The 23rd annual Fair360 Top 50 Companies event took place on May 13 at The Glasshouse in New York City. The day was packed with enlightening daytime learning sessions and an evening Top 50 Awards Dinner and Ceremony. The event’s central theme, “Bridging DEI & Strategic Business,” resonated throughout the panel discussions, TED-style talks and keynotes.
The New Fair360
Fair360 Founder and Chairman Luke Visconti started out the day by sharing his vision of the new Fair360. He highlighted four priorities for the company going forward:
- Increase the sophistication of the Fair360 website to exclusively serve human capital management through our Research Library and “What We’re Reading” section.
- Publish more insights and “next practices” to help DEI leaders stay ahead of trends.
- Invest in new technology to draw greater insights from the data we collect, including trends and more frequent survey updates.
- Keep the Fair360 Top 50 Companies survey open year-round and offer a free scorecard to give new companies taking the survey an idea of where they would rank.
“I’m excited about where we’re going and I look forward to talking with each of you about how Fair360 can help you achieve your goals,” Visconti said. “Together, we can shape a better future where workplace fairness is woven into the fabric of our organizations and our society as a whole.”
How to Be a ‘Supercommunicator’
Keynote speaker Charles Duhigg, author of the book Supercommunicators, delved into unlocking the secret language of connection during his presentation. During the interactive session, he had attendees participate in an exercise where they shared the last time they felt excluded or the last time they cried in front of someone. Following this, Duhigg encouraged the audience to pivot the conversation to something practical.
“When we figure out what kind of conversation we want to have, when we match each other … that is when we become supercommunicators,” he said.
The daytime portion of the Top 50 event featured influential leaders from:
- The Hershey Company
- EY
- BASF
- Medtronic
- New York City University
- Weill Cornell Medicine
- TD Bank
- Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
- Wells Fargo
- The Boeing Company
Speakers gave best practices for navigating the current DEI landscape. Additionally, they shared insights for DEI leaders and aligning DEI plans to support the C-suite.
The 2024 Top Companies specialty lists were also unveiled throughout the day. Click here to view all 17 lists.
Evening Keynote
After a cocktail reception, Visconti welcomed attendees to the evening portion of the Fair360 Top 50 Companies event. Transitioning into the event, he introduced keynote speaker Jonathan Osborne, Former Federal Prosecutor and Managing Shareholder at Florida-based law firm Gunster, to the stage. Osborne’s presentation centered on the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action and its impact on workplace policies.
As a Black man, Osborne said he wasn’t sure if he has ever benefited from affirmative action policies in his career or personal life. However, he emphasized that individuals who invited him to their table, engaged in conversations on planes or met for coffee had a profound impact on his life. He encouraged attendees to show up in the same way for people in their lives, personally and professionally.
Regional, Noteworthy and Hall of Fame Companies
Fair360 Interim CEO Chad Johnson and Chief Operating Officer Shane Nelson presented the Top Regional Companies list. They also presented the Noteworthy Companies list and this year’s Hall of Fame. Mastercard entered the Hall of Fame after ranking No. 1 on the Top 50 list in 2023.
Click here to view all Hall of Fame companies.
Unveiling the 2024 Fair360 Top 50 Companies
The evening concluded with the highly anticipated presentation of companies that made the Fair360 Top 50 Companies list this year. The Hershey Company secured the No.1 spot on the Top 50, having also ranked on 13 specialty lists. The company took the No. 1 spot on the Top Companies for Mentoring list and the Top Companies for Sponsorship list.
“When I became CEO, one of my earliest conversations with my leadership team was about our people, strengthening our business by creating a place of belonging to fuel innovation, problem solving and shared success,” Hershey President and CEO Michele Buck said. “Fast forward to today, and togetherness has become an always on business capability, pushing us forward on our journey from a U.S. confectionery company to a leading snacking powerhouse.”
Buck shared ways in which the company has brought its commitment to life. One initiative she mentioned was Hershey’s Pathways framework, which is “a 5-year strategy for belonging and development,” she said.
She also talked about the company’s “vibrant and active business resource groups.” These groups not only build community but also provide continuous feedback and commercial partnerships. Additionally, they enhance engagement, productivity and retention. Moreover, Buck said inclusive recruitment practices ensure that Hershey hires qualified candidates and partners.
Consequently, this has “resulted in a 10% increase in workforce diversity since 2019 and a notable 18% increase in Tier 1 supplier diversity spend,” Buck added.
View the entire 2024 Fair360 Top 50 Companies and specialty lists here.
The event celebrated the outstanding achievements of these companies. It also marked another successful edition of Fair360’s Top 50 event.
Click here to view our Top 50 event page. We will continue to update the page with articles and videos in the next week.
