Diversity and equality

If tech companies really want to increase representation, they must do more, Black employees and corporate diversity experts say.

“Just change in the law is not enough,” said Glennda Testone, executive director of New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center. “We need to change people’s lived professional equality.”

One employer decided to update their corporate policies after the Supreme Court ruled LGBTQ people are protected under the Civil Rights Act.

“Silence is not going to work,” says Tammy Fennessy, director of benefits for American Eagle Outfitters. “We view silence as an acceptance of racism — it’s not helping the cause.”

While the moves to recognize Juneteenth have been welcomed by many, companies will be scrutinized by the public to see whether they’re devoting resources to making concrete, measurable changes.

Nationwide, public and private companies move to commemorate Juneteenth by making it a company holiday.

Google says it will try to improve the number of black workers in senior roles and set a goal of filling at least 30% of leadership positions with employees from underrepresented groups by 2025.

While 98% of companies offer diversity initiatives, training cannot be the only tool in a company’s arsenal to combat bias in the workplace.

Members of the bank’s operating committee will be evaluated annually on how much they have increased representation and inclusion of diverse employees in the operations they oversee.

Marilyn Booker seeks a judgment that bars the bank from discriminating against her and other Black women and asks for unspecified damages.

Can remote work bolster diversity and inclusion at your firm? Experts say yes.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision holding that employers can’t discriminate against workers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity has a glaring loophole: It doesn’t apply to small businesses that employ as many as one in six Americans.

Working mothers are bearing the brunt of the disruptions caused by coronavirus. Without individualized workplace support, they’re at risk of falling behind professionally.

Transparency around compensation is key in closing the gender pay gap, and thus the retirement income gap for the future, as it creates accountability for employers and trust with employees.

A divided U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal law protects gay and transgender workers from job discrimination in a decision that gives millions of LGBT people new civil rights.

What’s the racial makeup in your board of directors? Who gets promoted? The social display of empathy is a good first step, but it’s time for corporations to do more.

Corporate messages and social media outreach may be well intended, but diversity experts say companies need to do more to support Black employees in a time of crisis.

Companies can adopt different hiring practices in response to the protests following George Floyd’s death and the continuing coronavirus crisis.

Companies aren’t required by law to publicly disclose the racial makeup of their board and management, but businesses should make public data where employees have self-identified so investors know where they stand on diversity, the CEO said.

"No one has ever asked me, 'What’s your journey been like as a black woman financial adviser? How can I help you?'" says adviser Zaneilia Harris.