Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Eliminating discrimination from customer service has been historically difficult, even for organizations with stellar service reputations. Is there a way for companies to better identify their breakdowns and eliminate discrimination from the fast food drive through to the hotel lobby?

Diversity, equity and inclusion are imperative. How can companies — and the individuals in them — ensure the kind of inclusive hiring practices that will lead to a genuinely equitable and diverse culture? Darden Professor Toni Irving discusses problems and solutions for hiring and developing diverse talent.

While the U.S. has become more diverse, it has largely remained segregated. Good intentions and conversations about diversity may lead to what Professor Greg Fairchild terms the “illusion of inclusion”; even if we do not hold bias, physical and social separation may exacerbate existing income, wealth, job and achievement gaps.

In the face of a pandemic, how can we be bigger than the sum of our parts? Laura Morgan Roberts addresses how to maintain and evolve culture from afar: how to bond, stay agile, ensure physical and psychological safety, promote inclusion, offer compassion, and strategically align to determine what the new normal requires — and what needs to change.

The convergence of racism, economic downturns and public health crises reflect wicked problems in complex systems fraught with inequality. Enduring strains of racism play out overtly and subtly, both violently in the streets and systemically in the workplace. So what now? Laura Morgan Roberts offers three zones of action as we move forward.

In the wake of the killing of George Floyd and national protests for racial justice, businesses and leaders are working to embrace a defining moment for racial equality.

In a world beset by the COVID-19 pandemic, we face situations that test our deepest values. And when a threat to personal safety triggers the fight or flight response, our values-based decision-making is at greater risk. Mary Gentile’s Giving Voice to Values framework can help prepare us to be our best selves in trying times.

China’s progress towards modernization and marketization gave women unprecedented opportunities to launch and scale private enterprises and make billions in the process. Professor Ming-Jer Chen shares insights on how China managed to forge a new class of super-successful female founders.

Hiring and promoting decisions can easily come down to a candidate’s abilities versus “fit,” which can be more about identity and social behavior. Darden Professor Jim Detert presents a case in point on these company-defining decisions — and the importance of looking for clues to spot and overcome implicit biases.

Minority-owned banks offer a valuable function in providing equitable support to minority communities and small-businesses. While they receive some government benefits, they also receive criticism for the support and a perception they’re “risky.” Is that criticism founded? Research analyzes actual outputs and inputs.