It Takes All of Us: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Diversity, equity, inclusion—these are fundamental ideals. Everybody can agree that it’s good to be diverse, equitable and inclusive. But if you don’t have the right plan, they can fall short of expectations. Plenty of companies have made commitments to DE&I in the past two years, but without a full understanding of both the benefits and challenges of the work, you might find yourself right back where you started. So, what is diversity, equity and inclusion? Why is it needed? And what does it mean for your organization specifically?

Myra Caldwell and Tori Farmer have firsthand experience answering these questions. Myra is Cadence Bank’s Chief Diversity Officer, and along with Tori, Executive Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at KPMG, she’s crafted and helmed Cadence’s DE&I strategy over the past 18 months. Myra and Tori are here to share how you can implement a plan specific to your business, no matter how big. Because your employees, suppliers, customers and partners are experiencing your culture every day, whether you have a plan or not. And when you work hard to intentionally change things for the better, those benefits can be felt across the board.

Myra and her team have not only created distinct programs to educate and uplift coworkers and community members, they’ve forged a culture where everyone is moving together towards a common purpose. But it didn’t happen overnight. Together we’ll show you how to evaluate your business, set up measurable goals, and have the hard, necessary conversations that this work entails. Plus, we’ll share how Cadence has progressed and reassessed on its DE&I journey—how far we’ve come and how far there still is to go. One company isn’t going to solve the problem, but, together, we can move the needle towards a more just, accepting world.

Highlights:

• How Tori Farmer defines DE&I (5:13)
• The business case for DE&I (10:15)
• Where to start with implementing equitable practices (12:24)
• How Cadence assessed itself and found a starting point (16:08)
• Can you make changes if your business is small? (19:09)
• The Cadence DE&I programs (25:26)
• How to extend your efforts beyond your workplace and into the community (28:47)
• DE&I and The Great Resignation (30:35)
• Trusting the Process (33:50)
• The Gift of Imperfection (35:43)

Links:

• Cadence Bank Website
• Cadence Bank Twitter
• Cadence Bank LinkedIn
• Myra Caldwell LinkedIn
• Tori Farmer LinkedIn
• KPMG – DE&I Homepage
• Cadence Bank Diversity & Inclusion Statement
• Our Stories
• Cadence Bank Corporate Social Responsibility Statement
• Cadence Bank Supplier Diversity Program

Feedback:

If you have questions about the show or topics you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, sheena.cochran@cadencebank.com or danielle.kernell@cadencebank.com.