The Inclusivity Imperative

By Latria Graham

Photo: Nikki Smith

At Camber Outdoors’ 2020 Thought Leader Keynote Breakfast on Day 3 of the Show, Emily Newman, the organization’s new executive director, underscored the importance of one of the hottest topics at the Show: inclusion, equity, and diversity from a global perspective.

“There is work to be done to create workplaces for everyone in this industry and beyond, as the working population becomes more diverse,” Newman said. “The corporate sector lags behind in representation, particularly at the executive level. She pointed out that the number of women CEOs at Fortune 500 companies sits at 4.8%.

“We all have a role in the positive change of building an inclusive culture in our workplaces, where everyone feels they belong at the table,” she said, giving attendees ideas on how to navigate a path forward. “We can examine our practices with an equity lens, and when that work is accomplished, diverse talent is attracted and retained.”

Blair Taylor, a partner at PwC Consulting and the event’s keynote speaker, shared some of the lessons he’s learned during his 25 years of working on organizational leadership initiatives in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Before his time at PwC, Taylor was the CEO of President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance and the chief community officer for Starbucks, where he led the company’s diversity and inclusion and corporate social responsibility task forces.

At the breakfast, Taylor talked about the transformational era that we are living in now: “We’re living through what may be the most defining era in the history of our nation. That should be something that is both daunting and exciting for all of us,” he said. “The truth is the nation will not get to where it needs to be if people in rooms like this are not willing to be engaged.”

Taylor insisted that including diversity, inclusion, and equity work into a company’s philosophy is no longer simply a nice thing to do—it is imperative to a brand’s survival. The low unemployment rate means companies must compete for talent, and that, coupled with the demands of the millennial workforce and population and demographic shifts, means brands must change the way they present themselves and the types of opportunities they offer.

“Vital topics such as economic equity, access to the American dream, the survival of our natural environment, even our political system and government are now up for grabs in many ways,” Taylor said. “Add the emergence of globalism, the incredible advancements around AI and quantum computing, and the rapid ascent of nations and new markets, and you have a very serious set of issues—and opportunities.” Taylor went on to say that how the companies handle these issues will determine whether or not the U.S. will survive and thrive in the 21st century. He believes that these social and political challenges are areas where corporations can and should engage.

This story comes from the just released Post Show edition of  The Daily. Read the whole thing and catch up on everything that took place at Outdoor + Snow Show 2020 here.