This past year was like no other: a pandemic, a fragile health care system, economic woes, reckonings with racial injustice, unrest across the nation's biggest cities, a contentious election, and the extraordinary, recent tragic scenes of violence at the Capitol. These events make clearer than ever the critical role our leaders play in advancing economic, health, and racial equality and helping repair our nation's frayed social fabric. 

Join us as we come together for the Building a More Civil & Just Society Conference.  Building on The CEO Forum series, in which CEOs from across American industry shared actionable insights to address social inequalities, this three-day virtual forum on March 2, 3 & 4 will examine and discuss Organizational Impact on Social Change Issues.

Register Now for this Complimentary Event

Hear from these Leaders:

• Dan Schulman, President and Chief Executive Officer, PayPal
• Matthew McCarthy, Chief Executive Officer, Ben & Jerry's
• Dr. Richard Besser, President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Ravi Saligram, President, Chief Executive Officer, Newell Brands
• Michael Neidorff, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Centene Corporation
• Michael Dowling, President and Chief Executive Officer, Northwell Health
• Marc Morial, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Urban League
• Maurice Jones, Chief Executive Officer, OneTen
• Martin Whittaker, Chief Executive Officer, JUST Capital
• Lucinda Baier, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director, Brookdale Senior Living
• Jo Kirchner, Chief Executive Officer, Primrose School
• Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer, Procter & Gamble
• Brandee McHale, Head of Community Investing and Development, Citi and President, Citi Foundation
• Ken Chenault, Chairman and Managing Director, General Catalyst
• Gigi Dixon, SVP and Head of External Relations, Wells Fargo
• Ann Powell, Chief Human Resources Officer, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
• Sekou Kaalund, Managing Director, JPMorgan Chase
• Shelly McNamara, Chief Equality & Inclusion Officer, Procter & Gamble
• Susan Johnson, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, The Hartford
• Rohini Anand, former SVP Corporate Responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer, Sodexo, Inc., Senior Fellow, Human Capital, The Conference Board
• Laura A. Jana, M.D., Pediatrician, Health Communicator & Author, Penn State University/Jana Ventures
• Ellyn Shook, Chief Leadership & Human Resources Officer, Accenture
• Shelley Zalis, Chief Executive Officer, The Female Quotient
  
• Steve Odland, President & CEO, The Conference Board
• Ronald Williams, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, The Conference Board

And more!  View the entire speaker list here.

Speaker Videos: A Series of Leadership Forum Conversations To Foster Action

Get Involved

If you would like to get more involved in this conference, please contact us.

• Speaking Opportunities: david.dye@conferenceboard.org
• Sponsorship Opportunities: ryan.gavaghan@conferenceboard.org
• Marketing Partnerships: allison.nilsen@conferenceboard.org
• Group Registrations: ulei.kou@conferenceboard.org

DAY ONE | Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Addressing Economic Inequality

11:00 – 11:05 am

Opening Remarks

David Dye, PhD, Program Director, The Conference Board

11:05 – 11:35 am

Panel: Laying the Foundation for Economic Success - Early Childhood Education

Leadership from Penn State University and Primrose Schools discuss why early education is crucial, how it helps develop the most critical skills for success in the new world of work, and how companies can support efforts to provide quality education for all children. 

Laura A. Jana, M.D., Pediatrician, Health Communicator & Author, Penn State University/Jana Ventures

Jo Kirchner, Chief Executive Officer, Primrose Schools

Steve Odland, President & Chief Executive Officer, The Conference Board

Moderator: Lori Murray, President, Committee for Economic Development, The Conference Board

11:35 am – 12:10 pm         

Panel: The Corporation's Role in Driving Urban Economic Opportunity

Leadership at the National Urban League, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo share how corporations can drive economic opportunity through greater access to housing, capital for small businesses, employment and more. Hear from global corporate leaders making major commitments to minority and urban economic success, on the impact they seek to make and why.

Marc Morial, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Urban League

Gigi Dixon, SVP and Head of External Relations, Wells Fargo

Sekou Kaalund, Managing Director, JPMorgan Chase

Moderator: Dana Peterson, Chief Economist, The Conference Board 

12:10 – 12:45 pm

Panel: Gender Pay Equity: Strategies to Close the Economic Divide

It’s been estimated that collective action to improve gender parity could add $13 trillion to the global GDP by 2030. The data shows that gender parity is a key to growth at the global, community, and business levels. And the negative economic impact of gender inequality was only exacerbated by the pandemic. In this conversation, learn how organizations can transparently battle wage gaps and enhance strategies to hire, retain and advance female leaders.

Shelley Zalis, Chief Executive Officer, The Female Quotient

Tami Simon, Senior Vice President and the Global Corporate Consulting Leader, Segal

Moderator: David Dye, PhD, Program Director, The Conference Board

12:45 – 12:55 pm Break

12:55 – 1:25 pm

Interview: Brands and Companies: A Force for Good and A Force for Growth 

The role of business in society has been forever disrupted.  For the companies, whose iconic brands have joined – and changed – the conversation on social issues, taking a stand against inequality is not only a social good in itself but an essential part of their relationship with customers and employees. In this conversation with a leader of some of the world’s most recognized and admired brands, learn how stepping up for equality and using brands as a force for good helps bind customers and stakeholders together toward a larger purpose. 

Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer, Procter & Gamble

Moderator: Chiqui Cartagena, Chief Marketing Officer and Center Leader, Marketing & Communications, The Conference Board

1:25 – 1:45 pm

Keynote Interview: PayPal CEO Dan Schulman on “Upgrading Capitalism”

Long before 2020’s trauma and upheaval, PayPal CEO Dan Schulman was already on a mission to “upgrade capitalism,” seeing the financial health of employees as essential for the health of their organizations, for our economy, and for our society. In this conversation, learn how that perspective was translated into concrete, measurable actions at PayPal; the results they’ve seen; and the steps other leaders can take to prioritize the financial health of their employees.

Dan Schulman, Chief Executive Officer, PayPal

Moderator: Steve Odland, President & CEO, The Conference Board

1:45 – 2:05 pm    

Interview: Ben and Jerry’s CEO Matthew McCarthy on Racial Equity, “Linked Prosperity” and Activism

Ben & Jerry’s CEO Matthew McCarthy has been clear that “business should be held accountable to setting very specific targets” around “racial equity in their organizations”. In this conversation, we explore Ben and Jerry’s racial equity journey and how they have held themselves to account; the company’s founding principle of “linked prosperity” and how capitalism should evolve; and how other business leaders can start taking a more active stand on social issues, to the benefit of society and the bottom line.  

Matthew McCarthy, Chief Executive Officer, Ben & Jerry’s   

Moderator: Chiqui Cartagena, Chief Marketing Officer and Center Leader, Marketing & Communications, The Conference Board 

2:05 – 2:10 pm    

Closing Remarks

David Dye, PhD, Program Director, The Conference Board

DAY TWO | Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Addressing Health & Well-Being Inequality

11:00 – 11:05 am

Opening Remarks

Regina Brayboy, Senior Fellow, Human Capital, The Conference Board

11:05 – 11:30 am

Interview: The Health Equity Imperative

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the social determinants that impact health, and Dr. Besser has been very vocal about how communities of color, tribal communities, poor communities face well-documented disparities in both access to health care as well as health outcomes. Recently, Dr. Besser has raised racism to the top of the list of social determinants. Why? And how can businesses, nonprofits and government leaders work together to ensure everyone in America has a fair and just opportunity to thrive?

Dr. Richard Besser, President and CEO, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Moderator: Steve Odland, President & CEO, The Conference Board

11:30 am – 12:10 pm

Making Quality HealthCare Available for All

Michael Dowling, CEO of Northwell Health willdiscuss health & well-being inequality, what lessons we can learn to improve our healthcare system for underserved and at-risk populations, and how we can make quality healthcare accessible to all. 

Michael Dowling, Chief Executive Officer, Northwell Health

Moderator: Lori Murray, President, Committee for Economic Development, The Conference Board

12:10 – 12:45 pm

Conversation: Innovative Approaches: Holistic Well-Being in the Workplace

Workers today are being asked to deliver business results despite the challenges of a global pandemic, social unrest, and an economic crisis. Amid rising concerns for their mental and physical well-being in this sustained period of high stress, many companies are taking action to ensure that their workers are supported through personal and professional challenges. CHROs Ellyn Shook of Accenture and Ann Powell of Bristol Myers Squibb share what innovative steps they are taking.

Ann M. Powell, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Bristol Myers Squibb

Ellyn Shook, Chief Leadership and Human Resources Officer, Accenture

Moderator: Rebecca Ray, Executive Vice President, Human Capital, The Conference Board

12:45 – 12:55 pm Break

12:55 – 1:25 pm

Interview: Protecting Our Front-Line HealthCare Workers

From the earliest days of the pandemic, senior living residents and workers have been on the front lines in the battle against COVID-19. In this conversation, Lucinda "Cindy" Baier, President and Chief Executive Officer, Brookdale Senior Living Inc., discusses the enormous challenges health care companies confronted, the impact they have had during the pandemic, and how they are keeping their workers safe today.

Lucinda "Cindy" Baier, President and Chief Executive Officer, Brookdale Senior Living Inc.

Moderator: Lori Murray, President, Committee for Economic Development, The Conference Board

1:25 – 1:30 pm

Closing Remarks

Regina Brayboy, Senior Fellow, Human Capital, The Conference Board

DAY THREE | Thursday, March 4, 2021

Addressing Racial Inequality

11:00 – 11:05 am

Opening Remarks

David Dye, PhD, Program Director, The Conference Board

11:05 – 11:45 am

Keynote: OneTen’s Upskilling, Hiring and Promoting 1 Million Black Americans into Family-Sustaining Careers

Racial equality continues to be an elusive goal for our country. OneTen is a coalition bringing together business leaders committed to upskilling, hiring, and promoting one million Black Americans over the next 10 years into family-sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement. Hear from OneTen’s just-named CEO Maurice Jones and Co-founder of OneTen Ken Chenault on how OneTen is connecting employers with talent partners, leading non-profits, and other skill-credentialing organizations to create more equitable and inclusive workforces and reach our full potential as a nation of united citizens. 

Maurice Jones, Chief Executive Officer, OneTen

Ken Chenault, Chairman and Managing Director, General Catalyst, Former Chief Executive and Chairman, American Express

Moderator: Ronald Williams, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, The Conference Board

11:45 am – 12:05 pm 

Interview: JUST Capital: Driving Toward an Economy That Works for all Americans

Creating an economy that works for every American is perhaps the greatest opportunity that lies ahead. JUST Capital believes that business can and must be a greater force for good, and helps markets be part of the solution by equipping them with the data, tools, and insights to deliver on that promise. In this conversation with JUST Capital founding CEO Martin Whittaker, learn how its initiatives are shifting mindsets toward stakeholder capitalism, and what corporations can do to better align with the priorities of the American public and build a more just and inclusive economy.

Martin Whittaker, Chief Executive Officer, JUST Capital

Moderator: Paul Washington, Executive Director, ESG Center, The Conference Board

12:05 – 12:40 pm

Panel: Building and Sustaining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Impact

Successfully achieving and sustaining impact for DEI requires much more than a series of organizational initiatives that are often short-lived. In today’s remote work environment, organizations must be able to pivot quickly, make incremental and sometimes ambitious policy decisions, and perhaps most importantly develop and execute a cultural mindset that is sustainable through transitions in leadership. Hear from some of the nation's top DEI officers on how they are making this happen.

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

Susan Johnson, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, The Hartford

Moderator: Dr. Rohini Anand, former SVP Corporate Responsibility and Global Chief Diversity Officer, Sodexo; Senior Fellow, Human Capital, The Conference Board

12:40 – 1:00 pm Break

1:00 – 1:25 pm

Interview: Business as a Platform for Change

Throughout Ravi Saligram’s career, he has inspired employees to challenge the status quo, created cultures driven toward innovation and built industry-leading diversity and inclusion programs. Join us for a conversation with this committed and passionate leader who will discuss the important actions at Newell brands to lead on the moral imperative of removing systemic barriers in order to create a level playing field of opportunity that ensures the American dream is for all.

Ravi Saligram, President, Chief Executive Officer, Newell Brands

Moderator: Lori Murray, President, Committee for Economic Development, The Conference Board

1:25 – 1:45 pm

Interview: Business Accountability in the Fight for Racial and Gender Equality

A conversation on leading the charge for true commitment, measurement, and accountability around the work that financial firms are doing to advance racial and gender equity globally.

Brandee McHale, Head of Community Investing and Development, Citi and President, Citi Foundation

Moderator: Dana Peterson, Chief Economist, The Conference Board

1:45 – 2:00 pm

Closing Remarks

David Dye, PhD, Program Director, The Conference Board