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The NFL made the news last year after announcing their first-ever diversity committee, following a lawsuit by former Miami Dolphin Head Coach Brian Flores. Flores was suing the NFL, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, and also New York Giants for “alleged discrimination and racism in hiring practices.”
This is the NFL’s first diversity committee. But, I found 5 other examples of big brands who’ve had them for years.
Before we dive in…
What is a diversity committee?
A diversity committee is:
“typically a group, providing representation from different backgrounds within the organization, who meet on a specific cadence to discuss what is being actioned on DE&I, how it’s working and providing advice on what to do next.”
It’s important for every workplace to be fair and inclusive for everyone. So, one way to make this happen is by having a Diversity Committee.
(source: Forbes)
Why is a diversity committee essential?
A Diversity Committee makes sure everyone in a company is treated fairly, no matter where they come from or who they are.
They help in a few important ways:
- Welcoming Different People: They encourage hiring and keeping employees from many different backgrounds. This also brings in lots of new ideas and perspectives.
- Being More Creative: When people with different experiences work together, they can come up with more creative solutions and new ideas.
- Keeping Employees Happy: When employees know their company values diversity and fairness, they feel happier and more satisfied with their jobs.
- Understanding Customers Better: In a diverse world, having a workforce that looks like the customers helps the company understand and meet their needs.
- Following the Rules and Being Known for Good Practices: Diversity Committees make sure the company follows the laws against discrimination. Also, companies that treat everyone fairly are respected and liked, which can bring in more customers and talented employees.
Who should be on a diversity committee?
To make a good diversity committee, you should have someone who knows a lot about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) as the leader. You also need someone who can talk to important senior executives, unless the committee is already made up of senior executives.
The main goal of a diversity committee is to help and support groups of people who don’t have as many opportunities or representation. So, it’s important to represent them in the committee. Most diversity committees have a mix of BIPOC, women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, allies of underrepresented groups, and c-level leadership.
Now, let’s look at 5 examples of a diversity committee. Plus, a list of members for each.
Let’s start with the NFL:
1. NFL — Diversity Advisory Committee
When was the diversity committee formed? March 2022
What the NFL says about the goal of its diversity committee:
“The six-member committee will lend its expertise, external perspective on industry best practices and will evaluate league and club diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) strategies and initiatives. This includes all hiring processes, policies and procedures, with a primary focus on senior-level coach and front office personnel positions. After completing this evaluation, the committee will provide comprehensive recommendations to the league office and club ownership for consideration.”
source: National Football League
NFL Diversity Committee Members:
(pictured above from left to right)
- Rick Smith (American Football Executive and former Houston Texans GM)
- Pamela Carlton (Springboard)
- Peter Harvey (former N.J. Attorney General, Patterson Belknap)
- Patricia Brown Holmes (Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP)
- Dr. Stefanie K. Johnson (University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business)
- Don Thompson (Cleveland Avenue LLC, former CEO and president of McDonald’s Corporation)
2. General Motors (GM) — Inclusion Advisory Board
When was the diversity committee formed? June 2020
What the GM says about its diversity committee mission:
“In June 2020, GM Chair and CEO, Mary Barra, commissioned an Inclusion Advisory Board and announced our mission to become the most inclusive company in the world. We’re making it our mission to promote social and racial justice and equity. And we keep adding to this commitment every day.”
source: General Motors
General Motors Diversity Committee Members:
(pictured above from left to right)
- Kim J. Brycz (Senior VP, GM)
- Mary T. Barra (Chair and CEO GM)
- Tonya Allen (President of the McKnight Foundation)
- Dennis Archer Jr. (CEO, Ignition Media Group & President, Archer Corporate Services)
- Craig Buchholz (Senior VP, GM)
- Arden Hoffman (CPO, Cruise) – LQBTQ
- Todd Ingersoll (President/CEO, Ingersoll Automotive)
- Gerald Johnson (Executive VP, GM)
- Telva McGruder (Chief of DE&I, GM)
- Mark Reuss (President, GM)
3. Salesforce — Ecosystem Equality Partner Advisory Board
When was the diversity committee formed? May 2021
What Salesforce says about the frequency of their diversity committee meetings:
“Our Ecosystem Equality Partner Advisory Board members will meet twice per quarter to build and support initiatives that align to Salesforce’s vision of equality for all.”
source: Salesforce — Medium
Salesforce Diversity Committee Members:
4. Sky – Diversity Advisory Council
When was the diversity committee formed? June 2020
What Sky says their diversity committee adds to the biz:
“Sky’s new Diversity Advisory Council will be responsible for advising and guiding the business on issues of diversity, including using its voice externally, and helping to maintain progress towards becoming a more inclusive organisation. Members of the group are experts in their field and represent views from a variety of backgrounds.
Their unique perspectives will add value to the way Sky steers diversity and inclusion as it creates new plans to improve representation and progression of minority groups, especially at a senior level. The group will work alongside Sky’s Diversity Action Group, a diverse cross-section of Sky’s workforce chaired by Stephen van Rooyen, EVP & CEO UK & Europe.”
source: Sky
Sky Diversity Committee Members:
5. Toyota — Diversity Advisory Board
When was the diversity committee formed? 2002
What Toyota says about the role of their diversity committee:
“Toyota’s Diversity Advisory Board plays an integral role in fostering a more diverse and inclusive culture at the company. Working closely with the organization’s senior leadership, the Advisory Board helps drive adoption of best practices and ensures executive accountability.”
source: Toyota
Toyota Diversity Advisory Board Members
(pictured above from left to right)
- Alexis Herman (Chair & CEO, New Ventures, LLC)
- Gilbert Casellas (former VP, Dell)
- Kyoto Chopra (Senior VP, Pearson PLC.)
- Howard W. Buffett (Columbia University)
6. Ferrara — Diversity Committee
In October 2020, Ferrara created a group called the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council. So, this group’s job is to make sure Ferrara works harder to include more people from different backgrounds. They want to be sure that their work matches what Ferrara stands for. Also, they want this group to hold them accountable for making real changes.
The council had its third meeting, led by the CEO, and other leaders from the company. And all the top executives and over 35 employees from different parts of the company also took part. Thus, they came from different backgrounds and had different levels of experience. Each member was also part of a group that focused on a specific area of the business. So, being in the council was part of their yearly goals.
Ferrara Diversity Committee Members:
The responsibilities of the council are to:
- Assist the CEO and head of DE&I in creation of the DE&I strategy and key milestones.
- Embed diversity, equity and inclusion across the enterprise with strong connections to departments.
- Identify systemic barriers that impact recruitment, retention and advancement, training, and key assignments.
- Act as change agents for the organization, challenge the status quo, champion DE&I and promote the company as an employer of choice.
The council uses six sigma methods to find out which parts of the company need to get better. So, they focus on things like keeping track of metrics, marketing to different people, the company culture, choosing suppliers, and also hiring employees. Then, they form groups to work on each of these areas. So, every year, the council looks at what they’re doing to figure out what is working well and what they can do better. The aim is to make Ferrara a more inclusive place and make important changes.
Why I wrote this?
A diversity committee is like the foundation of a house—it’s really important for building a fair workplace. So, as you learned, they check to make sure that everyone is treated equally when they hire new people. Sometimes, they find that people suffer unfair treatment. And they might also go as far as finding biased words in job ads that can make some people not want to apply.
But, Ongig’s software helps you get there faster by finding and removing these words. Therefore, you can start attracting different kinds of people and help them feel welcome to apply for jobs. So, Ongig help you make sure that everyone gets a fair chance. Please request a demo to learn more.
Shout-outs:
- Steelers coach Brian Flores’ lawsuit vs. NFL takes shocking twist with new info by Angelo Guinhawa
- NFL ANNOUNCES DIVERSITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS by NFL Football Operations
- What Is A Diversity Council And How Do You Make It A Success? By Sheree Atcheson
- 12 Companies Ramping Up Their Diversity & Inclusion Efforts – and How You Can Too by Dominique Fluker
- Inclusion Advisory Board – Leadership for diversity, equity and inclusion by GM
- Meet the Team Bringing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to the Salesforce Partner Ecosystem by Molly Lorenz
- Toyota Diversity + Inclusion 2022 Annual Report by Toyota
- Experts appointed to new Diversity Advisory Council to steer Sky’s ambitions on diversity and inclusion by Sky
