Beyond the Checkbox: Design and Evaluate DEI Interventions that Work (ft. B. McKensie Mack, Founder of MMG Earth)
While some recalcitrant business leaders falsely claim "DEI is dead," the reality is that leading brands are doubling down on their DEI investments as they strive to move beyond the "checkbox."
In the wake of last year’s Supreme Court decision to overturn affirmative action, certain media personalities and recalcitrant business leaders falsely claimed that “DEI is dead.” This claim may very well be true for the businesses that were never serious about setting this work up to succeed.
Yet, for businesses that want to remain relevant for the workforce and customers of the future, many are doubling down on their commitment. Fast Company reports that 75% of HR leaders believe DEI interventions are a crucial strategy to prepare for the future of work, which may be why 60% are increasing their DEI investments in 2024.
While the demand for DEI interventions remains high, employers are seeking evidence and evaluation that these interventions are working. They want to know if the needle is moving in the direction of building healthier workplace cultures and diverse teams, which lead to better decisions, innovative ideas, business success, and even industry breakthroughs.
So how do we design and evaluate the effectiveness of our work? Given the volatile, uncertain, and complex times we are living through, it’s first important to ask better questions, starting with:
What kind of interventions does this current moment demand?
How can we align these interventions with our organization’s broader strategic goals?
Fortunately, McKensie Mack, founder of MMG Earth offers their insights on this episode of the Imagine Belonging Podcast. McKensie’s company recently partnered with Catalyst, a global nonprofit designed to accelerate progress for women through workplace inclusion, to design the Virtue Economy Survey to better understand how organizational leaders, DEI practitioners, and other change-makers continue to learn, grow, and evolve as they strive to build healthier workplace cultures in the face of systemic and political adversity.
McKensie is a leading voice on power, politics, and pop culture in a global marketplace. A trilingual tech enthusiast, future economist, and award-winning entrepreneur from the Southside of Chicago, they are the Founder and CEO of MMG EARTH, the first Black and nonbinary-led research and change management firm in the U.S. and Boundary Work, a public service platform dedicated to raising collective awareness on boundaries and offering educational information for the betterment of culture, systems, and society.
This conversation is specifically designed to support organizational leaders, DEI practitioners, HR professionals, and other people leaders seeking everyday actions they can take to better assess the kind of L&D required to support, grow, and nurture leaders to advance their DEI interventions to build healthier workplace cultures.
Together, we will:
Learn about the Virtue Economy and how it’s influencing our workplace culture.
Strategies on how to assess the kind of L&D support org leaders and DEI professionals need.
Actions required to survey such a large group of professionals, and ways we can support.
Ways to leverage the MMG World & Catalyst report to ensure our DEI interventions succeed.
Savor this insightful talk, and if you’re looking for more ways to connect with inspiring leaders like McKensie, be sure to join the Belonging Membership Community – a community of leaders, visionaries, and change-makers committed to advancing their DEI goals while practicing community care.
Thanks for growing the #BelongingMovement!