Top Vault Consulting Firms Discuss Diversity & Inclusion
Published: Jun 01, 2021
Diversity and inclusion are not simply talking points at all-company meetings; they are requirements for the modern workplace. A company can't reach its potential unless a wide array of perspectives are heard and employees with those differing perspectives are made to feel welcome as their whole selves. People of color, women, LGBTQIA+ people, and people with disabilities are just some of the voices that companies are trying to do better about hearing, and it's more and more common to see these people in the rooms where decisions are being made. Still, there's much work to be done on this front.
Consultancies have been at the front of the professional D&I push, hiring and developing diverse talent and encouraging people to bring their whole selves to the workplace. The industry is also turning its D&I expertise outwards, helping organizations around the country reach their goals of hiring more diversely and solve problems affecting diverse groups.
Patricia Branch, a senior manager at Bain & Company, talks about Bain's longstanding goals of diversity and inclusion as well as how the world's reaction to George Floyd's murder sparked action from Bain. She discusses Bain's role in founding and its involvement with the OneTen program, a nonprofit aimed at providing one million family-sustaining jobs for Black people over the next 10 years.
Kimberly Davenport, a partner director of Diversity and Inclusion at ScottMadden, talks about the various D&I initiatives at ScottMadden, like small group discussions on topical issues and a resource library for employees. She also talks about the importance of fostering diversity from the outside-in, like ScottMadden providing scholarships to HBCUs and its diverse internship program.
Justin Rodriguez, managing director and partner, and Lorenna Buck, partner, discuss BCG's commitment to fostering a diverse environment for its employees. A three-step program ensures that the firm addresses all facets of D&I, including in the firm's culture, in its business partnerships, and in its social outreach.