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DonateFormer Cardinal Health Chairman and CEO George Barrett Views Diversity and Inclusion as a Critical Driver of Business Innovation
30 July, 2020
George Barrett, Former Chairman and CEO of Cardinal Health, discusses the fundamental roles that access and opportunity play in creating a more equitable and inclusive workplace.
In a conversation with Rebecca Ray, PhD, Executive Vice President of Human Capital at The Conference Board, Barrett shares his perspective on the “network effect” and strongly encourages executives to approach the concept of diversity and inclusion as a business imperative within their organization.
“I knew that if everyone looks like, thinks alike and sounds alike, the likelihood that we’re going to get the kind of positive tension necessary for innovation is less likely,” said Barrett. “I wanted an organization that had people that came from different backgrounds, world views and point of view. I thought it would be a competitive advantage and make our organization stronger.”
The CEO Forum series features CEOs from across American industry who focus on actionable insights to address underlying challenges of economic opportunity, childhood education, health care, workforce skills development, workplace equality and corporate governance.
Speakers
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Rebecca L. Ray, PhD
Rebecca Ray is the Executive Vice President, Human Capital, at The Conference Board. She leads the US Human Capital Center and is responsible for member engagement and retention as well as the overall quality and continuing integration of all research and offerings across the human capital spectr...Full Bio |
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George S. Barrett
George Barrett is the former chairman and chief executive officer of Cardinal Health, Inc., a role he held from August 2009 through end-2017, when he became executive chairman of the board until November 2018. Previously, Barrett spent a decade at global pharmaceutical manufacturer Teva P...Full Bio |