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ROI OF DEI
WHY COMPANIES NEED TO DOUBLE DOWN ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION More and more, companies need strong diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs to attract and retain talent and to meet the expectations of increasingly socially conscious clients. Three Chicago-area leaders involved in shaping their organization’s DEI efforts share their insights and best practices with Crain’s Content Studio. Tell us a little about your organization and its culture. Why is DEI important in your company?
our firm — succeed. Increasing diversity enhances innovation and market growth, as the power of clients’ diverse interests grows each year.
Rheaana Guess: Delta Dental of Illinois is the largest private dental insurance provider in Illinois and covers more than 2 million individuals nationwide, including nearly 1 million in Illinois. We are proud of our five core values — accountability, collaboration, integrity, respect and corporate citizenship. We take DEI very seriously as we ascend the DEI growth continuum from awareness, engagement and solutions to transformation and sustainability. For us, DEI means creating an environment where employees are seen, heard, respected, understood and motivated to contribute.
What are your firm’s DEI related goals, initiatives, and/ or programs?
Christine Hollis: Freeborn & Peters LLP is a full-service, mid-size law firm, founded in Chicago with five offices across the United States. Our culture is based on our core values of integrity, effectiveness, teamwork, caring and commitment. We ensure our attorneys and employees reflect the communities in which we practice and are committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive working environment throughout our firm. Our work in the DEI space has given us tangible evidence of its success, both in our client relationships and our bottom line. Tracey Walker: The culture at RSM US LLP is one of empowered understanding. As the largest provider of audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market, we have a strong focus on inclusion because we
Hollis: We strive to exceed the American Bar Association diversity averages noted for mid-size firms. Starting our Mentorship Program in 2020 helped us ensure that we gained exposure to law students and encouraged them to interface with our firm and local legal community at a time when many firms halted their summer programs. We have also partnered with various organizations in support of their DEI initiatives to create opportunities for law students to consider starting their career with Freeborn. Our Diversity Scholarship Award is another initiative we started to help foster equity and support achievement.
Vice President, People and Diversity Officer Delta Dental of Illinois RGuess@deltadentalil.com 630-718-4640
Walker: At RSM, we use feedback from our people to shape, update and implement plans that improve organizational CDI and encourage leadership approaches that support inclusiveness and belonging while
CHRISTINE E. HOLLIS
Director of Attorney Recruiting, Development and Diversity Freeborn & Peters LLP chollis@freeborn.com 312-360-6629
increasing our diverse representation. We utilize metrics for each of our objectives. Examples of our initiatives include embedding inclusive leadership behavior into firm training; establishing goals for partner/ principal involvement in employee
TRACEY WALKER
National CDI Leader RSM US LLP tracey.walker@rsmus.com 703-336-6452
network groups; the refinement of recruiting priorities and establishment of processes to attract and hire diverse talent; and ensuring representation in our applicant pool and selection committee.
Guess: In 2021, Delta Dental of Illinois had eight high-potential employees attending Chicago United’s year-long Corporate Leadership and Inclusion Institute. We’ve held DEI training for all employees and conducted an Intercultural Development Index (IDI) survey for our leadership and board. We’re also working on internal policies to promote DEI within the company on a systemic level, including increasing tuition reimbursement, implementing volunteer time off and parental leave policies, and shortening the eligibility period for medical and dental benefits. We also performed an American Disabilities Act audit and remediation
“WE ARE INTENTIONAL ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT TO BE A MODEL ORGANIZATION WHERE WE ARE INCLUSIVE AND EMBRACE EACH OTHER’S DIFFERENCES TO ULTIMATELY PRODUCE BETTER OUTCOMES FOR OUR MEMBERS, CLIENTS, DENTISTS, BROKER PARTNERS AND OUR COMMUNITIES.” — RHEAANA GUESS, DELTA DENTAL OF ILLINOIS understand that difference is an asset. With more than 13,000 professionals, we know that diverse thinking and perspectives results in innovative solutions that help our clients — and
RHEAANA GUESS
of our website, drafted a supplier diversity policy, and provided nearly $8 million in grants to improve health care for individuals affected by the pandemic and face other barriers to care.
EMBRACING DIVERSITY.
FOSTERING CULTURE. From the oral health care access we provide to the people we employ, invest in and support, Delta Dental of Illinois is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.
ROI OF DEI How does your organization and/or your senior leaders demonstrate commitment to inclusion? Guess: In 2020, we embraced an accelerated approach to matters of DEI and social justice. We partnered with experts from the Center for Workforce Excellence to draft our DEI roadmap. The company became a member of Chicago United, a professional membership organization that seeks to achieve economic opportunity parity for people of color by advancing multiracial leadership in corporate governance, expanding the talent pipeline for executive level management, and growing minority businesses. In 2022, a formal Board of Directors Compensation and Culture Committee was created to drive DEI initiatives at the board level. Walker: We have a four-pronged approach to inclusion. In the workplace, inclusion is embedded in our business strategy and our highest performers lead inclusion policy and integration. In our workforce, our 12 employee-led employee network groups (ENGs) have thousands of members and allies providing education, understanding, communication, development and service opportunities, strengthening our leadership pipeline. In the marketplace, we convened the Middle Market Collaborative for Understanding focusing on best practices, deep discussion and collective action within member
organizations and across the middle market. In the community, along with diverse professional organization sponsorship and scholarship and student programming, RSM supports racial justice and equity outside of our firm. Hollis: One of the things that speaks volumes about our firm and culture is that most of the volunteers for our mentorship program are firm partners! Having our practice group leaders and equity partners participate and give their time in ensuring that our programs are meaningful for our participants and leading by example, shows how committed the firm is to getting involved and getting it right. Our Management Committee has reciprocated that support by also approving billable hours credit for those who participate in and devote hours to our DEI programming. How does your DEI strategy help you serve clients, or show business impact? Walker: Our own clients want to see diversity reflected in their service providers. Our compelling, digital and global mission means we have a deep understanding of our clients and provide the most innovative, relevant solutions to help clients consider their own DEI plans, leader assessments and missions. Our DEI strategy demonstrates understanding of people, market drivers and our clients’ commitment to diversity and inclusion. Our annual diversity
report shares the impact of inclusion transparently, demonstrating how our people, our clients and our communities feel welcome and supported. Hollis: Today’s clients are asking us to not only show our commitment to DEI, but to prove its success. We’ve had to take a hard look at the ROI of our strategies and ensure that our intentions were netting results. We’ve been fortunate to see marked improvement not only in our diversity numbers overall, but also within the variety of the matters in which our attorneys get to work. Having a diverse attorney base also means that we’re able to see clients that we may not have had access to before, which has improved our business offerings and bottom line. Guess: DEI is vital to our overall business strategy. We are committed to developing initiatives that best
are inclusive and embrace each other’s differences to ultimately produce better outcomes for our members, clients, dentists, broker partners and our communities. Ensuring all voices are heard is crucial to helping us meet the needs of all of our stakeholders, both internal and external. How do DEI initiatives and programming support and promote retention and recruiting? Hollis: People want to work at an organization where they feel seen, heard and supported. Firms investing in their DEI programming and initiatives show they support and value all voices. DEI being interwoven in the fabric of the organization’s culture is key. It should be part of one’s professional development and daily interactions — by acknowledging bias, encouraging outreach and participating in
environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies? What is the relationship between these hot business topics? Walker: ESG and DEI are so tightly connected that it’s hard to talk about one without the other. ESG is a broader umbrella under which companies are assessed for soundness, relevance and consciousness. DEI (or CDI as we refer to it here at RSM) falls specifically within the “S” or “social” part of the equation — doing good for our communities for people’s wellness and belonging and for social justice and equality. For example, according to Catalyst, women comprise nearly 47% of the workforce, but less than 6% of CEOs. We encourage a strong “S” in ESG in part by ensuring women have mentors, sponsors and allies. Guess: Our DEI focus has not been diluted by our ESG efforts as DEI is a
“PEOPLE WANT TO WORK AT AN ORGANIZATION WHERE THEY FEEL SEEN, HEARD AND SUPPORTED. BEING ABLE TO SHOW UP AS YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF LEADS TO BETTER PERFORMANCE AND OVERALL SUCCESS.” — CHRISTINE HOLLIS, FREEBORN & PETERS reflect our diverse customer base to drive innovation and deliver better service and products. We are intentional about our commitment to be a model organization where we
FREEBORN & PETERS LLP DIVERSITY Different Backgrounds and Cultures Make Us Stronger
“Freeborn & Peters is very strong for its commitment to diversity and inclusion initiatives. The firm walks the walk and is a stronger and better firm as a result.” - Chambers USA 2022 Guide Need a legal services team committed to diversity? Learn more about us at freeborn.com.
affinity groups, all of these things demonstrate tangible acts of care, value and equity. People may come to your organization for the promise of what could be, but they stay for the execution of what’s promised. Walker: At RSM, we devote a fulltime team exclusively to our CDI efforts to drive inclusion with our people, clients and the community because people want to be a part of organizations where they feel valued and have a sense of belonging. It’s what we refer to as “the power of being understood.” Our various scholarship programs, training and development, employee network groups and other efforts help ensure that we recruit a diverse employee population and that everyone feels a sense of belonging, regardless of their backgrounds. Guess: Recruiting in the western suburbs and insurance in general can be challenging. Through our DEI work, we present candidates a dynamic workplace environment where they can grow and develop. We target local diverse professional organizations and university groups to make sure we’re connecting directly with our candidates, showing them we’re serious about our commitment to recruiting diverse talent. We strive to be a safe place where open, two-way communication and crosscultural understanding empowers all employees to be authentic, which enables them to connect with our clients and provide excellent client service. Is DEI focus diluted by the emerging interest in
critical component of our developing ESG plans. We are looking at ways to integrate our DEI work into the fabric of our ESG plans while maintaining internal and external standalone DEI programming and initiatives. We look at ESG as an additional avenue to drive DEI work inside and outside Delta Dental of Illinois, not an alternative. Hollis: Though DEI is certainly part of a pillar in ESG, it would be a mistake to dilute its importance. DEI must go far beyond the sustainability of any of a company’s leaders and be interwoven in a company’s strategic plan. A DEI officer should be part of the development of an organization’s strategic plan for they are critical in creating the narrative of where a company is now and where it hopes to be in the future. What has been your biggest challenge to date when it comes to creating an inclusive workplace? Hollis: Creating an inclusive workplace is ever changing and the legal industry has been notoriously slow to implement change. Yet, the pandemic has forced many firms to respond swiftly. Maintaining our culture and ensuring inclusivity without the benefit of in-person interactions was a challenge we met head on. We utilized our remote environment to conduct a yearlong unconscious bias training program. We created and invested more into our Employee Resource and Affinity Groups to ensure we remained connected. As we’ve slowly returned to the office, we’re seeing
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how those early investments paid off and reframing our firm culture to fit within the hybrid work environment. Guess: While inclusion is an issue for many, we also struggle to maintain a diverse workplace based on our location and industry. Once here, our smaller size and collegial environment lends itself to professional inclusion by default. However, we are seeking to expand the boundaries of inclusion and challenge employees to embrace true empathy and understanding of others. Walker: One of the greatest challenges has been simply having the patience to implement changes. Going forward, we want to leverage data in ways that accelerate understanding. Once our CDI program began, we felt the urgency to develop multiple work streams within our four-prong strategy. We’ve learned, however, that allowing time for systemic change to permeate throughout the organization is critical. Busy schedules, lack of understanding and other factors meant that a steady drumbeat of communications, events and activities help our people understand the importance of inclusion. What has been your most pleasant surprise when it comes to DEI in your workplace? Can you share a DEI success story from a talent or client perspective? Hollis: We had the fortune to see tangible evidence of how our Diversity Scholarship Award truly assisted one of its recipients. Unbeknownst to us, one of our award recipients was homeless. Receiving our scholarship award alleviated the financial burden they were facing, allowing them to secure housing and therefore increase their GPA. As we break down the facets of DEI, we must note that there are times when the starting point (the
who was new to learning about and discussing DEI issues, said the work they’ve done at Delta Dental of Illinois empowered them to have tough conversations with their family about DEI topics. They said, “I’ve learned so much and I am not just a better colleague, I am a better human and I am making other people better humans!” Walker: I hear the stories of lives changed, eyes opened, and once low performers becoming highperforming leaders by leveraging the power of inclusion. I’ve heard stories of people feeling safe, a sense of belonging and, for the first time, authentic. One woman in our firm thanked me that for the first time she wasn’t ashamed to be a woman of color, committed to her faith and her family. This is due in part to the visible and steady support of our managing partner and CEO and other senior leaders. That support has been invaluable for creating a culture that truly differentiates us in the marketplace. How will you know when your DEI efforts have succeeded? Guess: We must set realistic goals and understand we didn’t get here overnight. I adopt a broader definition of success. I certainly look at our employee’s testimonial as a success. More broadly, we want to attract, retain, and grow diverse talent, but we also want to serve as educators and change-makers both internally and externally. Impacting diverse communities we serve is critical and being seen as a leader in the field is another mark of success. Achievement is this space cannot simply be numbers and metrics, it must also be progress and lasting change. Hollis: I don’t believe there will ever be an end-point to success, but we hope to continue to see progression
“WHEN PEOPLE VALUE THE DIVERSE THINKING OF THEIR COLLEAGUES FROM A VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS, IT OPENS MINDS TO NEW AND CREATIVE WAYS OF SOLUTIONING AND ENGAGING ON WORLD ISSUES, WITH THE MARKETPLACE AND WITH OUR INCREASINGLY DIVERSE CLIENTS.”
ABOUT THE PANELISTS RHEAANA GUESS heads human resources at Delta Dental of Illinois and its subsidiary companies. Her responsibilities include the development and growth of team members; recruitment; succession planning; and employment counsel. As Delta Dental of Illinois’ Diversity Officer, she is also responsible for development and implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, including training and programming, employee affinity groups and mentoring programs. Guess has more than 15 years of experience in labor and employment law, with a specific focus on DEI.
CHRISTINE HOLLIS is director of attorney recruiting, development and diversity at Freeborn & Peters, LLP. She is responsible for implementing the strategic initiatives of the recruiting, management and executive committees in the hiring of associates and lateral partners. Hollis also creates, develops and implements processes for all aspects of the recruiting life cycle and facilitates lawyer training programs and initiatives. As director of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Hollis administers the firm’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and oversees the programs that measure, monitor, promote and effectively increase diversity within the firm.
TRACEY WALKER is the national leader of culture, diversity and inclusion (CDI) for RSM US LLP and responsible for RSM’s inclusion strategy throughout the firm. Tracey helped design and launch RSM’s CDI program in 2014 and conceived and created inclusive leadership learning platforms for the enterprise. She leads a team of high-performing inclusion professionals implementing national programming for the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce. Tracey drives inclusive culture objectives, accountability and outcomes for the firm in the United States and Canada.
Walker: We’ll know our efforts have been successful when inclusion becomes so ingrained in everything we do that we don’t need interventions — when we move from reacting to situations
that involve inclusion to using our embedded inclusive skills to drive situations. It’s when all of our people are comfortable sharing their best thinking/ideas that are moved forward, helping our clients,
our people, our communities and our firm succeed. We believe in the possibilities and with a strong strategy, innovative support and commitment from our senior leaders, we’re succeeding.
Diverse perspectives power our unique solutions.
— TRACEY WALKER, RSM US baseline of equity) is lacking in the basic needs of life. Learning our award alleviated that basic need to allow a law student to focus on academic achievement, not only surprised us, but also showed how our programs can affect real change. Guess: Our DEI work has transformed employee attitudes not only professionally, but personally. Through our DEI work, we believe our employees are not only becoming better co-workers, but they are becoming more curious, inclusive, thoughtful, empathetic, and aware. Recently, one of our white employees,
and improvement. We continue to see our diversity numbers improve and we’re getting closer to our stipulated DEI goals. Once those are achieved, we will create new ones, but the measure of success is progress! We’ve seen an increase in applications to our Summer Mentorship Program and Diversity Scholarship Award, indicating that we’re servicing a need in the legal community that is desired and well-received. Our success will be measured not only by our program’s participation rates, but by the differences we make in the lives of those both within and outside of our firm.
Our diverse, inclusive teams develop unique insights tailored to your growing business. The experiences that make each of us uncommon will set you apart, too. Experience the power of being understood. Find out more at rsmus.com
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