An executive diversity council (EDC) is a group of leaders tasked with managing and developing the company’s diversity and inclusion (D&I) strategies. While D&I remains front and center of an EDC’s mission, its purpose has evolved.
“There’s been a shift in EDCs and that shift has aligned with how the conversation has changed around ESG (environmental, social and governance) itself,” says Anita Ricketts, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Fair360, formerly DiversityInc. “EDCs are not just, oh they keep track of our diversity programs. They’re an arm of good governance and risk reduction, as well as protecting the shareholders and other interested parties in the company.”
How can companies be nimble and manage EDCs in this evolving environment? We spoke with five companies on the Fair360, formerly DiversityInc 2022 Top Companies for Executive Diversity Councils who shared best practices for operating EDCs.