‘Each of Us Must Play a Role’ in Advancing DEI: Advice From a VP of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

When it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), the work “does not end,” emphasizes Bonita Lucky, the Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at one of the world’s largest logistics platforms: C.H. Robinson. However, this doesn’t mean that there isn't progress and wins along the way! 

For example, at C.H. Robinson, “we launched global DEI training for all employees, tied Senior Leadership compensation to DEI progress, set five-year DEI aspirations around the representation of women and BIPOC in leadership roles, and are tracking our progress toward those goals,” shares Lucky.

But how can such a global and large company ensure that DEI is at the forefront of everything that they do? Well, “we believe that, to be successful, every person at the company must play a role in DEI,” Lucky explains. “We approach this work by partnering with key stakeholders.” These stakeholders include Talent Acquisition, Leadership teams, and employee resource groups (ERGs). 

In this article, Lucky dives more into a few of the specific ways different groups at C.H. Robinson are working toward DEI goals. Read on for inspiration on how to make your own organization a more inclusive place!

ERGs and leadership are a necessary part of DEI.

At C.H. Robinson, Lucky tells us that they utilize data to help drive DEI efforts and progress. This data shows that there is a large opportunity “to see more BIPOC and Women represented in leadership roles,” she says. 

One way that C.H. Robinson is tapping into this potential and growing a more diverse and inclusive leadership team is via ERGs. They currently have six ERGs, of which three are focused on women: their Women’s ERG, Women in Tech ERG, and Women in Sales ERG. “These ERGs are open and inclusive for everyone to join — including allies,” states Lucky. “This is a fantastic reflection of the way we approach DEI as a culture at C.H. Robinson; each of us must play a role in helping to advance this work or we won’t make progress.”

Teamwork is a key strength of the ERGs at C.H. Robinson. “Our ERGs are incredibly collaborative and act as consultants with not only senior leaders but our talent acquisition team as well,” explains Lucky. “ERGs also help us celebrate heritage months by planning activities and events. For instance, because we are a global organization and know that diversity looks different throughout the world, we had a wonderful opportunity during Hispanic Heritage Month to collaborate with some of our employees in Mexico and bring attention to the issue of femicide and the alarming rate of violence against women there. This is just one example of how our ERGs create education and connection.”

In addition to leadership opportunities within ERGs, Lucky tells us that, “our learning and leadership team offer educational and developmental opportunities for our current employees, including sponsorship programs for women and BIPOC employees.”

Ensuring that DEI is a priority in recruiting.

At C.H. Robinson, one of the unique parts of their DEI initiatives is their Hiring Review Committee. Here, “committee members are trained on listening for unconscious bias, with a goal of helping our hiring leaders and ensuring that we maintain a bias-free hiring process,” says Lucky. “The committee members listen in during candidate debriefs and ask questions to avoid unconscious biases from influencing the conversation. This committee supports our work of increasing the representation of women and BIPOC in leadership roles.”

Their Talent Acquisition team also works hard to ensure that C.H. Robinson always has diverse candidate slates for open roles. At the company, DEI is prioritized through the entire candidate journey — and beyond!

Today, C.H. Robinson has a wealth of open roles for you to apply to! If you’d like to experience first-hand their focus on diversity and inclusion, apply to a job via the following link!

Fairygodboss is proud to partner with C.H. Robinson. Find a job there today!