“Right now, it is vital for every business in our community to have crucial conversations on how to ensure we are creating equitable opportunities for all,” said Kenya Dunn, Chamber Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Executive Fellow.
We knew that there were fantastic leaders in our region that are passionate about DE&I, we just needed a platform to share their great knowledge and resources.
To accomplish this need, we decided to launch a fully virtual DE&I Conference, where participants would spend three days journeying together with the goal of leading our region’s business community in creating a diverse and inclusive workforce where opportunities and resources are equitable for all.
With nerves, excitement and anticipation in tow, we kicked off day one of the conference.
Kenya Dunn, the Chamber’s DE&I Executive Fellow, set the tone for the week, urging everyone to keep their minds open and be ready to learn and grow.
The first-day keynote was Ray Dempsey, Jr., Chief Diversity Officer with BP America, and President of the BP Foundation. His presentation focused on the business imperative for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Ray, like many of us, heard organizations say, “We need to think about DE&I because it’s the right thing to do.” Yep, it sure is. But, it’s not JUST the right thing to do.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion genuinely underpins business performance.
Ray Dempsey, Jr.
Learn more about the important highlights from his presentation here: https://cmcc.flywheelsites.com/news/career/integrating-equitable-strategies-for-a-diverse-workforce/
This conversation led into a Chief Diversity Officer Panel moderated by Mamie Bush, Director of Sales & Marketing with Hilton Garden Inn – Charleston Waterfront/ Downtown. The panel featured Shawn Edwards, Chief Diversity Officer with The Citadel; Melanie Stith, Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer with Roper St. Francis Healthcare; and Michael Moore, Chief Diversity Officer with Blackbaud.
Some highlights included:
- DE&I must be modeled in your organization and tie into your core values
- DE&I needs buy in from leadership, but the voice of your employees is also crucial to make it a success
- To measure success of your DE&I initiatives, understand where your organization currently stands, determine where you would like to be and make timely metrics to see how far you’ve come
This is Heart Work, not Hard Work.
DE&I is NOT:
- A box to be checked
- A social program or affirmative action
- JUST an HR function – it needs to be ingrained in your organizational strategy and how you operate ethically
This incredible conversation from these four leaders teed up a discussion with Renard Harris, Chief Diversity Officer with the College of Charleston, about understanding the role of bias in the workplace.
Something critical from his presentation is understanding that everyone has bias – whether we like to admit it or not. Unconscious bias, also known as implicit bias, is the underlying attitudes and stereotypes that people unconsciously attribute to another person or group of people that affect how they understand and engage with a person or group.
The best way to prevent yourself from succumbing to these unconscious biases is to become aware of them and take action to prevent them when recruiting, hiring and retaining employees.
We ended the day with a fireside chat with Kenya and Chase Glenn, Executive Director for the Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFFA), discussing the creation of inclusive cultures and a sense of belonging.
Creating a sense of inclusivity and belonging in a work environment could be the difference between retaining an employee or having them quit with a salty taste in their mouth. It’s that simple.
Practical ways to create a culture of belonging:
- Lean into your employee resource groups, if you have them (if you don’t, now is the time to do that!)
- Offer daily/weekly check-ins – this offers a practical way to touch base that can be done virtually
- Encourage an environment that welcomes conversations and open dialogue
In a recent community needs assessment, we found that 55% of LGTBQ+ respondents in our region felt like they couldn’t be themselves at work.
Chase Glenn
Be understanding. Let everyone know that they are in your organization because they are needed and because they contribute something.
What an impactful way to end Day One of the DE&I Conference – at our core, the majority of people want to be loved for who they are, valued for their thoughts and ideas and appreciated for what makes them unique.
Click here to dive into the Day Two Recap!
Special thank you to our sponsors!
Presenting Sponsor
Premier Sponsors
First Horizon Bank
Ingevity
South Carolina Federal Credit Union
Technology Sponsor
eGroup :: Technology Solutions for Serious Competitors
Session Sponsors
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
Dominion Energy
Floyd Lee Locums
Morris Financial Concepts, Inc
