Diversity Best Practice : Leadership / CEO Five-Point Initiative Strategy

Diversity Best Practices – Five-Point CEO Initiative

Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) set the corporate agenda and drive results. CEOs recognize the business imperative of reaching diverse consumers, clients, employees, suppliers, and investors. CEOs are the key to fulfilling diversity and inclusion goals for any organization. Our high-level CEO Initiative is now more than six years old. The founding Chairman was former chairman of Shell Oil, Steve Miller. He has passed to baton to corporate heavyweights such as former Eastman Kodak Co. Chairman & CEO Dan Karp, Barry Salzberg, CEO of Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, and now our incoming Chairman Antonio Perez, CEO & Chairman of Kodak. We are grateful to all the CEOs of our member companies who are dedicated to weaving diversity and inclusion into the fabric of leadership in today’s business world.

Diversity Best Practices Five-Point CEO Initiative includes:

1. The annual Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Summit & Gala. This annual event honors exceptional companies and highlights CEO diversity champions nominated and selected by their peers and other industry leaders. The awards are accepted by CEOs on behalf of their companies.
   
   
2. CEO Diversity Leadership magazine. In 2003, Diversity Best Practices (DBP) launched the first diversity leadership magazine targeting the information and visibility needs of diversity practitioners. CEO Diversity Leadership is a unique vehicle through which our members communicate and share strategies on critical issues. High-profile interviews, quotes, and features showcase CEO achievements and key DBP member initiatives across all business sectors and industries.
   
   
3. CEO Scorecard.  Clearly stating, communicating, and tracking diversity and inclusion goals plays an important role in monitoring investments and advances in workplace culture. The CEO Scorecard is a valuable tool that ties an organization’s diversity goals to growth and profitability. Used appropriately, it quickly helps to track progress, identify drivers of change, keep executives accountable, and allow successes to be communicated to your board of directors and employees.
   
   
4. CEO Speakers, Roundtables & Forums. Top CEO leaders roll up their sleeves and share their commitment and expertise in the annual DBP conference call and webinar series where representatives from major companies have an opportunity to gain first-hand insight from industry titans. In 2008, DBP is inaugurating a CEO Roundtable where top corporate leaders can gather to have peer-to-peer dialogue about the business case for diversity and inclusion. In a consultative role, we work with members to create best-practice sessions and co-sponsor network and learning opportunities within and across industries.
   
   
5. The CEO & “C-Suite” Commitment. Never before have we witnessed such high-level leadership dedicated to the cause of supporting diversity. We’ve captured insightful and groundbreaking statements of wisdom and support for diversity and inclusion investments from more than 100 CEOs. We identify, profile, and celebrate those companies deeply entrenched in promoting diversity and inclusion. Publications, a password-protected website, and CEO & CDO speeches are quickly available to Diversity Best Practices members.

 

• Printable PDF version of CEO 5-Point Initiative

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