DiversityGlobal Magazine introduces the 2024 Top 15 Chief Diversity Officers with enormous admiration for their remarkable success in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in various organizations and often in challenging situations. Their customized, creative approaches in the form of programs and initiatives set the standard high for all organizational leaders, but the Diversity Officers do more than implement workshops and training sessions. They utilize their communication and people skills to engage others as supporters and ambassadors for DEIB, enabling a broader influence within their organizations and externally in their communities.

Getting an organization’s executives and senior leadership on board with the importance of DEIB to the workplace culture, business brand, and reputation is a critical first step in advancing diversity and inclusion. The Chief Diversity Officers start with the C-suite and then utilize that top-level support to set aspirational goals, take the DEIB message to leaders at all organizational levels, and develop resources to engage employees. They use active listening skills to shape strategy and initiatives, offering diverse employees opportunities to share experiences and challenges.

The Chief Diversity Officers work in vastly different companies across industries, so each leader must customize their approach to fit the circumstances and needs. They use available resources like the Executive Diversity Council, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), advocacy organizations, and professional networks to help them achieve goals. The customized action plans are data-informed and designed to develop a people-first organizational culture.

There are pioneers among the group, in that they are developing their organization’s first DEIB action plan, first transparency report, and first global DEIB strategy. They are leading in economic uncertainty, too, with political divisions and racial and ethnic tensions creating challenges to progress. These are challenges the Top 15 Chief Diversity Officers refuse to accept as barriers to progress. Instead, they follow a philosophy of never giving up. Changing the hearts and minds of people is hard work. They are challenging existing organizational cultures and asking people to evaluate their perspectives on diversity and inclusion honestly. Data analytics offer one path to identifying people’s engagement in the change process and the effectiveness of programs and initiatives.

The wide variety of organizations of the Chief Diversity Officers is proof there is a business case for DEIB. This year’s Top 15 Chief Diversity Officers work for Ally Financial, CITI, Edison Electric Institute, ENGIE, Fitch Ratings, Genentech, Greenberg Traurig, Randstad North America, Levi Strauss & Co., SAP, Sirius XM, Splunk, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., and Campbell’s Soup Company. Their influence and efforts in their organizations are changing workplaces in so many positive ways. However, these leaders do not limit their efforts to the workforce. They leverage internal successes to engage local communities and businesses to make a social impact. They collaborate with local businesses, support organizations serving underserved populations, sponsor cultural events, and volunteer personal time where needed.

Converting values into actions and results takes authentic leadership. The people selected for recognition here have proven their ability to get results. They foster hope and self-esteem in others by helping diverse organizational members develop career paths to leadership positions and giving them a voice. The Diversity Officers also meet people where they are. One of the many realities of DEIB in the workplace is that people cannot be ordered to change their perspectives and become more inclusive. They must understand how life experiences led to their biases and conclude change is needed. That is how DEIB becomes embedded in an organization’s DNA.

Though developing anti-discrimination policies and procedures is necessary, it is not enough. Leaders and employees must personally embrace the values of a culture of belonging rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusion. So, the real challenge for the Top 15 Chief Diversity Officers of 2024 is proving a mindset that supports diversity and inclusion benefits diverse and non-diverse people alike. The Diversity Officers are change leaders, encouraging people to change how they think and act.

It is not an easy role to assume, which is why DiversityGlobal Magazine calls each of the Top 15 Chief Diversity Officers of 2024 courageous. In the face of economic turmoil, social dynamics, and constant change, they steadfastly pursue an ideal in which all people are treated with justice, fairness, and equality. Please join us in recognizing and congratulating these honorees for the important work they do and like us, learn from their efforts. Their successes are everyone’s successes.