Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Conference

11:05 AM - 11:35 AM ET

Addressing Bias: A New Approach That Delivers

Companies are spending over $8 billion annually on bias training alone and much more on DEIB initiatives more broadly. The sheer amount of corporate focus and executive time invested underscore the belief that addressing bias is important to do. And yet, many companies have not seen the results for which they had hoped. Why aren’t these efforts achieving the desired results? What would? In this one-on-one session with The Conference Board’s Rebecca Ray, Joan Williams of the WorkLife Center at UC Hastings College of the Law discusses her work on Bias Interrupters and their scientific validity in moving the needle in key processes like talent acquisition, performance evaluation, and access to opportunities. Joan also shares an example of a real-world intervention that produced concrete progress in interrupting bias in performance evaluations – in a single year's time.

Joan Williams, Sullivan Professor of Law and Director, Center for WorkLife Law, University of California, Hastings

11:40 AM - 12:05 PM ET

The Necessary Mindsets at All Levels of the Organization

Cargill, Inc. is one of the largest privately held companies in the United States. Hear from Greg Jones, a U.S. Navy veteran and engineer as he describes his journey towards DEI strategy. This session will examine the mindsets, capabilities, and language required to make this necessary shift from programmatic to strategic. He unpacks how to straddle the strategic approach required alongside the operational plans that will be necessary to make this shift.

Greg Jones, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Cargill, Incorporated

12:10 PM - 12:40 PM ET

From Good Intentions to Great Results: How to Build a Diverse Workforce in Practice

Companies have good intentions when it comes to building more diverse teams by setting lofty goals for diversity benchmarks. But many companies struggle to realize these dreams in practice. Where do they fall short? Join us for some real talk as we explore what it take to actually build a diverse workforce.

Jennifer Armstrong-Owen, Vice President, People, SeekOut

Harry Colon, Senior Manager, DEI Recruiting and Sourcing, Salesforce

Christina Tymony, Senior DEIB Strategy & Enablement Manager, SeekOut

12:45 PM - 01:10 PM ET

Activate Caring: How Listening to Employees Drives DEI Success

Businesses that prioritize DEI face significant challenges to ensure that the voices of employees at all levels of the organization are welcomed, that employees are involved in the formation of DEI programs and practices, and that metrics measure the true success of efforts to increase diversity and inclusion. Organizations are often stymied by a narrow focus on diversity aimed at meeting compliance requirements and the tendency to follow a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach that doesn’t take employee feedback and the bespoke character of the businesses they work for into account. Audible has made “Spectrum and Belonging” a key pillar of its business in its efforts to go beyond meeting traditional standards to building and sustaining workplaces that celebrate all of our differences. Audible’s Anne Erni discusses why active listening is a key strategy to understanding both the success of and gaps in, DEI programs and how to prioritize flexibility to respond to employee feedback.

Anne Erni, Chief People Officer, Audible Inc

01:15 PM - 01:45 PM ET

Preparing for the Rising Demand for Neurodiverse Talent

As the need for highly skilled, top talent grows exponentially across most industries, the ability to access, attract, and retain neurodiverse talent is quickly becoming the defining factor for success. In this session, CAI addresses the environmental and organizational requirements to support neurodiverse teams not just for job placements, but for long-term career mobility. Mike Park and Anthony Pacilio of CAI Neurodiverse Solutions share their collective experience in launching, maintaining, and growing their neurodiversity business practices.

Anthony Pacilio, Vice President, Neurodiverse Solutions, CAI

Howard Boggs, Global Head of ATM and Cross Border Payments Technology, Citigroup Inc.

Mike Park, Executive Vice President, CAI

01:50 PM - 02:15 PM ET

Effecting Social Change Through the Power of Sport

Professional sports in the U.S. is big business. As the founder of The Institute for Sport and Social Justice and The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES), Dr. Richard Lapchick has led the development of a comprehensive resource for issues related to gender and race in amateur, collegiate, and professional sports and in the media. His diversity and inclusion report card for the major professional sports leagues and for NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s sports have been instrumental in shining the light on diversity and inclusion at every level of professional athleticism. If it matters, it must be measured. Moving away from philosophical debate to the use of empirical data is often the most effective starting point for understanding the breadth and depth of any issue. Dr. Lapchick joins the conversation to discuss his personal story and how the strategic implementation of vision, values, measurement, and accountability is critical for fostering greater understanding and for generating positive change in society.

Richard Lapchick, President, The Institute for Sport and Social Justice

02:20 PM - 02:35 PM ET

How Can Progressive Companies Achieve DE&I Through Health Equity?

The future of health is personalized, preventive, proactive, and predictive. This approach is proven to prevent 85% of chronic diseases. And Livez believes that this level of care should not only be accessible to SVPs through white-glove service. Using technology and P4 medicine, they aim to democratize this elite benefit by activating a device that most everyone already owns: a smartphone. In this Innovation Spotlight session, Livez's Maricor Resente explains how their mobile app digitizes protocols, provides users with a personal plan, and screens them for chronic illness.

Maricor Resente, Vice President of Growth, Livez, Inc.

02:40 PM - 03:10 PM ET

A Redefinition of DEI: Centering Psychological Science

Making DEI successful for your business requires a fundamental understanding of the complexities of human behavior and the beliefs and values that incentivize behavioral change. Centering the psychological science behind DEI is key to tackling bias, creating psychological safety for your employees, and building environments of trust and belonging. Psychologists long developed evidence-based interventions for workplaces that improve team engagement, increase equitable access to key opportunities, and improve diversity in leadership roles. Not only do employees thrive in accessible, equitable, and inclusive cultures that promote fairness, respect, and dignity for all, but research also shows that these factors directly benefit the bottom line by leading to better employee performance and productivity, greater innovation, and reduced employee turnover. Dr. Maysa Akbar of the American Psychological Association discusses how redefining DEI with insights from psychological science on behavioral and attitudinal change can shift mindsets while benefiting both your employees and business.

Maysa Akbar, PhD, ABPP, Chief Diversity Officer, American Psychological Association

03:15 PM - 03:40 PM ET

DE&I Built in, Not Bolted on, for Sustained Progress

P&G brands are trusted in billions of households worldwide and passed down from generation to generation. Pursuing sustained progress that leads to equality, equity, and inclusion, they’ve challenged convention, led innovation, and helped shape culture. Shelly McNamara closes this year’s DEI Conference by sharing lessons from her personal story and experiences grounded in shared humanity and growth to engage leadership for systemic change that drives employee connectedness for business growth.

Shelly McNamara, Chief Equality & Inclusion Officer, Procter & Gamble Company