We are at a crossroads moment when it comes to the way we think about business ethics and leadership in tech. Tech is a microcosm of the current state of our country: it is beholden to the same systemic and institutionalized practices that have harmed underrepresented communities. However, given the increasingly important role technology plays in people’s lives, tech companies have a unique capacity and opportunity to drive systemic change around racial and social inequities.
Making the tech industry more representative of the diverse world it serves means moving beyond just checking boxes and instead requires a new paradigm to translate inspiration into measurable, scalable action. Despite the early learnings in the immediate aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, DEI efforts still over-rely on recruitment efforts, little on retention of said talent, and almost no effort is put forth in other verticals of the business. But what if DEI wasn’t just a set of ideas companies claimed to stand behind, but rather became about more than just meeting the status quo?