Featured in CEO Essentials, Feb. 2021, CenterState CEO monthly newsletter
We are in a moment. While 2020 is behind us, the work remains as we move to address the challenges posed by a global health pandemic, growing economic stressors and workforce concerns. We must continue to stay focused on system change and equitable outcomes. Our new website, www.centerstateceoequity.com, developed with the support of Berkshire Bank, offers a new tool to help you and your organization continue thinking critically about the issues of racial equity and social impact, and to lead with intentional actions. I encourage business leaders in our community to take the pledge and join us in our efforts to not just talk about equity but take up the mantle to truly lead change.
The pledge was developed through CenterState CEO’s Racial Equity and Social Impact portfolio with guidance from a working group of our board of directors. It seeks to build and promote more diverse, inclusive and equitable workplaces in the region to drive progress on community-wide equity goals, and invites leaders to work in collaboration with us and community partners to achieve this vision.
As we enter February – Black History Month – we challenge you to not just align your efforts during a single month on the calendar. We encourage you – as the pledge does – to commit to creating long-term practices and strategies that embed diverse ideas, persons and efforts into your organization year-round, and well into the future. In addition, we encourage you to explore research-based strategies to achieve these goals. This will promote genuine integration of culturally relevant and diverse approaches that drive equitable outcomes. We also invite you to engage with our programing and services aimed at helping business leaders and their teams broaden their personal and professional ideals on matters of racial equity and social justice, and creating more welcoming and inclusive workplaces.
The goals of CenterState CEO’s Racial Equity and Social Impact portfolio, and the new toolkit of resources found at www.centerstateceoequity.com, are to support you as you strive to actualize the aspirations of the pledge, and engage in the critical work of personal reflection, professional development, and development of data driven business strategies. The new equity site can help you and your organizations begin to interact with the data, meet the experts and learn about equity strategies across different areas of expertise. There are resources for all, no matter your business size, or your organization’s level of engagement on these issues. Visit the site to:
Assess your personal knowledge on matters of equity.
Grow your understanding of how to lead the work. Look for research and data. Read articles, listen to podcasts and find book recommendations to expand your professional development and education on these issues.
Engage with tech-based tools, such as the free micro-course.
Submit questions and reflections about successes, challenges and what you’ve learned.
Through collective leadership and intentional diversity, equity and inclusion strategies we can achieve our community’s equity and social impact goals. I encourage you to visit www.centerstateceoequity.com to not just peruse but engage with the content and materials — then put them into action.
-Dr. J.
TAKE THE PLEDGE:
I pledge to take actions that will drive equitable change regarding race within my business. I understand this is a form of social impact that cannot be ignored.
I pledge to dedicate talent and resources to build an inclusive and welcoming work environment that will help retain and attract local and national diverse talent, though professional development and training for leadership and staff on issues of equity and inclusion, and by examining organizational policies and practices.
I pledge to collaborate with other organizations and companies to help support the existence of current diversity initiatives designed to identify local talent.
I pledge to work with other leaders across the community to understand challenges and barriers to addressing equity.
I pledge to work toward transparency in promotion strategies to diversify our leadership.
I pledge to invest in minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBE) and entrepreneurs of color through strategic partnerships and contracting relationships.
Dr. Juhanna Rogers is vice president of Racial Equity and Social Impact at CenterState CEO. Contact Dr. Rogers at jrogers@centerstateceo.com to learn more about racial equity and social impact initiatives, DEI training courses and consultation services available through CenterState CEO.
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