It is with great pleasure that DiversityGlobal Magazine introduces the 2023 Top 15 Champions of Diversity. People of action who are doing remarkable work under challenging circumstances, the 2023 Champions of Diversity do much more than talk about their vision for embedding diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in their organizations. They are women and men of action in the workforce, the workplace, and the marketplace, drawing people into their vision for an inclusive world through innovative leadership approaches. Working locally and globally, the Champions are proven diversity leaders who have developed excellent agendas full of actions that embrace people. In fact, reading through their answers to questions about their current initiatives, past successes, and future plans for advancing DEIB, it is quickly apparent that the energy level of these leaders is boundless.

The Champions selected this year are driving success in the DEIB space by developing and implementing strategic plans filled with specific actions. There is a long list of actions too, and all are designed to brush away the excuses for lack of progress and to ask people to step up and be a part of the change. In every case, momentum is first generated by getting the CEOs’ and senior leaders’ support. They have all made it clear that they have C-suite support. The next step is to develop an infrastructure of support. This includes developing data collection tools that generate data for transparency. Several Champions of Diversity were instrumental in their organizations publishing DEI and ESG metrics for the first time in annual reports available to leadership, employees, and the general public. This is a significant step towards full public transparency, because the metrics show areas of progress and areas where greater attention is needed.

With the support of top organizational leaders and a desire for change in the diversity space, all the Champions of Diversity have an aggressive agenda. It can be said that the variety of actions taken has never been broader and more determined, nor more adept at bringing change. There are leadership development programs to discuss biases that negatively influence decision-making and to teach leaders a diverse skill set, formation of a wider variety of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), employee upskilling programs to meet changing work needs, organization-wide forums to give employees a voice, employee volunteer programs for contributing to communities, networking opportunities to promote communication, and so much more. They are allies, mentors, and sponsors.

All of the diversity leaders champion candid conversations about complex issues and experiences. They encourage people to talk and listen and learn. This is important to building an inclusive workplace, because ongoing communication about lived experiences and perspectives is the only way to develop understanding. Though leader and employee training sessions are essential elements of any DEIB strategic plan, holding meaningful conversations in a psychologically safe organizational culture is by far the most productive path to developing a truly equitable, inclusive workplace where people feel a sense of belonging.

This year, the industries represented are once again expanded. They include talent solutions, software development, computer parts manufacturing, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and medical products, window and door manufacturing, sports teams, education, insurance, and a professional organization for psychologists. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are essential to people in every workplace worldwide, and the Champions are challenged with making DEIB core values while respecting local cultures.

An important strategy is building the organization’s infrastructure so that DEIB values are applied in the end-to-end talent management system for all locations. However, the Champions of Diversity also strive to ensure that the future holds more opportunities for people in underrepresented groups and underserved communities. To act on this strategic goal, they form partnerships with external organizations, like HBCUs and advocacy organizations. Many Champions have implemented initiatives that reach youth, young adults, and people in communities frequently excluded to help them prepare for future opportunities. Everything the diversity leaders do is with intention, including creating nontraditional channels for talent and infusing DEIB into business strategies and priorities. They are evolving DEI beyond the transactional because traditional metrics, like the number of employees who belong to a specific demographic, only tell a small part of the story.

Please join the staff at DiversityGlobal Magazine in congratulating the Top 15 Champions of Diversity. Their work in the diversity and inclusion space is critical to creating a world where people can achieve their personal and work goals, and where differences are celebrated as sources of innovation and creativity. As you read their bios, we hope you will find new strategies, ideas, and approaches to moving the needle in the diversity space. The enthusiasm these Champions exude for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is readily evident. If you want more information about a particular strategy or approach, do not hesitate to contact the diversity leader. The more people share their ideas and perspectives, the sooner DEIB will become the foundation for creating a just world.