She Runs It, a heritage women-focused advertising organization, has enlisted six diversity and inclusion executives to join its foundation board, forming an equity and inclusion advisory council. The DEI executives from across the marketing, media and tech industry will help accelerate the organization’s #Inclusive100 adoption and progress.
The new advisory council will evaluate and advise on the decisions made by the She Runs It foundation board to expand industry participation in #Inclusive100, a measurement tool that tracks progress and spurs actions designed to make workforces more diverse, equitable and inclusive.
The council includes: Ronnie Dickerson Stewart, diversity, equity and inclusion, marketplace and community lead at Zoom; Jeff Marshall, svp head of diversity equity and belonging at UM Worldwide; Renetta McCann, chief inclusion experience officer at Publicis Groupe; Michele Prota, chief talent officer at Forsman & Bodenfors; Jason Smith, president, diversified investments at Spark Foundry; and Carol Watson, chief inclusion officer at BCW.
“One year after the industry’s response to the murder of George Floyd, we believe it’s important to evaluate the progress and promises made across our industry to ensure the momentum and energy triggered by that tragic event are not diminished,” Lynn Branigan, president and CEO of She Runs It, said in a statement. “Reshaping the industry starts with measurement. The data, ideas and actions that have come out of #Inclusive100 have proven to create more diverse workforces and more inclusive workplaces for successful companies. There are currently 50 determined companies participating, but given the price tag and the proven outcomes, that number should be at least ten times higher.”
Branigan added that She Runs It has also conducted an internal assessment to measure how well it reflects and serves its members, and the equity and inclusion council was created as a result of that assessment. The organization is also conducting a member survey to better understand the composition and DEI needs of its membership, and to make improvements to advance inclusivity.
“Many organizations aspire to do the right thing when it comes to racial equality, but even after a demonstrated commitment to DE&I, corporations and brands tend to fall behind in terms of implementing a cross-organizational approach,” said new council member Watson in a statement. “We can’t leave the conversation after the attention dissipates or the news cycle dies down. The council recognizes that this is a movement, not a moment. And we are united in our aim to help She Runs It support the industry in its quest for greater equity.”