Time To Act

Shannon Schuyler, chief purpose and inclusion officer at PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC), has found a passion and purpose in bridging the gender diversity gap in corporate leadership. Clarissa Clark, a director in PwC’s Risk Assurance Practice, has spent the past decade advocating for minority professionals and the challenges they face. In this episode, Schuyler and Clark explore how mentors in the workplace can help rising minority professionals navigate pathways to success and how allies can support one another on the journey to a more equitable future.

John Rogers, the co-CEO, CIO and chairman of Ariel Investments, founded the first African American-owned money management firm in the U.S. Rogers explains why the country’s wealth gap has continued to widen, and offers solutions for driving economic justice, including a diverse talent pipeline and social impact investing. Host Y-Vonne Hutchinson reflects on economic participation, especially minority entrepreneurs who are underestimated, underrepresented and undercapitalized.

At the helm of Intel Corporation’s diversity and inclusion strategy, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Barbara Whye is already leading the charge on corporate responsibility initiatives — such as the RISE campaign, AI for Youth, and the Global Inclusion Index — that are integral to Intel’s next decade of innovation. Host Y-Vonne Hutchinson explores her own vision of what inclusion in technology should look like by the year 2030 and the fundamental steps Intel is taking to get there.

California State Automobile Association (CSAA) CEO and President Tom Troy explains how he fosters a company culture centered around inclusion, through the lens of maintaining mental health and well-being. He spotlights how CSAA is taking action, beyond granting additional health benefits, to ensure their employees have the resources they need to not only survive, but thrive in this climate. Host Y-Vonne Hutchinson addresses how and why it’s important for companies to keep these initiatives in place as they navigate a future with many uncertainties.

Yum! Brands Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer James Fripp oversees multinational brands including KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. Working his way up the ranks from a shift manager in Taco Bell stores to a global-facing leader, Fripp learned first-hand that inclusion isn’t just an HR topic buried in corporate annual reports, but an artform with the capacity for global impact. He explains how vital authentic relationships are to building trust that can foster truly inclusive company culture. 

Conversations around diversity and inclusion can be uncomfortable — particularly in the workplace, where they are often overlooked or avoided. But data shows that companies who place diversity and inclusion initiatives at the forefront of their strategy are more innovative and successful than their competitors. Covering topics such as allyship, intersectional divides and mental health inclusion, these committed CEOs and C-suite leaders are showing their organizations — and their industries — that now is the time to act on diversity and inclusion.