Ethisphere Launches Equity and Social Justice Initiative to Provide Companies with a Framework to Drive Change

Advisory council with leaders from AT&T, VF Corporation, Voya Financial, Uber, and others to identify and share practical steps for companies to advance equity 

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 (Newswire.com) – ​​​​​

The Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, today announced the launch of the Ethisphere Initiative for Equity and Social Justice.

Developed in collaboration with an advisory council of industry leaders, Ethisphere’s Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA), and key partner organizations, the initiative is focused on identifying and sharing leading practices that enable companies to advance equity. It will feature a free virtual forum open to all that will take place in October.

Through the initiative, Ethisphere will broadly share resources, case studies, conversations, and shared experiences from global companies and leaders committed to driving progress. There will also be free tools and resources available for all companies and others interested in fostering change.

“Companies have an important role to play, and many are taking actions within their companies and collectively,” stated Timothy Erblich, Chief Executive Officer, Ethisphere. “Ethisphere is deeply committed to collaborating across our community to make a difference and drive meaningful change.”

The initiative’s advisory council comprises business leaders who are committed to broader approaches for addressing social justice.

“The advisory council will be central to the success of this initiative, bringing insights and approaches to the elements that will move the needle on equity—getting more candidates into companies, ensuring they can bring their whole selves to work, and ensuring there are opportunities for under-represented groups to expand skillsets and advance into leadership roles,” stated Erica Salmon Byrne, Executive Vice President and Chair of Ethisphere’s Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA).

Advisory council members include:

• Chair – David S. Huntley, Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Compliance Officer, AT&T Inc.
• Alex Dimitrief, former General Counsel, President, and CEO, GE’s Global Growth Organization
• Lucy Fato, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, AIG
• Burt Fealing, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Compliance, and Corporate Secretary, Southwire Company
• John Gerzema, Chief Executive Officer, The Harris Poll
• Kellye Gordon, Vice President, Ethics & Compliance and Legal Operations, VF Corporation
• Andy Hinton, former Chief Compliance Officer, Google
• Matthew Horace, Chief Security Officer, Mayo Clinic
• Tony Jordan, Americas Forensic and Integrity Services Leader, EY
• Alan K. Nevel, Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity and Human Resources Officer, The MetroHealth System
• Veta T. Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC)
• Brannigan Thompson, Senior Vice President, Corporate and Organizational Development, ​Voya Financial
• Tony West, Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary, Uber​

“Standing for equality is both a moral and business imperative at AT&T. This initiative offers the opportunity to join with other leaders to share best practices and brainstorm new ways to advance equity through empowered workforces and communities. Together, we can make a difference,” said David S. Huntley, SEVP and Chief Compliance Officer, AT&T.

“As leaders, we all have a responsibility to drive equity for the betterment of our organizations and society at large. At Voya, we are committed to advancing a culture of diversity and inclusion—and continually looking for ways to make a positive impact in the communities in which we live and work,” said Brannigan Thompson, Senior Vice President, Corporate and Organizational Development, Voya Financial. “Working with the Ethisphere Initiative for Equity and Social Justice advisory council, we look forward to sharing our learnings as well as benefitting from the best practices of leading organizations who are collaborating on this important effort to drive change at scale.”

“We are at a critical juncture today and must move beyond discussion to make meaningful progress toward a more equitable and just society. At ACC, we are working with in-house counsel to make a difference. I look forward to joining my peers on the advisory council to provide guidance that all companies can use to build a bridge to a better tomorrow,” said Veta T. Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC).

The Ethisphere Initiative for Equity and Social Justice is focused on:

• Developing a framework for companies to benchmark their initiatives, share metrics with stakeholders, and close the opportunity gap
• Identifying, codifying, and sharing leading practices that corporations can take to advance equity for people of color
• Leveraging Ethisphere capabilities and competencies, including platforms, Ethisphere Magazine, a microsite, and programs
• Convening an ongoing series of multi-disciplinary conversations and making them available to the public at large

To learn more about the Initiative, visit https://ethisphere.com/what-we-do/equity-and-social-justice/. To register for the forum, visit https://events.ethisphere.com/events/equity-and-social-justice-forum/

About Ethisphere 

The Ethisphere^® Institute is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust, and business success. Ethisphere has deep expertise in measuring and defining core ethics standards using data-driven insights that help companies enhance corporate character. Ethisphere honors superior achievement through its World’s Most Ethical Companies® recognition program, provides a community of industry experts with the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance (BELA), and showcases trends and best practices in ethics with Ethisphere Magazine. Ethisphere also helps to advance business performance through data-driven assessments, benchmarking, and guidance. More information about Ethisphere can be found at https://ethisphere.com.

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Media Contact
Aarti Maharaj
Director of Communications
[email protected]
@Ethisphere