MAKERS@ Board of Directors takes action
MAKERS@, the corporate program from MAKERS, counts 45 companies as partners this year, working together to accelerate equity in the workplace. MAKERS@ board members are senior executives committed to actions that power change.
Three tracks represent the board’s action-oriented focus:
BLACK MAKERS@, an inaugural cohort of Black female executives that are partnering with other leaders to close the equity gap for Black leaders in the workplace
Data understanding and transparency around DEI efforts
Company pledges for DEI goals
Twenty partner companies participate in BLACK MAKERS@: 12 in the Data for Equity group and several others have made company pledges that describe specific initiatives and goals. Here’s a sampling.
Kasha Cacy, global chief executive officer, Engine Group
Engine pledges to work with clients and partners in the industry to create products and services aimed at funneling investment into BIPOC-owned businesses and provide opportunities for its employees to personally give back to the BIPOC communities in which Engine operates.
Nicole Jenkins, managing partner, UBS
By 2025, UBS aspires to reach 30 percent female representation at the director level and above and 25 percent female representation among the financial advisor population; 26 percent representation of racial/ethnic minorities at director level and above and 19 percent representation of racial/ethnic minorities among the financial advisor population.
Laura Fuentes, senior vice president of talent, rewards and people analytics, Hilton
Hilton is committed to creating an environment where every team member can thrive. Their goal is to achieve global gender parity and 25 percent U.S. ethnic representation at their corporate leadership levels by 2027.
Lybra Clemons, chief diversity, inclusion and belonging officer, Twilio
Twilio believes that building diverse teams is essential to its success. It's committed to hiring from diverse communities and making sure there’s representation at all levels, especially within leadership. And increasing representation at the director and above level isn’t just a DEI or talent acquisition goal, it’s a company-wide priority. As part of its commitment to be a more antiracist company, Twilio pledges to increase director and above representation by 2 percent U.S. Black leaders by the end of 2021.
Jana Rich, founder and chief executive officer, Rich Talent Group
Rich Talent Group was founded on the ideals of diversity, equity and inclusion. Almost all members of its team are women, people of color and/or LGBTQ. As an executive recruiting firm, it pledges to help its clients build more diverse leadership teams and boards — its goal is that 75 percent of the candidates it presents to its clients will add diversity (as a woman, person of color, and/or LGBTQ) to the leadership team in consideration, and 90 percent at the board level.
Kweilin Ellingrud, senior partner, McKinsey & Company
In 2020, McKinsey put forth a public commitment to antiracism, including 10 actions. Two of those actions focus on talent — to double Black leadership and hiring of Black colleagues and to create a Black Leadership Academy for senior executives and early- to mid-career managers. McKinsey is expanding its recruiting from HBCUs and has created a dedicated recruiting group to attract senior Black professionals to join McKinsey. In addition, it's expanding its student internship programs to include more females, more members of the LGBTQ+ community and more students of color, in addition to students who are the first in their families to attend college.
Lynn Lewis, U.S. CEO, UM Worldwide, UM
UM pledges to increase senior-level leadership of women of color — at the VP, SVP, and EVP levels — by 25 percent in 2021.
Cilsy Harris, enterprise/corporate chief information officer, the Hanover Insurance Group
In support of the company’s continued commitment to promote pay equity, the Hanover pledges to educate, empower and encourage managers to have open and transparent conversations with employees regarding their total compensation. It pledges to have foundational components in place for all managers by Q1 2022 to support pay transparency and equity.
MAKERS works with partners to advance their efforts and share best practices to accelerate equity in the workplace for all. Learn more about MAKERS@.
