During the Day of Commitment sessions, we heard from our people that it should be Point B’s priority to increase diversity of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) representation in leadership. We want racially and ethnically diverse team of executives so that we can leverage diverse experiences, skills and backgrounds to drive innovation and value for our customers and to demonstrate equity in access to the highest levels of leadership.

As one step toward removing barriers that our BIPOC employees encounter in advancing to leadership roles, Point B launched a pilot Leadership Sponsorship Program for BIPOC associates designed to accelerate growth opportunities in some of our most important business areas. We recruited for sponsors and participants across the firm. Through our sponsor recruiting process, we set clear expectations of the role. including actively advocating for their participant’s career advancement as well as providing feedback and career guidance throughout the six-month pilot program. We then carefully considered participants’ career goals and desired sponsor qualities to match 9 pairs of leaders and future leaders.

Participants worked with their sponsors to develop tailored goals and learning plans to guide program activities. In addition, each cohort participated in monthly development sessions which also served as key opportunities for group support. Through the program, participants gained accelerated hands on experiences and received vital feedback on how to advance in their careers. Sponsors also expanded their cultural intelligence and leadership development skills. The program will officially close in March 2021, but lessons learned will be collected and applied to future sponsorship programs.