The Diversity and Inclusion function has steadily grown within corporate America and around the globe, yet collaboration with other corporate functions is not always welcomed or seen as desirable. Often viewed as a standalone function, the broader benefits of collaboration between diversity and inclusion and other corporate functions are often missed. This KnowlEdge series will target several key relationships for the Diversity & Inclusion function within organizations to understand the barriers and identify successes that can contribute to true functional collaboration that can lead to mutual success.

Business Issues: For companies to be successful in the diversity and inclusion efforts, diversity must be viewed and understood as a driver – a driver of new business, a driver of better human capital management, and a driver of innovation, to name a few. But diversity and inclusion cannot contribute to its full potential, indeed it may be destined to fail, if diversity and inclusion is continued to be seen as a standalone, isolated function. This series will explore the opportunities and barriers to greater collaboration between the diversity office and other key business partners.

Audience: This KnowlEdge Series is aimed at a cross-functional audience, including Diversity & Inclusion, HR, Legal, Talent Management and Marketing/Development executives.

Series Host

	Marcel Bucsescu Manager, The Conference Board Governance Center The Conference Board Marcel Bucsescu is manager of The Conference Board Governance Center®. In this role, he oversees all Center programs and leads several key efforts, including The Conference Board Committee on Corporate Political Spend... Full Bio
	Toni Riccardi Chief Diversity Officer The Conference Board Toni L. Riccardi is the chief diversity officer for The Conference Board. She also serves as the subject matter expert for the external diversity content and programs of The Conference Board. Previously, Riccardi was a principal with the g... Full Bio

Aligning with the Business: Diversity & Inclusion’s Strategic Partners (Part 1)

PART 1: HR and D&I: A Common Goal, Different Paths

25 February, 2010 | (01 hr)

In a recent informal survey, 81% of corporate D&I officers indicated they report to the HR function. Yet HR often seen as a barrier to developing an organization’s inclusive environment. In this session, we identify some of the barriers to full participation of D&I in the overall business strategy and speak with an organization that has overcome them to create a partnership between HR and D&I to benefit the business.

Topics covered include:

• How to approach aligning your HR/TM/Talent Development functions?
• Should there be separate HR/Talent processes for women and people of color?
• What are the benefits of having D&I report in through HR versus another part of the business? What are the draw backs?

Speakers

	Kevin Barr Senior Vice President, Human Resources Terex Corporation Kevin Barr is Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Terex Corporation. He joined the company in 2000. Prior to joining Terex, Mr. Barr served as the Chief Human Resources Officer at Database Technologies, a publicly traded pr... Full Bio
	Amy George Vice President, Talent Development, Diversity and Inclusion Terex Corporation Amy George is Vice President of Talent, Diversity and Inclusion at Terex Corporation, having joined the company in February 2007. In her role, she is responsible for company-wide talent management initiatives and the global diversity and inclusion... Full Bio

Aligning with the Business: Diversity & Inclusion’s Strategic Partners (Part 2)

PART 2: Partnering with Marketing to Leverage the Investment in D&I

04 March, 2010 | (01 hr)

Whether expanding into a new market, launching a new product or rebranding a core product, or communicating with old customers or attracting new ones, diversity & inclusion can and should play a key role in how an organization approaches this work. By leveraging the diversity within your organization errors can be avoided and bigger gains can be had by the organization.

Topics covered include:

• What are the common pitfalls that can be avoided by broadening the dialogue around marketing to include diversity?
• How can a focus on diversity and inclusion help to strengthen your brand both inside and outside the organization?
• How can Employee Resource Groups be used creatively to enhance marketing effectiveness?

Speakers

	Anise Wiley-Little Assistant Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Allstate Insurance Co. Anise is responsible for orchestrating Allstate’s enterprise wide diversity strategies for Allstate, which has been recognized numerous times for its diversity. Anise has appeared on television throughout the country on the subjects of diver... Full Bio
	Lisa Cochrane Vice President, Integrated Marketing Communications Allstate Insurance Co. As Vice President, Integrated Marketing Communications, Lisa is responsible for consumer communications for all business units of Allstate Corporation, including brand standards and guidelines, advertising, direct marketing and interactive communi... Full Bio

Aligning with the Business: Diversity & Inclusion’s Strategic Partners (Part 3)

PART 3: Diversity and Product Development: Driving Growth for the Business

11 March, 2010 | (01 hr)

For organizations to continue to grow and thrive, they must leverage every ounce of talent in the organizations. They need to assess whether old business models and structures can continue to deliver expected business results. This session will explore how can R & D, Product Development, Innovation and other business partners can better utilize their D&I to access new talent, new ideas and new markets.

The session will examine specific issues, including

• Push or Pull: who should ask who for help?
• Does it really make sense to develop new products for a niche market?
• Does "Diversity & Inclusion" need to be embedded in partner organizations? Why can’t our current teams just learn to develop for other markets?

Speakers

	Donna Wilson Vice President, Global Diversity & Inclusion American Express Company Donna Wilson is responsible for overseeing and managing the Global Diversity and Inclusion team. She works closely with the US, Canada and Global Diversity Councils, as well as the business lines within Global Consumer and Small Business Services.... Full Bio
	Marleta Ross Director, Global Prepaid American Express Company Marleta Y. Ross is Director of Interactive Marketing and Acquisitions for the Global Prepaid division of American Express. In this position, she is responsible for driving profitable growth of gift cards and new pre-paid product sales online. In a... Full Bio