Chief Diversity Officers

Diversity and Inclusion Defined

Diversity is the coexistence of, and relationship between, multiple cultures, subcultures, and cultural backgrounds in a given place, as well as the coexistence of multiple ethnicities, religions, genders, sexual orientations, and other traits. While diversity was once seen as a temporary condition in U.S. society, a rough edge that would be smoothed out by the erosive action of assimilation and homogenization—the proverbial “melting pot”—today diversity is valued by contemporary culture. Rather than ignoring it or attempting to eradicate it, the choice is to celebrate and honor it. Inclusion is the conscious choice to involve members of an organization who are part of these diverse multiple cultures and backgrounds in order to create a working environment in which all members experience a sense of belonging, of being respected and valued, and of mutual commitment, which leads to everyone doing their best work.

Modern Chief Diversity Officers

A chief diversity officer's work is accomplished through collaboration, especially with multiple sectors of the organization. Consensus- and relationship-building are key to the performance of the work, and collaboration must transpire across departments and roles responsible for hiring, leadership development and training, recruitment and retention, and strategic planning for diversity. This applies to areas that are specific to the nature of the organization; for example, the higher education sector would include student admissions, student government, the design of rules governing student behavior and conflict resolution, curriculum design, and the design of degree programs. Ideally, those who are responsible for these areas are actively engaged with the chief diversity officer rather than simply relegating him or her to the role of an adviser or consultant.

Larger organizations that are sufficiently committed to diversity will include chief diversity officers who provide leadership to the organization's diversity strategy but do not do all the work themselves. Instead, they may make the final decision or formulate a strategy that encompasses many departments and roles and set priorities while considering the input of those under them. There are many cases, however, in which a chief diversity officer has little access to an organization's senior leadership and is unable to create an organization-wide strategy.

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