Businesses and organizations create more inclusive environments with equitable outcomes by committing to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)
After nearly 50 years of corporate diversity initiatives, businesses are still struggling with baking diversity and inclusion into the DNA of a corporation
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Businesses and organizations create more inclusive environments with equitable outcomes by committing to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Advancing DEI isn’t only the right thing to do — it’s also the smart thing to do. CEOs and business leaders are able to infuse social responsibility throughout their organizations, from top-down, setting diversity and inclusion standards and norms within the workplace.
After nearly 50 years of corporate diversity initiatives, businesses are still struggling with baking diversity and inclusion into the DNA of a corporation. And, for those corporations that have successfully attracted a diverse mix of employees, statistics show that the vast majority fall short when it comes to diversifying the C-suite and boardroom.
Perhaps the answer to successful diversity and inclusion practices is somewhere in Nike’s iconic slogan: Just Do It!
Nike is a good example of how hard it can be to reach diversity goals. Leadership at Nike has grappled with comparisons between the company’s progressive marketing campaigns and the actual diversity within the company’s workforce.
According to company reports, Nike has raised the proportion of racial and ethnic minorities, at director level and above, by increasing more than 4% over the past fiscal year to approximately 30% in representation. In 2019, the proportion of non-white vice-presidents was 21%. Nike’s Impact Reports suggest that the company, known for its innovation and reaching goals, is having a difficult time with its focus on diversity and inclusion.
[This article has been reproduced with permission from Knowledge Network, the online thought leadership platform for Thunderbird School of Global Management https://thunderbird.asu.edu/knowledge-network/]