Matt Fust, who serves as a Senior Advisor to Out Leadership’s Quorum initiative, which advocates for LGBT+ diversity in corporate governance, participated in a panel discussion at the 2018 Milken Institute Global Conference: “The Business Case for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion.”
The panel also included perspectives from:
- Cheryl Strauss Einhorn, Founder, CSE Consulting; Adjunct Professor, Columbia Business School (moderator)
- Matthew Harrington, Global Chief Operating Officer, Edelman
- Tony Prophet, Chief Equality Officer, Salesforce
- Lesley Slaton Brown, Chief Diversity Officer, HP Inc.
- Anilu Vazquez-Ubarri, Chief Diversity Officer and Global Head of Talent, Goldman Sachs
Research has repeatedly shown that embracing diversity and inclusion increases corporate profits and improves government performance. However, gender pay gaps, unconscious biases, and opportunity deficits persist. These practices hurt bottom lines, inhibit talent acquisition and retention, and are generally bad for brand reputations. Business leaders will explore successful strategies to combat prejudice and create more diverse and inclusive workforces. How can corporate cultures start thinking about diversity, not as “meeting quotas,” but as helping companies achieve full potential? And how can organizations ensure these goals are leadership priorities rather than discussions reserved for H.R.?