Board of Directors Caucus: Spearheading Diversity & Inclusion Through the Economic Downturn

During Diversity Best Practices’ 2009 Diversity and Inclusion Summit & Gala, held in October 2009, 14 dedicated corporate board members convened for the second Board of Directors Caucus on Diversity and Inclusion. Moderator Philip Berry, president of Philip Berry Associates LLC, joined Diversity Best Practices CEO Carol Evans in leading board directors from top companies as they tackled the critical issue of increasing board involvement in diversity and inclusion. Open exclusively to board members and their CEOs, the Board of Directors Caucus meetings are designed to gather insights and best practices from boards of directors and chief executives who prioritize diversity and inclusion as a fundamental business strategy.

In this paper, we will provide a summary of the inaugural Board of Directors Caucus to set the context for the further discussion. We will then highlight the important findings from the second Caucus. Finally, we will end with a set of recommendations based on the rich and candid ideas and experiences shared by our Caucus participants.