Board Working Group and DEI Champion Steering Committee
Challenge
Engage IRI’s board and member companies in taking action to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion across the financial services industry.
Actions
IRI launched a DEI Board Working Group and DEI Steering Committee. The former is composed of 11 IRI board members who have committed time and energy beyond their existing committee participation, while 20 DEI professionals and champions from member companies make up the Steering Committee. The overarching objective of the Board Working Group and its Steering Committee counterpart is to collaborate across companies to embed DEI best practices in our organizations such that we see significant adoption across our industry.
Outcomes
The Board Working Group and Steering Committee will start with an initial focus on talent retention and acquisition for underserved minority groups with an eye toward the unique needs of black people in our industry. First steps will include a benchmarking survey to assess opportunities and understand what tactics our members are already employing; efforts to share best practices across member companies; and tackling advocacy issues related diversity, equity, and inclusion in our industry.
Contact
Christine Leonhardt-Kimm
Quote
Our association’s Board of Directors and leading DEI champions from our member companies enthusiastically joined IRI’s DEI mission. One-third of our Board is participating on the Working Group and we have enlisted the assistance of more than 20 DEI experts from our membership to serve on the Steering Committee. This is real commitment from our industry. I have every confidence in the determination and drive among our members and IRI to turn our words into action on this critically important movement to drive real change.