Corporate Social Responsibility and Diversity and Inclusion Are Bonded With One Word: Servants

It’s a game-changer.

America’s wounds are wide open and festering and more proverbial salt is being added to its wounds and causing more pain daily with social unrest and a depressed and defeated populace.

The once strong economy is taking a nose dive as it struggles to stay upright. Employment is in the tank because of the clutches of the coronavirus pandemic and most of the millions of small businesses are smothered by the weight of forced closures and lack of funding to outlast the crippling grip of no or very little sales.

Despite this dark dismal picture, there is some light. There is a sleeping giant that appears to have awakened and is moving with all deliberate speed to fill the divide between the haves and have nots and the gaps between Blacks, Whites, and other cultures that are turning America upside down.

That sleeping giant is Corporate America. The country nor the world has ever seen the likes of what is happening in the corporate area now. Its new stance and demand for eradication of racism and message of tolerance are not matched with any history.

Its political power is now being put forth and forcing politicians and governments to take notice and listen or suffer the consequences. Yes, corporate America is finally beginning to walk what it talks but it still has a long way to go.

It can do so much more and if it continues on its present pathway America’s entire political, economic, and social landscape will be drastically changed for better.

My previous articles show the progression of corporate social responsibility and the power of its movement.

One of the glaring gaps that still exist within the corporate structure is the lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The open wound shows the lack of Blacks, women, and other minorities in meaningful and lasting positions that make a difference.

This has lasted for decades and festering sores will not be healed overnight. However, corporate policy changes that are sincerely implemented will put America back on track and make it an even greater nation.

One policy change that can make a huge difference and I believe would put a screeching halt to a lot of complaints and uproar in America is for corporations to adopt and implement a required policy that reflects a servant’s attitude from top to bottom.

This article covers what a “servant” corporate policy would entail and how it would revolutionize and help complete the concept of diversity, equity, and inclusion within and outside the working environment.

What Is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?

There is any number of definitions that abound about the meaning of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

It depends on who you ask and what their perspective is on the subject, which often leads to more discussion about what it should be instead of creating a mindset of let’s do something about it.

One of the best working definitions that put teeth into the meaning and application of the term is a statement made by the Ford Foundation:

“Diversity is the representation of all our varied identifies and differences (race, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, tribe, caste, socio-economic status, thinking and communication styles, etc.), collectively and as individuals.

Equity seeks to ensure fair treatment, equality of opportunity, and fairness in access to information and resources for all. We believe this is only possible in an environment built on respect and dignity.

Inclusion builds a culture of belonging by actively inviting the contribution and participation of all people. We believe every person’s voice adds value, and we strive to create balance in the fact of power differences. We believe that no one person can or should be called upon to represent an entire community.”

I recall hearing a story that is analogous to how diversity, equity, and inclusion should be viewed and implemented. The analogy is one of someone being invited to a dance.

Diversity means one has been invited to the dance. Inclusion means that the person invited is asked to dance. Equity means the person invited to the dance also gets to choose some of the music or songs that are played at the dance.

Corporate social responsibility plays a significant role in the dance and activity of removing systemic racism, favoritism, and discrimination in America.

Through its corporate party (employment, community influence, and economic power) It can invite the right people, ensure they have significant involvement and a stake in producing goods and services and also making sure that the persons invited to the dance are given power and support to make choices that make a difference.

Once this is done on a sincere and consistent basis diversity, equity, and inclusion are assured to eventually become a reality.

Why Is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Corporate Social Responsibility Important?

Corporations are in a powerful position to change the world. Why, because they have so much influence over every aspect of daily life. According to a Harvard Business Review article, corporations-both large and small-now have undue influence over public policy. This means they dictate to politicians and lawmakers that create the rules and regulations under which America operates.

The evidence that corporations have captured democratic government, where the economic power of corporations has been translated into political power with disastrous effects for peoples lives, is outlined in a study by the Center for America Progress, an independent nonpartisan institute that produces studies of social, political and economic impact in America.

In that study it is revealed that 80 percent of Americans agreed with the following statement:

“ I am worried that large political contributions will prevent Congress from tackling the important issues facing Americans today, like the economic crisis, rising energy costs, reforming health care, and global warming.”

More recently, another worry that is looming large is the influence that corporations have on social issues like race relations and human dignity in general.

To validate that corporations and their power to immediately change attitudes and the racial equality climate in the world, one only has to pay attention to how they have recently forced changes in sports, employment, retailing, and a plethora of other things.

So What Does All This Have To Do With The Word Servants?

Corporations, for the most part, appear to have finally seen the light. The light that leads to helping to heal the wounds of racism and in many ways can help to eradicate the ravages of COVID-19 in the underprivileged and disadvantaged communities of our country.

You see, it does not matter how large or powerful the corporations become they are still operated and controlled by living, breathing, and feeling human beings. Those in control have hearts, families, and futures they want for the best for themselves and, I believe, for the most part, other human beings too.

Therefore, if a shift in the mindset of those in control is made and collectively they come together and decide that it’s time to make a change that change will come, not because of the artificial existence of a cold corporation whose existence was created by an act of law, but because hearts have been softened and consciousness has been pricked to do the right thing.

This humanness brings about a desire to serve. A desire to heal and rectify wrongs and replace them with the right treatment. This is a servant’s attitude. It is one that can and is trending toward changing America for the better.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion, along with a servant’s attitude and policy that is reflected from the boardroom at the top to the employee cubical on the bottom will turn the tide of violence, political and racial discord, and help defeat the viral pandemic that prevails. This will rescue America from the grip of despair that it now suffers.

The corporate policy and practice of servants that could be implemented is simple and spelled out in the following acronym.

S — Submitted to service and committed to sustaining it. A corporate policy that demands and enforces a mindset of this sort will permeate the entire corporate ecosystem and cause buy-in from all levels within the organization.

E — Excellence as a standard must be the order of the day. Nothing less should be tolerated. Excellence not only in the quality of products and services but excellence in finding and implementing ways to include persons of quality and ability to contribute and make a difference.

R — Results are essential and should be tied to performance, praise, and a paycheck. Accountability should be measured, in part, by the increase in the rate of diversity, inclusiveness, and equity within the corporate structure.

V — Value and empathy should be a requirement of management personnel. They must be able to understand that people from different backgrounds, cultures, and perceptions will make different decisions and take different pathways to reach a goal or objective.

However, given the chance to be themselves while being held accountable to achieve the goal makes all the difference in a company being able to decrease turnover, increase employee dedication and loyalty, and engender a feeling they have a stake in helping to increase the company’s bottom line.

A — Attitudes that inspire. Good leaders inspire. They excite followers to learn more, to do more and they will with good leadership. A part of every corporate manager’s job description should include the following quotes and be part of their performance review:

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” — John Quincy Adams

“A good objective of leadership is to help those who are doing poorly to do well and to help those who are doing well to do even better.” — Jim Rohn

N — Nurture personal growth. Corporate social responsibility must nurture growth within and without its organization. Through its employees and corporate initiatives, communities can be revitalized, hope can be restored and sustained, and standards of living can be upgraded. This is best said through this quote:

“Be the one who nurtures and builds. Be the one who has an understanding and a forgiving heart one who looks for the best in people. Leave people better than you found them.” — Marvin J. Ashton.

T — Team players are necessary for the game to be won. The game of baseball is an apt analogy for the circumstances America finds itself in right now. The country is in the middle of the game of life.

We are in the ninth inning with two outs and two strikes. We are down by two scores — coronavirus and rampant racism — but the bases are loaded with diversity, equity, and inclusion with hope, opportunity, and better days ahead written on their jerseys. Corporate social responsibility is now the designated hitter.

America needs a grand slam home run. Corporate America can bring home hope, opportunity, and a better way of life on the backs of diversity, equality, and inclusion. The fans in the stand (countries and nations around the world) are waiting with bated breath.

S — Stewardship that maximizes the efforts toward reconciliation, bonding, and building is the last part of a servant’s mindset.

The dictionary defines stewardship as the conducting, supervising, or managing of something, especially the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.

America’s care is in large part entrusted to corporations that are firmly in power and control of the countries heartbeat.

Recent actions have sent a clear message by corporate leadership that stewardship is a concept that it is embracing and implementing. Only the future will tell whether it will be sustained or become just another fad and trend to placate the masses.

There Are Huge Rewards for Corporations That Practice Social Responsibility and Implement An Effective Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy

I am heartened with an abundance of hope that the positive trend started by corporations will last. One of the primary reasons is because corporations have discovered that diversity, equity, and inclusion increase bottom line profits.

Studies show that corporations that practice diversity and inclusion as a policy enjoy the following five advantages:

1. According to Forbes, those with high involvement of gender diversity outperform their competition by 15 percent, and where there are policies and practices of ethnic diversity there is even better performance over competitors to the tune of 35%.

2. Innovation and different and better ideas are greatly increased with diversity.

3. Millenniums, the world’s future workforce, collectively say they will produce more and respond better if their work environment reflects diversity.

4. Diversity leads to greater innovation

5. They have a greater advantage of attracting and hiring better talent

Prudent corporations are stepping up and taking advantage of the richness and abundance that awaits them in embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion and the path it leads to peace, prosperity, and profits for all involved.

This trend of being servants instead of seeking to be served will bring America back to its greatness.

What will be your legacy of service to help our country rebound? Will you stand by and watch the parade or will you join in the march and:

“Be somebody that makes somebody feel like somebody.”

This is what the word servant means.