Top Executives To Reset Agenda For Black Advancement In Corporate America At BE Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Summit June 23

BLACK ENTERPRISE returns with the second edition of its groundbreaking Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Virtual Summit on Wednesday, June 23. The event is presented in partnership with Toyota, American Express, Boeing, Merck and Wells Fargo.

With a strong lineup of top-rank executives and thought leaders on board as panelists and guest speakers, BE’s DEI Summit promises to reset the agenda for Black representation, participation, and advancement in the corporate arena at a critical moment of renewal and reckoning.

“Over the past 18 months we’ve watched Corporate America respond to the emergence of COVID-19, ultra-partisan political division, and the aftermath of the George Floyd tragedy,” says BE President and CEO Earl “Butch” Graves, Jr. “There’s been an unprecedent focus on diversity, equity and inclusion as corporate values and targeted goals. This Summit is about taking those items on mission statements and putting them into practice.”

The first BE DEI event in February 2021 examined corporate commitment to real change and presented actionable steps to resolve systemic inequities in corporate America. Part 2 continues and deepens the conversation across a packed one-day agenda. Scheduled sessions are dedicated to critical questions: How can CEOs create true inclusive and fair corporate cultures? What’s the best approach to retaining Black talent and keeping it on the management track? What is the real impact of the chief diversity officer on company recruitment and greasing the ladder to c-suite? Have past pledges to diversify teams, boards, and workforces begun to bear fruit, and are Black entrepreneurs are gaining a larger slice of the corporate procurement pie?

“The day’s program kicks off with perhaps the most critical question of all,” says Graves. “Will we have the required courageous conversations in corporate America to drive much-needed change. I believe the caliber of talent participating in our Summit will help answer that question.”

Scheduled speakers and panelists include William A. Ampofo II, Supply Chain Vice President for Boeing Global Services; Sonia Cargan, Senior Vice President and Chief Colleague Inclusion & Diversity Officer at American Express; Carla Harris, Vice Chairman, Managing Director and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley; Michael Hyter. President & CEO of The Executive Leadership Council; Maurice Jones, CEO of OneTen; John Rice, founder & CEO of Management Leadership for Tomorrow; and Sean Suggs. Group Vice President of Social Innovation at Toyota Motor North America.

Designed for maximum engagement, the one-day event will provide opportunities for virtual attendees to network with peers and pose questions of speakers via live text. One part progress report, one-part strategic plan, one part call to action, BE’s DEI Summit meets the urgency of our times, offering instruction on how Black professionals can navigate structural racism and corporate politics, build beneficial business networks, and gain recognition that advances careers.

Check out this link for more information on the Summit agenda and speakers.