DEI Takes Centerstage At Cannes Lions Festival

The panels ranged from health equity to talent and innovation to further promote diversity on a wider scale.

The Cannes Lion Festival of Creativity continues its diversity initiative through its panels. Novartis hosted the “Lunch and Learn” sessions that sparked conversations on healthy equity and innovation and featured a four-course meal, compliments of Barbados Tourism and chef T. Stoute.

Monique Idlett emceed the Inkwell Beach event on June 21. As part of the Cannes Can: Diversity Collective, the sessions provided guests with insight from its esteemed panelists, all prioritizing inclusivity within the workforce and healthcare spheres.

Ida Harris, BLACK ENTERPRISE‘s director of digital content, moderated the panel on Achieving Equity: Novartis’ Pioneering Journey Towards Health Equity and Innovation. Harris led the conversation with SurviveHER founder Lyndsay Levingston, Black Heart Association Founder Tara Robinson, and Head of US ESG Strategy, Ops & Partnerships, Martin Hamlette. Hamlette, a diversity leader for Novartis, shared more on the company’s initiatives, such as Healthy Zip Codes, to reduce health disparities that impact minorities most.

“Health equity is literally just closing the gaps in what we know as chronic conditions,” explained Hamlette. “People of color literally have worst health outcomes for [these conditions] at just about every point…I’m glad to have joined [Novartis] Global Health and Sustainability team seeks to find solutions to these problems.”

Harris and the panelists spoke to their ongoing commitment to health equity and affordable healthcare for underserved communities. Robinson and Levingston, who both launched nonprofits after their own health battles, touched on their experiences and further outreach to ensure healthier futures for Black people.

Harris shared that 60% of Black women are dying from heart disease as young as age 20, opening up a conversation with Robinson, who survived three heart attacks in one week. Robinson shared of her work to resolve the systemic problems associated with heart issues.

“At Black Heart Association, it’s the company myself and my husband founded to make sure communities of color are no longer caught off guard as it relates to cardiovascular disease,” Robinson said. “We’re about action, we make sure we’re out in communities every single week, multiple times a week, screening and making sure people know where they stand…”

Marion Brooks, the vice president and U.S. Head of DEI for Norvatis, connected with esteemed pioneers for diversity in the “Shaping the Future of Work: Talent, Innovation and Inclusivity” panel. The discussion, which also included Novartis’ Thurgood Marshall Scholar and Beacon of Hope (BoH) Fellow, Dr. LaKendria Brown, tackled the subject of prioritizing diversity in the talent pool as well as career development.

“Navartis is committed to DEI and we know that its the lifeblood of success for our organization and for society,” explained Brooks as he began the conversation.

Brown, a direct recipient of Novartis’ Beacon of Hope program, further explained how this program transformed her academic future, and continues to break boundaries for diverse scholars.

“The Beacon of Hope program was really great for me,” shared Brown, who earned a three-year scholarship from the organization. “I was able to get into many different opportunities, [as well as] awards and scholarship. Also, with the mentorship program, they opened doors for different courses that Novartis and the [BoH] gave us…It was a really great opportunity and I’m still striving through it.”

Brooks added, “The [BoH] is 10-year, $50 million dollar partnership, not commitment, not pledge, but partnership with 26 HBCYs and the 4 historically black medical schools…We’re building infrastructure so they can actually do research…Its critically important that [Black patients] are in those clinical trials…Having people at the schools that look like us doing the testing, training and trials for us will make a big difference, so thats a big part of our commitment.”

With these informative panels, the Cannes Lion Diversity Initiative continues its mission, while fueling DEI efforts on a global scale.