“We have a Black diversity leader, a Hispanic diversity leader, a Native American diversity leader. We have D&I leaders that support Women, LGBTQ+, People with Diverse Abilities, Veterans, and the Asian community. The reason I am highlighting this is because it’s a really unique structure. IBM has a mission that says, ‘How do we make the world a better place?’ And that is what makes our structure unique. There are not a lot of organizations that have dedicated full-time diversity leaders who serve a specific community.”
IBM’s diversity and inclusion efforts span far larger than the United States, thanks to #OutLEADERS like Joy. “When you take what we call “business resource groups” — these are employee groups — we have more than 200 business resource groups worldwide,” she said. “They span 47 countries, and we touch about 32,000 employees. That’s how we scale our D&I strategy globally.” Joy has facilitated one of the largest company-wide communities for learning and engagement.’ It’s no surprise that IBM is recognized as one of the top companies in diversity and inclusion efforts and policies.
“When I think about the diversity and inclusion mission at IBM and our four strategic pillars, it’s not a corporate mission that differentiates the company. It’s how we consistently behave as a company that matters. Current workforce and social trends are pointing to significant societal challenges. We are experiencing a time of unprecedented need for compassion, kindness, justice, dignity, and unity in the workplace. But don’t take my word for it. There is industry research that explains the neuroscience behind the need for belonging at work. A place where we can feel safe, welcome, and included. Because at the end of the day, I need to remember two things. First, the “H” in my HR title stands for ‘human’ and my number one client at work is the IBMer. As a profession, we are responsible for the people side of change.” Joy emphasizes that her work centers around attracting diverse talent and, more importantly, cultivating an inclusive and thriving workplace culture – it’s an ’employee-first’ leadership approach.
Joy is also recognized as the catalyst behind IBM’s 8-bar rainbow logo and focuses on advancing and protecting legislation to protect marginalized communities. “It’s not only about where we do business. It’s about being a good corporate citizen in the communities that IBMers call home.”
She recently spoke on a panel hosted by member firm Goldman Sachs, focussed on “The Role of LGBTQ+ Talent in Shaping the Future of Business.” Here at Out Leadership, we are honored to be able to share a few of the many impactful moments of Joy’s career. Thank you for everything you do. We can’t wait to see what comes next!