The McKenzie Delis Foundation, a charitable organization committed to moving the dial on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the workplace, and Ipsos, the third largest market research company globally, announced today the launch of the first-ever comprehensive review of corporate practices against 10 facets of workplace diversity and inclusion (D&I).
Leila McKenzie-Delis, CEO of Dial Global and Founder of The McKenzie Delis Foundation, along with Tami Erwin, CEO of Verizon Business, John Standley, Executive Vice President of Walgreens Boots Alliance & President of Walgreens, and Lord Simon Woolley, Founder of Operation Black Vote, are calling on corporate leaders to widen their lens of diversity and inviting companies to join with them in a new initiative – the 2021 McKenzie-Delis Review on Diversity and Inclusion, which will provide an expanded understanding of diversity and inclusion.
While other lists focus on a single facet of diversity, such as gender or ethnicity, the 2021 McKenzie-Delis Review on Diversity and Inclusion will be the first review of its kind to take a holistic approach by providing a comprehensive review of how employers are addressing and prioritizing their efforts across 10 facets of workplace D&I. These are: Ethnicity, Gender, Age, Nationality, Mental Health, Sexual Orientation, Socioeconomic Status, Disability & Neurodiversity, Religion, and Parenthood. The Review, expected to be published in April 2022 based on self-reported practices of U.S. companies, follows an inaugural report of U.K. companies in 2020.
“The McKenzie-Delis Review is not your typical ranking or best-of list but creates an industry standard diagnostic and meaningful report to harness the power of all aspects of both visible and invisible diversity,” said McKenzie-Delis. “The Review is designed to help companies turn commitments into actions and go beyond traditional diversity commitments to track progress over time in a way that will help position them to recruit and retain the top talent they need to be competitive.”
Large and medium U.S. businesses will be invited to participate in a survey on their D&I approach and practices that will inform the Review starting October 4. When published, the Review will showcase the top 25 companies driving change to create greater diversity and equity in the workplace across the 10 facets. It will also share overall progress and corporate trends and provide actional guidance for businesses to further accelerate their D&I efforts. Other partners include Britvic Pic, Ipsos MORI, KPMG, LexisNexis Risk Solutions and Revolt Communications.
An independent review committee of corporate and non-profit leaders will guide the report’s framework. Members include representatives from Verizon, KPMG, Walgreen Boots Alliance, Google, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola, Bridgestone, and other international companies. Tami Erwin and John Standley are co-chairs of the 2021 McKenzie-Delis Review on Diversity and Inclusion U.S. Review Committee. In addition to Lord Simon Woolley, UK co-chairs include Bina Mehta, Chair KPMG UK, and Ben Page, Chief Executive of Ipsos MORI. A complete list of review committee members is available here.
“Data show that by focusing on the full spectrum of employee diversity, employers can create a stronger, more impactful culture of inclusion,” said Erwin. “Participation in the McKenzie-Delis Review is a chance to join with like-minded organizations to make a difference in society as well as business, to drive equity and inclusion, and, to dismantle barriers and empower growth and progress.”
“Now is the time for corporate America to build on its diversity and inclusion efforts to ensure no one is excluded,” said Standley. “Our success is built on the great diversity within our organizations. Together we can create cultures where all employees are welcomed for who they are and supported to do their best work.”
The McKenzie-Delis Review will also serve as a diagnostic tool for businesses that take part. All participants receive a personalized score card that compares their performance to peers and top-performing organizations in the U.S. and the UK for each of the 10 facets, at no cost. The tool identifies opportunities for improvement and provides guidance on how to get there.
