Why the Most Inclusive Companies Will Win
August 13, 2018
Racially homogenous organizations aren’t just bad for society—they’re terrible for the bottom line, argues Fulp, president and CEO of the Partnership, a search and leadership development organization, in this convincing and sorely needed work. It’s long been understood that a diverse network is valuable for individual career advancement, but Fulp observes that it’s also valuable for companies, citing a McKinsey study showing companies with the most diverse boards averaged returns on equity over 50% higher than companies with the least. She shares stories from her own career and highly publicized instances of companies getting it right or badly wrong—in the former case, how Lyft won away some of Uber’s clientele by publicly prioritizing minorities affected by the Trump administration’s travel ban over its own profit. Focusing on change at the top, mainly board and leadership diversification, Fulp notes that consumer expectations have changed, with Americans increasingly interested in company ethics and values. Bolstered with clear steps and advice for companies seeking to be better global citizens—ensuring, for example, that their ads don’t show only white people—Fulp’s book gives businesspeople the tools they need to prepare for an ever more ethnically and racially diverse society.
September 1, 2018
Fulp, president and CEO of the Partnership, a diversity-focused organization, digs into a topic that is vital to the success of businesses today: how to build diversity from the ground floor to the board room. Through many case histories, Fulp demonstrates that when companies embrace diversity, they build a stronger brand and stay in better touch with their consumer markets. Her examples are backed by research, including a 2017 Cone Communications study that shows that 86 percent of Americans believe companies should accomplish something more than making money and 87 percent want companies to address racial equality. With statistics like these, Fulp shows how people of different ethnicities and races are an asset to an organization. Her discussions encourage readers to understand each other and to celebrate differences. The positive examples emphasize how the most-admired companies, such as John Hancock and even the National Football League, are embracing diversity and thriving, creating a sense of community. Business leaders and those in education will find these stories inspirational and will learn tactics they can apply in their lives.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)