Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives permeate every level of a company and corporate leaders are accountable for ensuring that DE&I helps craft a healthy culture for all employees.
At NRF Retail Converge, Mark Irvin, chief inclusion, diversity and talent officer at Best Buy, will discuss his strategies to build and maintain an inclusive work environment for Best Buy’s 125,000 employees. He joined the Retail Gets Real podcast earlier this year to share how he leverages employee education to scale DE&I efforts authentically.
“My community of practice is designed more so around, how do we provide the tools, the insights, and the education for leaders,” Irvin said.
Best Buy teaches its leaders “inclusive leadership behaviors,” which are rooted in empathy, courage, vulnerability and grace. When these behaviors are applied, it positions leaders to connect with people so everyone is learning on the same page, and there is no culture of fear. Ensuring DE&I is seamlessly integrated into culture requires appropriate vocabulary, consistency and building out skills learned over time, in addition to diverse hiring.
Irvin will join leaders Shannon Schuyler, Chief Purpose & Inclusion Officer at PwC and Laura Watt, EVP of Human Resources at Diageo North America during NRF Retail Converge for a keynote on how companies are attracting, retaining, and growing a diverse talent pool at all levels of a company.
Listen to this episode for more insights on Best Buy’s approach to company education and how the retailer is leading in DE&I efforts.
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