CEO Leadership Redefined – Part 2

While CEOs of the past may have prioritized financial performance high above all else, the agenda for today’s CEOs must also include addressing social issues head on, as identified in the first installment of our CEO Leadership Redefined series.

This includes CEOs being held accountable for their actions on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I). Increased societal awareness around pressing issues such as racism, sexism and discrimination more broadly, as well as environmental injustice and health equity, among other issues has forced organizations to reflect on and reevaluate their cultures – and CEOs are expected to take a leadership role. Stakeholders are now looking for organizations they work for, invest in and buy from to be a catalyst for positive change. If they don’t, companies risk losing support and loyalty.

Today, DE&I is much more than just a moral issue, or even a flash in the pan following an event of national importance – it has become a here-to-stay business imperative. In this second installment of our CEO Leadership Redefined series, we use our research of working professionals and institutional investors to explore the role of the CEO in addressing, promoting and taking action on DE&I.

“Employees and investors overwhelmingly agree that business leaders must address the most pressing issues facing our society and they are not afraid to hold them accountable when they see leaders fail. With the demand for equity, transparency and corporate purpose on the rise, DE&I must be more than just a corporate initiative, it must be a business imperative.”

Christine DiBartolo – Senior Managing Director, Americas Head of Corporate Reputation

Download the full report below.