Canadian Businesses Are Failing to Retain Chief Diversity Officers - How Odgers Berndtson Is Advising their Clients to Break that Pattern Français
TORONTO, July 19, 2022 /CNW/ - In recent years, many Canadian businesses have announced their commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), focusing on recruitment and DEI initiatives. From 2015-20, LinkedIn found people holding the title of "Head of Diversity" doubled, while "Director of Diversity" rose 75% and "Chief Diversity Officer" (CDO) increased 68%. However, the results within organizations have been underwhelming and the tenure of roles brief.
While the intentions are there, many businesses are struggling to gain traction on DEI progress and in retaining CDOs. Ryna Young, Partner and Head of the DEI Practice at Canada's premier integrated leadership advisory firm, Odgers Berndtson, understands this struggle as a rush to "talk the talk", but a lack of clarity on how to "walk the walk".
In Ryna's latest article, Not All DEI Consultants Are Created Equal: A practical guide to selecting your DEI partner, she advises organizations to strategically build an environment where their DEI consultant can successfully make an impact. Selecting an effective partner requires a commitment to change.
"Our firm has made purposeful changes to ensure that we continue to provide contemporary and valuable counsel for our clients. This includes welcoming Ryna Young to build our DEI practice," said Brad Beveridge, President, Odgers Berndtson Canada. "Throughout our own DEI journey, we've seen first-hand how nuanced, complicated, and vital it is to the well-being of a company to have a DEI lead who understands your business and can flex to implement a plan that aligns with your culture and strategic imperatives."
"You can't begin to devise a solution unless you know the size and specifics of the problem," said Ryna Young. "The appetite for change is simply not enough to get the job done. You need to work closely with a trusted partner – someone who is willing to say what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. In addition to recruiting DEI leaders, I work with clients to attract and retain talent from equity deserving groups by helping the organizations understand where they are at in their DEI journey, identify what their unique needs are, and create a roadmap for their long-term success."
The article, which features study insights from Harvard Business Review, Fortune Magazine, LinkedIn and more, provides a checklist for organizations who are on a journey to achieving their DEI objectives and partnering with an effective DEI consultant.
About Odgers Berndtson
Odgers Berndtson is a global integrated leadership advisory firm providing expertise in executive and board search; interim executive search; leadership assessment, coaching, and development; board and team performance; and business strategy consulting.
Our clients come from every shape and size of organization, from start-ups to multinational corporations, and span the private, not-for-profit, and public sectors.
Globally, 1,100+ Odgers Berndtson colleagues support our clients from 67 offices in 33 countries.
SOURCE Odgers Berndtson Canada
Lori Dyne, Chief Marketing Officer, [email protected]
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