The media industry has lost Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) leaders over the last two weeks with layoffs and resignations at Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Who Has Gone? After more than six years, Disney’s chief diversity officer Latondra Newton was the first to exit her role. She oversaw the company’s “commitment to producing entertainment that reflects a global audience and sustains a welcoming and inclusive workplace for everyone.” Disney said she was leaving to pursue “other endeavors.” Netflix’s first-ever head of
Non-profit organization Silicon Harlem has teamed up with AT&T and the New York Urban League (NYUL) to offer opportunities for teens and students to explore tech careers. Silicon Harlem’s new learning lab, which opened Tuesday, invites students to try a new tech-related skill, from augmented reality to creating code. The lab received a major donation from AT&T, allowing them to have the latest technology for the teens in aims to bridge the digital divide and increase diversity. “We want to make sure when it’s time for you all to apply
In the next few days, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide whether or not colleges and universities can continue to consider race in their student admissions process, a practice known as affirmative action. The ruling results from the Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) lawsuits against Harvard and the University of North Carolina (UNC), which saw the court have oral arguments last year. The conservative majority court appeared ready to eliminate admissions, with race being a factor in decision-making, despite being in law for almost 50 years. Many have
Organizations may be more at risk of losing their highly talented women and minority leaders than they realize, according to a new report by global leadership consulting firm DDI. DDI’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion report found that hat many companies are regressing in their DEI programs. Stephanie Neal, director of DDI’s Center for Analytics and Behavioral Research, told The Business Journals that these decisions are having a knock-on effect on talent retention and company performance. “With the stress of economic uncertainty and labor challenges, companies have turned their attention away from
Companies that report workforce demographic data outperform those that don’t, according to a new analysis by JUST Capital. JUST Capital found that Russell 1000 companies that publicly disclose data on the gender, race, and ethnicity of their workforce by job category more than tripled between 2021 and 2022, increasing from 11% to 34%. Moreover, companies that disclose such demographic data outperform those that don’t by 7.9%. Diversity is good for business A 2015 McKinsey study previously showed that the country’s most racially diverse companies were 35% more likely to have financial returns above their
Spotify has allegedly spent less than 10% of a $100 million diversity fund it launched after its top podcaster, Joe Rogan, came under fire for spreading Covid-19 misinformation and using racial slurs in his podcast. The world’s largest music streaming service announced its $100 million Creator Equity Fund in February 2022 to support the licensing, development, and marketing of music (artists and songwriters) and audio content from historically marginalized groups. However, Bloomberg News reports that, after its first year, Spotify had spent less than 10% of the money on that work. Riddled with
Student-focused platform America On Tech (AOT) has been awarded a one-time grant from Michael Jordan and Jordan Brands’s $100 million Black Community Commitment (BCC) to help expand their work across cities. To celebrate Michael Jordan’s 60th birthday, the Jordan Brand awarded $2.3M to 48 organizations, to help create racial equity. America On Tech happened to be one of those, the platform founded in 2014 by Jessica Santana has spent years working to help Black and brown students elevate their careers. “Creating more equitable futures for Black people starts with an
According to reports, Black and brown people are taking up space in 1 out of 5 corporate boards for the first time. As companies push to get more diversity from top to bottom, corporate boards see more diversity, with racial and ethnic minorities holding 20% of all board seats. In an ISS Corporate Solutions Inc. study, Black directors now hold 8.3% of all board seats, a significant jump from just 4.4% four years ago. In addition, the number of board seats held by white directors fell by 9%, with white people now
Employee resource groups (ERGs) are a powerful force behind many organizations. According to a report, 90% of Fortune 500 companies have implemented ERGs into their workforce to help support their wider DEI strategy. As a result, these groups – which employees often lead – have become essential to helping businesses stay on top of their DEI commitments. Black History Month can be a reflective time for organizations to look inwardly and examine their DEI strategy for the year ahead. To support HR teams and leaders seeking to learn more about
Tech powerhouse Google has shared how it is working towards racial equity to celebrate Black History month. From prioritizing product inclusion to partnering with Black businesses and highlighting Black history – Google has spent the past few years highlighting the culture and the work of Black innovators. Showcasing Black creators Last year, Google partnered with three non-profit organizations to launch the Image Equity Fellowship. The project supported 20 Black and brown artists through their artistic journeys. The tech giant helped them receive unrestricted funding, mentorship support, and workshops to help them
