Last night, DiversityInc handed out awards to seven U.S. companies "that showcase best practices for workplace diversity" in New York City. Predictably, EY sent their white Americas Managing Partner Steve Howe to accept theirs.
"In order to earn one of our special awards, a company needs to demonstrate full commitment to diversity, starting at the top," explained DiversityInc Founder and CEO Luke Visconti. "These companies have proven time and again that they get it. The executives who accepted the awards take a hands-on approach to priorities like building meaningful employee resource groups and supporting compensation incentives for meeting diversity goals."
You'll notice the language there. It's not actual diversity at the top that matters, it's a commitment to diversity. So as long as your cookie cutter old white guy leadership is having meetings about how to recruit and retain more women, minorities, and gays, it's all good.
As we already know, EY is #3 on the DiversityInc Top 50, for this reason:
No company has been able to better articulate its deep commitment to creating an inclusive workplace both globally and domestically than EY.
The professional-services firm has strong leadership linking efforts to value difference with effective client service. That leadership starts with Global Chairman and CEO Mark Weinberger, Americas Managing Partner Steve Howe, and Karyn Twaronite, Partner and Americas Inclusiveness Officer.
EY has broadened its definition of diversity to factor in “age, culture, education, personality, skills, life experiences and many other attributes.” Its ability to create inclusive workplaces that are suited to the unique needs of individuals is a model for other companies.
"Life experiences" huh?
