About the Conference

The confluence of events of 2020 has forever changed our lives: beginning with COVID-19, the ensuing economic crisis, civil unrest, and seismic protests driving a sea of change.

As the world’s leading independent think tank devoted to serving business and society for more than 100 years, The Conference Board presents its flagship Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Conference being held virtually November 12, 13 & 16.

Our premier program is uniquely positioned to provide ways for leaders to help heal the wounds of the past, address the injustices of the present, and build a better future for all, together.

By attending this exclusive event, you will get an in-depth look at:

• Behaviors Leaders Need to Create an Inclusive Workplace
• Addressing Power, Privilege and Equity in Your Organization
• Removing Bias from Recruitment

Featured Speakers Include:

• Corie Pauling, Senior Vice President, Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer, TIAA
• Tariq Malik, Director, Employee Relations / Diversity Analytics, Target
• Nadine Augusta, Americas Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Goldman Sachs
• Olga Yakimakho, Director, Leadership and Organizational Development, Special Olympics International
• Namrata Yadav, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Inclusion Strategy, Bank of America

DEI Overtime:

At the conclusion of each day’s formal sessions you will be invited to join “DEI Overtime” an interactive virtual Town Hall. Topics will include defining and encouraging anti-racism, microaggressions, standing up to racism, and how to turn productive conversations about race into concrete actions.

Who Should Attend

• CDOs and C-Level executives
• Vice Presidents and Directors of:
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Talent Management
  • Human Resources
• Professionals with responsibility for:
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Organization Culture
• Leadership Development
• Employee Engagement
• Learning
• Succession Planning
• Program Managers
• Learning and Development
• Employee Relations
• Talent Acquisition
• Global Business, Ethics and Integrity
• Total Rewards

Things to do Now:

1. Register
This event is free for members ($495 for non-members). Register now to join us for the live virtual event and to receive a link to watch later on-demand.

2. Get Involved:
Speaking Opportunities: john.brewer@conferenceboard.org
Sponsorship Opportunities: john.brewer@conferenceboard.org
Marketing Partnerships: melissa.mianulli@conferenceboard.org
Group Registrations: ulei.kou@conferenceboard.org

DAY ONE
Thursday, November 12, 2020

10:30 – 10:45 am    General Session A: Welcome & Opening Remarks and Opening Spoken Word

This opening session will introduce the conference, its themes and sessions and will also feature a live recitation by RashadThaPoet, a spoken word artist that speaks to our current time and the need for greater equity and inclusion

10:45 – 11:30 am    General Session B: PANEL: The Time is Now – Responding To The Current Moment and Advancing The Cause of Equity and Justice Among North American Employers 

2020 has not unfolded as expected. Beginning with a strong economy experiencing continued robust growth, record low unemployment across the US and with talent shortages across the economy all that changed overnight.

COVID19 hit and it seemed like it was 1929 all over again with a significant drop in the stock market followed by an unprecedented rise in unemployment with large parts of the economy shut down, hospitals overwhelmed with COVID19 cases and a rapidly rising death toll.

Then came the tragic killing of George Floyd that sparked global demonstrations and a national conversation about race and racism and the ugly legacy of slavery in the US.

This put the issues of racial justice and equity at the top of the corporate agenda at a time when organizations were already dealing with unprecedented change. Despite this it seems now as if the conversation fueled by the advocacy of Black Lives Matter and others has momentum.

This panel, featuring DEI leaders, will examine the impact this has had on employers and most importantly what actions we can take to ensure progress is made and justice done in all our organizations.

Moderator:

Camille Dundas, Founder, ByBlacks.com

Panelists:

Corie Pauling, Senior Vice President, Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer, TIAA

Tiffany Benjamin, Senior Director, Corporate Responsibility and Global Health Programs, Eli Lilly

11:30 – 11:40 am    Break

11:40 am – 12:20 pm    General Session C: OPENING KEYNOTE: Culture, Belonging, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

In recent years Claude Silver has become a prominent advocate and practitioner of an alternative kind of leadership that puts people at the heart of organizations, focusses on creating a positive, psychologically safe workplace built on a sense of community and belonging.

In this opening session Claude will share her leadership philosophy and how this approach supports D&I in organizations

Claude Silver, Chief Heart Officer, Vayner Media

12:20 – 1:00 pm    Lunch

1:00 – 1:40 pm    Breakout Session D1: Organizations for Everyone Session 1: Religion at Work

This panel discussion focusses on a new area for many organizations - religion in the workplace. This can be a difficult issue to navigate but as religion plays such an important role in many people’s identity it is an issue that organizations have to engage. In this session you will have the opportunity to discuss your organization’s approach to faith and explore ways of addressing it in the workplace.

Moderator:

Leslie Funk, Workplace Program Associate, Tanenbaum

Panelists:

Ashlee Davis, Vice President, Senior Diversity & Inclusion Manager, AllianceBernstein

Nadine Augusta, Americas Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Goldman Sachs

Brad Wagner, Director of External Partnerships & ERGs, Target

Breakout Session D2: Essential Elements for Building impactful DEI Strategies

Ester Neznanova, Head of Diversity & Inclusion Practice, The Neuroleadership Institute

Breakout Session D3: The Partisan Divide & Diversity – How To Communicate With Those On The Other Side

This event is taking place little more than a week after the US election – an election that has deepened the partisan divide across the country.  Regardless of the outcome Democrats and Republicans, Liberals and Conservatives will have to collaborate within your organization.

Can this divide be bridged so as to prevent it causing workplace conflict and impacting performance? Dr Dominic Packer’s research offers some intriguing answers. He will discuss the growing importance of political affiliation to identity and the increasing negativity each side of the political divide feels towards the other.  His research shows these opinions are often based on crude stereotypes and offers practical ways to brigge the gap to create greater understanding and respect.

Dominic Packer, Professor of Psychology, Lehigh University

1:40 – 1:50 pm    Break

1:50 – 2:30 pm    Breakout Session E1: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome – What it Means to Belong

Ruth is an award-winning CEO, who is committed to creating inclusion for all. Ruth will share her personal and professional journey through the lens of someone with a visible disability, and what it is like to live life without limits or labels. Ruth will touch on the subject of visible and invisible disabilities, covering hidden differences & otherness, and belonging and imposter syndrome. Her story will speak to how we rise above life's challenges to gain the freedom of letting go of shame, the power of living authentically, and the recognition that our differences are our greatest gift.

Ruth Rathblott, President and CEO, Harlem Educational Activities Fund

Breakout Session E2: Five Behaviors Leaders Need to Create an Inclusive Workplace

Relying on a small group of like-minded individuals in a market driven by ideas and innovations creates an enormous commercial risk. Not only is this a big risk but allowing talented individuals to stay hidden in the shadows leads to frustration and disengagement, which may result in lower performance and retention issues.

In this session, learn the five essential behaviors every leader needs to operate with an inclusive mindset. These are behaviors that can be learned and applied consistently to change the organizational culture and are critical to meeting diversity goals

Julie Yoon, Consultant, DDI

Breakout Session E3: Going Beyond The Organization: How Employers Can Effectively Engage With Social Justice Initiatives in the Community

The current national dialogue on race has an impact on organizations beyond just creating equity in hiring, advancement and opportunity or removing bias and addressing racism among employees. Increasingly employees and customers are asking what companies are doing in the community to advance broader social equity and justice.

This discussion will feature two leading organizations mobilizing corporations for social justice. Tent advocates for and enables employment opportunities for refugees while The Responsible Business Initiative For Justice works in the area of criminal justice reform.

You will hear about the activities of these two organizations as they share how employers can work to promote equity.

Moderator:

Rohini Ananad, Senior Fellow, The Conference Board

Veronica (Noni) Rossini, Director of Marketing and Communications, Tent Partnership for Refugees

Ben Cumming, Communications Director, Responsible Business Initiative For Justice

2:30 – 2:40 pm    Break

2:40 – 4:00 pm    General Session F: Addressing Power, Privilege and Equity in Your Organization

Organizations are making inclusive leadership a business priority to create a culture of belonging. This often requires leaders to engage in difficult conversations around power, privilege and equity.

In this unique and dynamic session, the IBIS Consulting Group and their troupe of professional actors will perform workplace scenarios that will serve as starting points for discussion on inclusive leadership and allies in the workplace. The real-life scenarios will illustrate role of leaders on mitigating bias and addressing systemic disparities. Audience members will also hear from companies that have successfully engaged leaders in conversations around their role as DEI advocates.

Shilpa Pherwani, Principal/CEO, IBIS Consulting Group

4:00 – 4:10 pm    Break

4:10 – 5:10 pm    DEI OVERTIME I: Racism and Anti-Racism

At the conclusion of the day’s formal sessions you will be invited to join an interactive Zoom based Town Hall with Breakouts – DEI  Overtime. The first of these will focus on the issue of race, picking up on the discussions that opened the day. Topics for discussion will include defining and encouraging anti-racism, microaggressions, standing up to racism when you see it, and how to turn productive conversations about race into concrete actions.
 

DAY TWO
Friday, November 13, 2020

10:30 – 10:45 am    General Session G: Welcome & Opening Remarks and Opening Spoken Word

Day two will begin with a brief recap of some of the main issues discussed on the first day, a preview of the discussions to come and a second  live recitation by spoken word artist Tucker Bryant that speaks to our current time and the need for greater empathy we all need to have for the struggles of those we love, know and work with.

10:45 – 11:30 am    General Session H: Creating An Equitable Workplace for African Americans – Case Study of “Polaris” at Freddie Mac

Named after the North Star that guided enslaved Americans to Freedom, Polaris was designed to connect, educate, and empower associates with the knowledge and skills needed to manage and excel their careers at Freddie Mac. Specifically, it was built to help the African American population at the below management level that felt that their career progression had stalled.

Research has shown that representation of African Americans as well as other diverse groups tend to be concentrated within individual contributor and first line leader roles and continue to significantly thin in senior leadership levels roles. Many at the below manager level feel stuck without proper guidance on ways to progress their career.

Polaris was built to help advance personal development, further embed inclusion and improve representation. The program has 6 foundational objectives:

1. Build a structured framework for professional development

2. Focus on connecting people to opportunities thereby deepening Freddie Mac’s brand and influence

3. Develop strong, prepared and capable professionals

4. Design engaging, interactive and practical programming to strengthen professional development

5. Drive mentoring, coaching and accountability partnerships

6. Leverage multi-modal learning environments, tools and technologies to drive professional development results

Daniella Akua A. Kyei, Risk Analytics, Sr , Single Family Division, Freddie Mac

11:30 – 11:40 am    Break

11:40 am – 12:20 pm    General Session I: Let’s Talk about Age: Including Age as Part of Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

As people are living longer, many are working longer. Today, it is possible to see five generations working side-by-side in the workplace. Surprisingly, few companies include age as part of their diversity and inclusion strategy. But there are companies that recognize the opportunity that a multigenerational workforce provides.

This session will take an in-depth look at how age is viewed in America, promising practices to leverage the value of the multigenerational workforce, and resources for employers that want to address age in their benefits programs. Let’s discuss how we can disrupt aging in the workplace.

Lori Trawinski, Director, Financial Security Team, AARP Public Policy Institute, AARP

12:20 – 1:00 pm    Lunch

1:00 – 1:40 pm    Breakout Session J1: Workplace Culture, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Harnessing the Power of Analytics and D&I to Transform the Future Workplace

Two of the defining characteristics of the future workplace will be the greater diversity of the workforce and increased use of analytics to make more evidence based human capital decisions.

This session will explore one organization’s diversity journey and how analytics has supported and informed D&I so as to identify areas for action, facilitate decision making and enhance the employee experience.

Namrata Yadav, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Inclusion Strategy, Bank of America

Breakout Session J2: PANEL SESSION: Getting Started with DEI – Lessons from Organizations Early in the Journey

This session, featuring three employers in the early stages of developing and executing a D&I strategy, will allow you to hear firsthand about some of the challenges faced in making progress at this critical juncture. If you are in the first three years of a D&I implementation you will want to join the discussion and share your own experiences.

This discussion is particularly relevant as current events have led many employers to either start or significantly expand DEI initiatives in their organizations.

Panelists:

Natasha Miller Williams, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Ferrara Candy Company

Adrianne Smith, Global Director of Inclusion and Diversity, WPP

Adetoro Adegbola, Diversity and Inclusion, Etsy

Breakout Session J3: Let’s Get REAL™— A Framework for meaningful results with Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

To pursue excellence, leaders need to enable and promote equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the workplace. Over the last 50 years, we have seen how misappropriated efforts and unintended collateral damage undermine the most well-meaning strategies.

So what was missing? Research-based, comprehensive and integrated strategies for real, sustainable change. In this session, we will discuss CCL’s proprietary REAL™ framework. Creating meaningful results by helping leaders leverage the dynamics of EDI in their organization.

Abigail Dunne-Moses, Director, Global Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Practice, Center for Creative Leadership

Cathleen Clerkin, Manager of Strategic Research; Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Leadership Team, Center for Creative Leadership

1:40 – 1:50 pm    Break

1:50 – 2:30 pm    Breakout Session K1: Organizations for Everyone Session 2 - Ex Offenders and Women Prisoners

This session will look at the successful employment of two often overlooked groups – those currently incarcerated and ex-offenders. You will hear how Johns Hopkins provides a path for ex-offenders to enter the workforce and seize the opportunity to succeed.

A recent study by Arizona State University identified the many benefits of Televerde’s prison employment program including higher rates of employment post release, lower recidivism as well as many benefits for the families of those incarcerated.

Yariela Kerr-Donovan, Senior Director, Department of Human Resources, Strategic Workforce Development, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Kellie Walenciak, Global Head of Communications, Televerde

Sara Wasserteil, Managing Director of Expansion and Integration, Cara Chicago

Breakout Session K2: A Data-Driven Approach to Setting and Achieving Diversity Goals In The Hiring Process

78% of talent leaders say diversity is the most important trend shaping the future of recruiting and hiring (LinkedIn) and 67% of jobseekers say diverse

workforce is important when evaluating job offers (Glassdoor). Our awareness and sense of urgency to address diversity has sky-rocketed given recent events, and CEOs/CHROs are allocating resources to drive concrete progress. Do you feel satisfied your current D&I goals and strategy to achieve them?

In this session you’ll hear about a data-driven approach you can take to set realistic diversity goals and achieve them.

• Understanding diversity inside your company for different functions/roles.
• Understanding diversity at competitors and regionally for functions/roles.
• Using data to engage with hiring managers to set realistic D&I goals.
• Strategically sourcing to ensure that top-of-funnel is appropriately diverse.
• Reducing unconscious bias throughout the hiring process.

This session will use concrete examples and tools to showcase above steps and discuss how technology/AI can be your ally in achieving your organization’s D&I goals

Breakout Session K3: Fertility & Maternal Health in the Black Community

2:30 – 2:40 pm    Break

2:40 – 3:20 pm    General Session L: Allyship in Action – The Case Of “Men for Inclusion” at Cisco

Increasingly organizations are looking to allyship to further advance inclusive workplaces. To succeed organizations, need to enlist the support of white men. In this session you will hear about an initiative at Cisco, “Men for Inclusion” that runs in six global locations. Starting with simple awareness building Cisco have made significant progress in getting men to actively support inclusion and take concrete action in their workplaces.

Some conversations have been uncomfortable as people have had to face and understand their privilege and work to ensure the organization creates a culture where everyone belongs.

Antonette Ligons, Program Manager, Information Technology, Cisco

3:20 – 3:30 pm    Break

3:30 – 4:20 pm    DEI Overtime II

For this second Overtime the theme will be Allyship



DAY THREE
Monday, November 16, 2020

10:30 – 10:45 am    General Session M: Welcome & Opening Remarks

10:45 – 11:30 am    General Session N: Organizations for Everyone Session 2: Disability in the Workplace

Paralympian and disability advocate Jenny Sichel will lead a discussion focused on the work of Link 20 a Ruderman Family Foundation initiative of young people advocating for greater inclusion for people with disabilities. Members of the group will share their personal experiences and discuss what employers can do to create greater inclusion for people with disabilities. Discussion will include mental health and neurodiversity.

Moderator:

Jenny Sichel, Link 20 Program Coordinator, Ruderman Family Foundation

Panelists:

Amanda Frantz, Executive Director, KEEN

Tiffany Yu, CEO & Founder, Diversability

DeShawn Cann, Recruiter, Human Resources Umbrella for Customer Service, Amazon

11:30 am – 11:40 am    Break

11:40 am – 12:20 pm    General Session O: Neurodiversity in the Workplace

While neurodiversity is not a new concept many organizations have only recently begin to include neurodiversity in their D&I strategy or are looking to do so. The recent announcement of Greta Thunberg as Time’s person of the year and her characterization of her Asperger’s as a “superpower” have raised the appreciation that neurodiverse employees have a unique contribution to make and can indeed be a competitive advantage.

Moderator:

Connie Donnelly, Vice President of Neurodiversity & Business Development, Rethink Benefits

Panelists:

Olga Yakimakho, Director, Leadership and Organizational Development, Special Olympics International

Susanne M. Bruyère, Director, Professor of Disability Studies, Cornell University

Jen Emira, PMP, Senior Employee Experiences PM, Accessibility, Co-Chair, disAbility ERG, Microsoft

12:20 – 1:00 pm    Breakout Session P1: Setting Up the Next Generation for Success – Women, Intersectionality and the Future of Work

In a world that increasing needs STEM skills to succeed, much attention has been placed on recruiting and developing women given their low representation in this area. Unfortunately, not as much attention is being paid to the issue of intersectionality meaning not as much progress has been made for women of color or those with disabilities for example.

This session will share ways you can ensure greater equity in your organization when it comes to women and the future of work. Discussion will include the role of ERGs, advancing women to leadership roles and other tangible strategies.

Breakout Session P2: "I See You and I Celebrate You" — The Power of Inclusion 

The workplace – as well as the world at large – continues to face expectations of humanization and care. Both inside and outside of work, we are relational beings that seek to be seen, valued, and cared for in our unique identities and perspectives. Amidst significant changes to organizations and the associated impacts on the employee experience, determining how to intentionally foster inclusion can help you and your employees thrive. In this session, Dr. Reetu Sandhu, Sr. Manager of the Limeade Institute will cover the science behind inclusion, clarify how it relates to diversity, and dig into the powerful role it plays in driving people and business results. You'll leave with tips and strategies on increasing inclusion at your own organization.

Dr. Reetu Sandhu, Sr. Manager, The Limeade Institute

1:00 – 1:30 pm    Lunch

1:30 pm - 2:10 pm    General Session Q: CLOSING PANEL: What’s Next for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging?  How to Build on the Momentum for Equity and Justice

This concluding panel will bring together some of the issues discussed during the conference and reflect on what it takes to create organizations where people belong, contribute and succeed. A key part of this discussion will be to project what challenges can D&I practitioners expect to face in the coming year and how can D&I professionals have a deep impact on the future of their organizations

Tariq Malik, Director, Employee Relations / Diversity Analytics, Target

2:10 – 2:30    General Session R: Closing Remarks and Break

2:30 – 3:30    DEI Overtime III: Belonging