Don’t Give Hate Any Oxygen

By Todd Corley

For the record, being woke is not a pejorative term. The SVB bank debacle did not happen because “diversity demands” distracted management from fiscal oversight. ESG (environmental, social and governance) is not a way to push a “political” agenda, rather it’s a way to create accountability for environmental and social stewardship. Ignoring divisive language in local politics can be detrimental and have consequences when it finds its way into statewide legislation: Florida, Florida, Florida! I could go on, but hopefully these statements speak for themselves. The work of creating an inclusive and belonging environment has become more weaponized today, than the decade(s) prior.

Today’s DEI professional must be equipped with more than a passion to do the work or a certificate that says you “passed”, because waning organizational commitment (post-Mr. Floyds murder) and culture wars, often inspired by naysayers and fueled by disinformation will interfere with the goal of creating meaningful change that stands the test of time. Effective DEI leaders must be able to draw upon lived experience, have intense familiarity with leading change management initiatives in highly matrixed organizations, while possessing business acumen and the ability to influence organizational and personal behavior. Successful DEI practitioners must be able to recognize where the work is headed and what DEI needs to be adjacent to for it to get the oxygen necessary to be relevant and strategic.

Present day and for the foreseeable future, this means that if you are in this role, then you are able to weave DEI principles into your organization’s environmental footprint; philanthropic or charitable giving strategy; investment portfolio; or community outreach efforts. Irrespective of the industry, DEI leaders must be nimble, sophisticated negotiators and have a keen sense of smell, sniffing out nefarious intent. For example, innocuous words like, “family values” uttered during a school board meeting may be code for banning books that tell the history of marginalized groups or curtail the rights of employees and their family members, who self-identify as LGBTQIA+. This work is not for the inpatient, you can’t take it personally, but you do have to personalize it and be in it 24/7/365. It may not be an event in the Olympics, but it is indeed a contact sport – with “winners” and “losers”. The margin for error is thin. Losing (like elections) does have consequences.

Here are a few ideas to lift-up, if you choose this line of work or simply take on a supporting role (e.g., community volunteer, board member, sponsor of an employee resource group):

• Mitigate and/or eliminate opportunities for daily bias, exclusion, discrimination, harassment, and disenfranchisement

• Engage in brand activism, providing consistent vocal and participatory support for and stances on social justice issues related and unrelated to standard business

• Recognize, acknowledge, and respect the capital and collective purchasing power diverse customer bases possess

• Strengthen policies, procedures, and practices to mitigate and/or eliminate discrimination and harassment, while introducing an accountability framework for leaders

• Prioritize social impact and community engagement throughout all organizational touchpoints

Todd Corley is Senior Vice President for Inclusion, Sustainability and Community at Carhartt. He leads the brand’s purpose-driven workstreams across the globe, with direct responsibility for diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) strategies, sustainability initiatives, community partnerships and corporate giving.

His first self-published book, Fitch Path, was the inspiration for the Netflix documentary, White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch, which debuted at #1.