Page 17 - BEQ Magazine Iss 20 Fall 2021 WebRev09272021

that suggests you support, but more so actions “I want to say that those numbers are still high Team Hootology
in what your company is doing to show improve- overall,” she said. “So 70 to 75% of the BIPOC L-R: Ripley
ment.” community felt that each of these four things were Cleghorn, Melissa
Francis said four companies were mentioned important, diversity in general, corporate diversity, Kovacs, Lindsey
Buckman,
frequently as examples of “getting it right”: Pata- supplier diversity and the importance of hiring Stefanie Francis,
gonia, Ben & Jerry’s, Athleta and Whole Foods. The diverse folks. But as researchers, we are used to Shaelyn Delgado,
latter surprised researchers, so they asked more studying trends. This is where things sometimes Christine Catalano,
Jose Delgado |
questions. start to tip. And they tip slowly. So we’re interested CREDIT: CHRISTINE
“The participants that we talked to noted Whole to understand why we’re seeing this drop this year. CATALANO .
Foods because stores opened in neighborhoods What will happen next year? We’re listening to
that weren’t ‘typical Whole Foods neighborhoods’ that information to ensure that our CDI clients
(in the words of the participant),” Francis said. can steer things in the right direction collectively,
“They weren’t in areas of Austin or suburbs of San as a group of people who care about diversity and
Francisco, but in areas that were economically getting it right.”
depressed, as one participant noted, ‘I can’t believe This additional qualitative study highlighted
Whole Foods cares about me and my health enough the doubts and exhaustion some members of the
to open in our community, where it’s not something BIPOC community feel about corporate diversity
that’s going to be necessarily instantly profitable efforts, but it also revealed hope for the future.
for them. Because this isn’t something that we’re Participants are aware that change takes time and
used to in terms of eating in a certain type of way.’ hopeful that corporations will use their enormous
And it meant that these particular participants power for good.
were looking more into the history of Whole Foods “Corporations and government are the two
because of how welcomed they felt in the store.” kinds of major levers that we have for change,” said
one participant. “So, I for sure believe corporations
There is hope. have the power to make a difference around diver-
Francis stressed that while BIPOC confidence sity in this country.”
in these key diversity metrics on the 2021 CDI had Learn more about Hootology and the Corporate
dropped, all four still remain between 72-75%. Diversity Index at hootology.com. 

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