put our commitments into action by working together to improve diversity and inclusion in our workplaces and communities.”
CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ is cultivating a new type of ecosystem centered around collaboration and sharing. The actions, available via CEOAction.com, showcase real-life examples of the open and transparent conversations to cultivate more diverse and inclusive workplace environments. The addition of new signatories expands the impact of this work beyond the office to communities and industries.
“With the commitment of over 100 additional CEOs, the CEO Action For Diversity & Inclusion™ continues to grow as a unified statement of the importance of diversity and inclusion in Corporate America,” said Cid Wilson, President & CEO of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) who is among the CEO co-signers. “At HACR, we will continue to raise awareness of the importance of having a sustainable diversity and inclusion strategy while serving as an external resource to these companies when it comes to best practices from our HACR Research Institute, and our six leadership development programs which focus on advancing Hispanic inclusion in Corporate America.”
The CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ welcomes as many different voices and perspectives to foster knowledge sharing and greater collective contributions. And, as the initiative continues to expand the impact and reach of companies, workforces and communities grows as well. The coalition now represents 70 industries, all 50 US States, and millions of employees globally.
CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ Steering Committee:
• Julie Sweet, CEO, Accenture North America
• Joe Davis, Senior Partner and Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group
• Cathy Engelbert, CEO, Deloitte US
• Ronald C. Parker, President and CEO, The Executive Leadership Council
• Steve Howe, Chairman and Americas Managing Partner, EY US
• Bill Ford, CEO, General Atlantic
• Lynne Doughtie, Chairman and CEO, KPMG US
• Ted Mathas, CEO and Chairman, New York Life
• David Taylor, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, P&G
To learn more about the pledge, visit CEOAction.com. The website serves as a hub for information sharing, idea generation, and program development. With almost 250 best known actions shared, companies that are not currently implementing the elements of the pledge can use it as an opportunity to learn from others that are already doing so. Learning from, and sharing, actions help companies drive greater engagement within their own programs, as well as mentor others on their journey.
