CESR Diversity Equity and Inclusion

Certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility Empowers Leaders to Incorporate their Passions into their Career and Impact their Community

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 17:43:29 +0000

Certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility Empowers Leaders to Incorporate their Passions into their Career and Impact their Community Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 11/15/2021 - 10:43

Evan Anderson

Speaking on Corporate Social Responsibility has become a passion and the Certificate in CSR (CCSR) program has empowered me as an informational leader and educator to my peers. - Dr. Glyne A. Griffith II

Dr. Glyne A. Griffith II, Senior Manager of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at SiriusXM, which includes Pandora and Stitcher, came to corporate social responsibility (CSR) through an unconventional path. Glyne started his career at General Motors as a software engineer and eventually transitioned into a product manager role. In his second job, at Nissan, he moved from engineering to marketing and advertising. He also served as ambassador to United Way for his team. As he moved into other marketing and advertising roles after leaving Nissan, Griffith took on responsibility for creating multicultural marketing campaigns and materials which got him thinking about CSR. In 2020, Glyne earned his Certificate in CSR from Leeds, which gave him additional tools and built his network. Today, Griffith plays a key role in the strategic planning and execution of company-wide DE&I initiatives at SiriusXM, and weaves CSR into all aspects of his work.

Focusing on Impact

Glyne enrolled in CCSR to further his knowledge of the field. Specific topics he has found especially useful include how to pitch CSR internally and externally, diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, and how to apply ESG to business practices. The live guest speakers giving hands-on, practical advice was especially impactful.

The impact of the course did not stop with the curriculum for Glyne. He highlights a few qualitative aspects of the course that enhanced his experience including the culture of the group, openness to trading ideas, the benefits of an intimate “no-pressure” environment, the collective attitude of “self-declared change makers”, and applicability of the program content across career paths.

One of the things that I appreciated most about the CCSR program is the fact that I was able to immediately integrate practices, insights, and learnings from the program into my work at SiriusXM.

Dr. Glyne A. Griffith II

He puts a high value on the relationships he has curated over his career and lifetime, spanning multiple industries and firms, and says his participation in the course expanded his circle by creating a new network for him to tap into. A year later he has maintained communication with CCSR classmates and other alumni of the program.

Griffith describes his feelings about the course as "grateful" because it has already impacted his career. He has even connected some of his company leadership with Pete Dignan, the CCSR instructor.

DE&I and CSR connect

When describing his 2018 move to Dallas to work at SiriusXM, Glyne credits the technical skills he learned early on in his career for his success. As Senior Manager of DE&I, he is a key contributor to the conception and execution of a company-wide monthly webinar series hosted by the DE&I team that educates and empowers employees, covering a range of diversity, equity, and inclusion topics, terms, and concepts. He also oversees SiriusXM’s employee resource groups which provide support, visibility, and empowerment to Women, People of Color, Veterans, the LGBTQIA+ community, those who are differently-abled, and allies at the company. Another important aspect of his position includes creating company-wide communications to celebrate, educate, and increase cultural awareness surrounding special observances throughout the year. Some of these include Black History Month, Women's History Month, Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Military Appreciation Month, Junteenth, LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, Gospel Music Heritage Month, Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month, Disability Employment Awareness Month, Native American Heritage Month, Diwali, and Veterans Day.

Glyne sees his DE&I work as part of the current CSR movement. He is happy that the resources, education, and cultural awareness CSR provides for business units is so highly sought after and he is an unashamed advocate for CSR.

Combining personal passions and work

I truly believe that I am the best version of myself when I have the opportunity to incorporate my passions into my career.

Dr. Glyne A. Griffith II

Glyne's electrical engineering degree from Florida A&M/Florida State University College of Engineering was a great jumping-off point for his career, but it did not capture his full personality. He loves songwriting, performing, and has an affinity for arts and entertainment. Glyne now looks for ways to combine his interests. He believes his ability to be artistic and use technical skills at the same time is what makes him effective as a business person in entertainment.

Living in Nashville during the intermediate years of his career, Glyne met and collaborated with members of the entertainment industry, and experienced extraordinary opportunities to lean into his passion for inspirational music. He was grateful to have original songs that he wrote featured on a #1 Billboard Gospel album. He also secured a music distribution deal and served as an executive producer for a project featuring inspirational artists from around the world, with all proceeds going to charity.

Glyne also relishes his current role in planning virtual DE&I-themed events, featuring renowned guests from the world of politics and entertainment who have impacted employees as well as subscribers and listeners of SiriusXM. Notable guests have included Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, award-winning actress Phylicia Rashad, Juneteenth matriarch Opal Lee, actor and disability advocate RJ Mitte, of AMC’s “Breaking Bad” fame, and multi Grammy-award-winning artist Kirk Franklin to name a few. His career has been and continues to be a reflection of the overarching goal he holds most important; the relentless pursuit of passion, which gives purpose to all that follows.

Lifelong learner and contributor

Throughout his career, Glyne has had an attitude of continual personal growth. He holds multiple academic and professional degrees as well as certifications.

Outside of the office, Glyne participates in the Dallas Symphony Chorus and is a member of the first cohort of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Leadership Development Program. The program advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts and prepares its members for service on nonprofit boards within the arts. Griffith believes leadership in the community is just as important as in business.

Looking forward, my goal is to continue to leverage my expertise, experience, and education to positively impact lives and communities.

Dr. Glyne A. Griffith II

Registration for Spring 2022 CCSR is open

If you are interested in learning more about the Certificate in CSR, please sign up for an interview today.

Dr. Glyne A. Griffith II, Senior Manager of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at SiriusXM, which includes Pandora and Stitcher, earned his Certificate in CSR from Leeds, which gave him additional tools and built his network. Today, Griffith plays a key role in the strategic planning and execution of company-wide DE&I initiatives at SiriusXM, and weaves CSR into all aspects of his work.

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Build your Innovation Toolkit with a Certificate in Inclusive Leadership from the Leeds

Anonymous — Sun, 23 May 2021 19:37:47 +0000

Build your Innovation Toolkit with a Certificate in Inclusive Leadership from the Leeds Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 05/23/2021 - 13:37

Justine Roberts

Discover actionable and effective DEI strategies for leaders this summer through the Certificate in Inclusive Leadership from the Leeds School of Business.

This summer, the Leeds School of Business is launching a new executive education program that translates the latest research on the importance of diversity and inclusion in corporate settings into an active learning experience for business leaders. The Certificate in Inclusive Leadership is a seven week program led by Leeds faculty Dr. Stefanie K. Johnson, author of the best-selling book “Inclusify: the Power of Uniqueness and Belonging to Build Innovative Teams.” Participants will learn how to actively support diverse employees, and develop practical strategies for leading dynamic teams.

Your Leadership Toolkit

As a scholar of organizational leadership, Dr. Johnson wrote Inclusify to help business people learn how to intentionally and actively create an inclusive workplace. After interviewing hundreds of CEOs and leaders to learn how they approach inclusion, Dr. Johnson has identified common patterns and mistakes, and has a vision for what Inclusify work looks like and why it matters. She believes that leaders need to think about the two most basic and essential human needs: to belong and be accepted, and to have your own personal identity. She argues that those who are able to balance both have the most successful teams and contribute to the best organizational outcomes.

We all want to feel like we belong and are part of the group, but at the same time, it’s part of the human spirit to be your unique self.

Dr. Stefanie K. Johnson

In the Certificate in Inclusive Leadership course, Dr. Johnson focuses on four behaviors that leaders can practice to help people feel like they fit in, and four that allow employees to feel they are valued because of their unique identity. She will guide participants in understanding ways leaders can go wrong. These include not creating belonging or not allowing people to be their unique selves, as well as relying on teams to behave equitably without clear leadership. Participants will develop an understanding of their leadership syles, and identify their own inclusify strengths.

The business case for inclusive leadership

Dr. Johnson’s course also covers the business case for building a strong culture of inclusion. She has researched how inclusive teams help businesses reach new target markets, improve innovation and decision making, and support an understanding of market potential. The class will consider specific examples, such as how the number of board members of color relates to the bottom line and shows up in things like a company's stock prices and return on assets. The course will also look at how Gen Z’s demographics influences their spending and how a company’s inclusivity practices impact brand loyalty.

The leaders of today and those of the future need to be able to engage and empower 100% of their team members. This means that inclusive leadership skills are a must. In this course, we will break it down to invest in leaders’ strengths and improve their skills in their areas of opportunity.

Dr. Stefanie K. Johnson

Catalyze your career

By the end of this course, participants will have a clear plan for change. They will understand how to set diversity goals that make a difference, where they can start implementing more inclusive practices at work, and how to put metrics behind their actions. They will also have a clear understanding of how inclusion impacts the bottom line.

If you believe that diversity is integral to your company’s future, this class will teach you how to build effective, diverse teams.

Interested and want to learn more? You can click here to request more information. Ready to earn your Certificate in Inclusive Leadership? Click here to sign up for your seat today.

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Case Competition Winners Deliver Equitable Vaccine Distribution Answers for Colorado Governments

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 09:12:00 +0000

Case Competition Winners Deliver Equitable Vaccine Distribution Answers for Colorado Governments Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 03/15/2021 - 03:12

Teams from DU take first and second place in the 2021 Net Impact Case Competition hosted by Leeds MBA students.

Now in its 20th year, the Net Impact Case Competition (NICC) is the longest running graduate student competition exploring the balance between ethics and finance in business. NICC gives graduate students from across the globe the opportunity to create real world solutions to business challenges focused on the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit. It has been run by MBA students at the Leeds School of Business since its inception and has hosted thousands of students presenting their solutions to pressing business issues.

“NICC gives students practical experience in thinking about the needs of all stakeholders and creates connections between sustainability-minded leaders from top business schools around the world,” said Julie Waggoner, Interim Director of the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR) at the Leeds School of Business. “This year, the student leaders achieved a particularly extraordinary task in running a very successful competition during the pandemic. NICC is an important part of the Leeds legacy, and we are excited to continue supporting it and seeing it grow into the future.”

The 2021 NICC was made possible through a partnership with AT&T which supported development of the case and provided financial prizes for the top four teams. The winning team may have the opportunity to present their proposals to the Colorado Vaccine Task Force.

The case

This year’s case challenge was “Economic Recovery in Response to a Global Pandemic.” In November, 85 registered teams from seven countries were invited to devise a vaccine distribution plan that created a path to recovery for a fictional country in the midst of a global pandemic. �鶹��Ժ were asked to develop and pitch a system for ranking who to give the vaccine to first while balancing social and economic considerations in their approach.

The goal was to reach a 75% vaccination rate. Judges focused on the ethical reasoning behind students’ solutions.

The top 20 teams moved on to the finals where they were given a twist. New information required teams to address vaccine hesitancy and develop a set of proposals that would achieve country-wide herd immunity. The best solutions considered both short and long term implications, contingency plans in the case of unforeseen challenges, and the ethics behind the proposal. While the case presented a hypothetical situation, it was based on a real world scenario so judges evaluated feasibility considerations like cost and timeliness, as well as the measurability and security of plans.

The top four teams then moved on to the championships where they presented their solutions to a panel of three judges who selected the winning proposal. To win the competition, teams needed a clear presentation, a persuasive road map to implementation and be able to articulate how their solution addressed financial, social and environmental impacts. The solutions students came up with for their fictional country were based in real world scenarios, and have implications for creating a more just and sustainable future.

The competition

In both the final and championship rounds students were given 20 minutes total time for their pitch. They gave a presentation with slides for the first ten minutes, followed by ten minutes for questions from the judges. The finals were held in the morning of March 6, 2021, with the championships following that same afternoon.

“We are so grateful for the way that the sustainable business community has supported NICC over the years,”

said Julie Waggoner, Interim Director of the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR).

“This competition is a wonderful example of incredible student leadership, community support and connection building that engages so many passionate people around using business to make the world a better place.”

Nearly 40 business leaders participated as judges across the three rounds of competition. For the championship round, the three judges all had professional backgrounds connected to the delivery of healthcare from a variety of industries. The championship judges included Joe Cutrell, Director of Strategy & Innovation, AT&T Healthcare Solutions, Adeeb Khan, VP Corporate Social Responsibility & Executive Director, Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation, and Kerri Webster, MS, RN, VP/Chief Analytics Officer Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Left to Right: Julie Waggoner, Interim Director of CESR; Blair Simpson, NICC Co-President; Joe Cutrell, Director of Strategy & Innovation, AT&T Healthcare Solutions; Noah Kobayashi, NICC VP; Chelsea Myntti, NICC Co-President; Kerri Webster, MS, RN, VP/Chief Analytics Officer Children’s Hospital Colorado; Adeeb Khan, VP Corporate Social Responsibility & Executive Director, Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation; Shay Cardenas, NICC VP; Justine Roberts, CESR Program Manager; Cate Griffin, NICC judge coordinator

The winning solution

All four championship teams used a mix of incentives and penalties to convince citizens that vaccination was in their best interest. The winning team outlined five guiding values with which to align their plan: civic responsibility, community care, national urgency, discipline and patience, and public trust. They used this framework to develop their initial distribution plan. For their response to the twist, the team built on the success of their original vaccination drive and proposed a public engagement process to identify the roots of vaccine hesitancy in the remaining population. They then proposed using that data to guide future decisions made in partnership with local governments.

“The case was well designed and really forced the teams to think in real time about the current COVID-19 pandemic and its long term economic repercussions,”

said Adeeb Khan, VP Corporate Social Responsibility & Executive Director, Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation.

The winning solution focused on the economic benefits of being vaccinated, and the financial cost of the pandemic, while side-stepping debates with the political opposition about free speech. They proposed funding their plan through bonds, and demonstrated that their vaccination campaign would be cheaper than the costs already imposed on the economy by the pandemic.

“Early in our research we realized there are too many different forms of vaccine hesitancy to use a one-size-fits-all strategy,” explained winning team member Hasib Nasirullah. “We also realized some of the reasons people are hesitant are symptomatic of greater underlying societal challenges. So we tried to think of strategies that would address these over the long term, and at their root cause.”

Specific proposals included a tax credit to companies to pay for employees to get vaccinated, and the threat of a potential future penalty if an unvaccinated employee creates a spreader event at the workplace. This approach was designed to make it possible for a company to insist on vaccination as an economic issue rather than a moral one. The team also identified, as a long term societal goal, reducing the number of people who were against vaccination on ideological grounds by emphasizing the costs of not vaccinating rather than arguing against their political views.

Another strategy the team proposed was creating an on-line dashboard with both public- and government-facing functions. This dashboard would include locations where individuals could access vaccinations, and an online health passport, among other information. The data collected by this system would help public health officials identify lags in vaccine uptake and other community-wide issues.

The team also recognized the real fear among some populations about vaccination based on historical discrimination and mistreatment. Their solution included the creation of a network of local ambassadors whose ability to listen to, and address, specific concerns could lead to systemic changes in the way the health care system cares for these communities.

Overall, their approach to the case focused on the immediate need to save lives and get the economy back on track while keeping an eye on how strategies implemented today could support long term positive social change.

“What stood out for me with the winning team was their plan addressing each type of unvaccinated individuals with a targeted carrot/stick solution,” said Webster. “I loved how they thoughtfully applied and highlighted the core values addressed throughout each phase of their decisions that were made. And I genuinely appreciated the data-driven decision making approach.”

Final results

1st place – University of Denver, Daniels College of Business: $10,000
2nd place – University of Denver, Daniels College of Business: $5,000
3rd place – University of Utah: $2,500
4th place – University of Maryland: $1,000

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Careers in Sustainability Series Introduces �鶹��Ժ to the Realities of Purpose-Driven Work

Anonymous — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 01:37:46 +0000

Careers in Sustainability Series Introduces �鶹��Ժ to the Realities of Purpose-Driven Work Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 11/02/2020 - 18:37

Justine Roberts

Leeds students often talk with CESR about their desire to use their business skills to make the world a better place. This fall, CESR has been hosting a series of round table discussions for graduate students on Careers in Sustainability that look at exactly this question. These panels feature speakers working in a range of roles and industries, showcasing the variety of ways business students can leverage their skills into social responsibility and sustainability careers. Don’t miss the final two events in this series this semester: register for Impact Finance (co-presented with the Burridge Center), and Marketing and Sales today.

Most students who attend the Careers in Sustainability panels are drawn by their desire to have a purpose-driven career. Specifically, these panels are an opportunity for graduate students to learn more about the practical applications of CSR and sustainability, and the day-to-day reality of working in a variety of sustainability related positions.

Making an impact

From energy consulting to impact investing, natural foods and microbrews to edtech and global logistics to apparel, the speakers in the Careers in Sustainability series demonstrate that it is not necessary to have the title Chief Sustainability Officer, or Director, CSR, to have a meaningful impact on the social, environmental and ethical work of a company. In fact, our speakers urge students to think about how to make a contribution in any role, and any stage of professional life.

Hannah Kight, Sr. EHS Manager at Breckenridge Brewery, and panelist in our Supply Chain and Operations session in October, advises students not to “dismiss an opportunity because it doesn’t fit exactly what they are looking for. In sustainability there are often roles or projects within a company that can lead you into the sustainability space within that company.”

What employers are looking for

As both members of the workforce, and employers themselves, our panelists say that when hiring for sustainability roles, the strongest candidates have both strong technical and interpersonal skills, and can work across different groups and functional areas.

Colette Crouse, Senior Consultant at POINT380, and featured on the Emerging Leaders panel in September, says that "beyond strong communication and collaboration, most roles in sustainability rely on solid analysis skills and financial literacy. Employers are looking for prospective hires who are as comfortable with Excel spreadsheets as they are giving presentations to stakeholders and clients."

Sean Ansett, Founder At Stake Advisors, and a participant in our Supply Chain and Operations session, knows from both working for other companies and running his own that "employers are looking for agile and systems thinkers that understand how the whole system works and how to capture value within the system. Sustainability leadership is often part art and part science and requires strong emotional intelligence, empathy and influencing skills upward, downward and laterally."

Rick Gabrielson, Global Supply Chain Executive, and also a participant in our Supply Chain and Operations session believes that companies are also looking for employees who "understand what sustainability opportunities are available to the company based on the business segment, and understand the balance between costs and sustainable practices. Companies have to balance making changes in processes and practices to improve sustainability and the costs to accomplish their sustainability roadmap. Sometimes, you have to recognize that this is a journey and not a sprint."

Advice for students

For those interested in a career in sustainability, our panelists have the following advice:

"Stay curious and continue to question systems and processes in your organization. We must seek to build back better rather than simply being less bad regarding how we operate companies, the products we make, and the services we provide" - Sean Ansett

“Don’t be afraid to ask about creating a role. Just because a specific sustainability role does not currently exist within a company, doesn’t mean you can’t use your knowledge and education to convince a company to create a position or make it part of a job.” - Hannah Kight

"Everyone should have at least one mentor, but they can have more than one. Also, be tenacious in your learning about yourself, the industry and your company." - Rick Gabrielson

Upcoming Events

Want to learn more about working in sustainability? Register for the next two Careers in Sustainability Events. Panelists will share insights from their careers, and how they leverage their role to advance sustainability, CSR (corporate social responsibility), and ethical leadership.

Impact Finance (co-presented with the Burridge Center), Nov 4, 12:30-1:30pm
Join us as we explore what it is like to work in purpose-driven finance. When thinking about impact in the financial world, "many companies now (finally) realize they need to not only have a stance, but be able to provide customers with the ability to be involved themselves in maximizing their impact,” says Matthew Fleming, who heads up the Burridge Center. “Having the right employee for what might be a role in transition is critically important for success."

Panelists include:

Demesha Hill, Janus Henderson
Patrick Lee, Natixis Investment Managers
Jenny Gray, Good Karma
Jake Davis, The Nature Conservancy

Marketing and Sales, Nov. 17, 12:30-1:30pm
Explore what it is really like to work in a sustainable business with leaders from the fields of marketing and sales. Speakers come from natural foods, strategy, banking and non-profit backgrounds and work in roles including sales, marketing and community engagement.

Panelists include:

Chuck Engle, REBBL
Lora Ledermann, Scream Agency
Erika McIntire, Bank of America
Tania Dall, Camelback Ventures

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Introducing Clare Wang, CESR Research Director

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 04:58:14 +0000

Introducing Clare Wang, CESR Research Director Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 08/10/2020 - 22:58

Justine Roberts

We are pleased to welcome Clare Wang, associate professor of accounting at Leeds, as CESR’s new Research Director. In this role, she will collaborate with the CESR team to help build stronger connections with faculty across divisions at Leeds, and will support the development of thought leadership in our three focus areas: Business Solutions to Environmental Challenges, Diversity and Inclusion, and Ethical Leadership. Wang is deeply interested in this role not only because thought leadership on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is of strategic importance for Leeds, but also because understanding the significance of Environmental, Social and Governance considerations (ESG) as measures of sustainability and social impact is critical in today’s business world. Wang points to the Business Roundtable August 2019 statement where prominent CEOs committed to serving the interests of all stakeholders and not just shareholders, as an inflection point. She sees the unprecedented events of 2020 as having further underscored the role CSR will continue to play as business leaders confront the most pressing challenges of our times. All that is to say she is very interested in this area.

While many people think accounting is about your tax returns or company financial statements, Wang says on a more fundamental level, accounting is really about how meaningful information is measured and communicated. She describes accounting as a skill set that helps business leaders solve problems and make decisions, and she points out that increasingly, measures of accountability that may not necessarily show up on standard financial statements have taken on much greater importance.

One area Wang has researched is impact investing. She is interested in whether investors’ behavior is affected by business commitments to CSR. To analyze this, Wang has investigated the relation between certain measures of firms’ ESG performance and their financial performance. Another recent research project has been looking at how individual investors react to firms’ ESG-related press releases. Her research raises questions about how companies can most effectively communicate their social impact to help put CSR front and center in investors' minds. It also underscores that CSR/ESG investment is ultimately about communicating a commitment to values beyond what may show up in the bottom line. Ultimately, Wang’s research helps us understand where we are today, and how to get where we need to go.

Wang says, of anywhere she has been, Leeds’ long-standing commitment to ESG stands out as forward thinking. She sees the position of CESR Research Director as an exciting way to support valuable research in this area being done across various disciplines by her colleagues.

Wang is also excited to get faculty more involved with CESR, and help raise the visibility and recognition of the important research her colleagues are doing. One easy way for faculty to engage with CESR is through the newsletter. She wants all division chairs to know that if there are faculty working on anything related to the mission of CESR to be in touch with her and with CESR so that we can provide resources and promote the research.

Learn more about research from Leeds faculty members we’ve profiled in past articles including Sabrina Volpone and Peter McGraw.

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