Last month I was invited by the Conference Board to offer my opinion on the future of diversity and inclusion and in particular, the role of the chief diversity officer (CDO). I developed this infographic to depict my opinion that the span of influence of the CDO needs to extend beyond HR.

There is an alarming trend for the top diversity job to report into talent management and in some cases the talent acquisition section of talent management. The role of inclusion in organizational success reaches far beyond HR to include mergers and acquisitions, marketing, new product development, corporate social responsibility and globalization. As the role seems to diminish in importance the resources also dwindle. For example the resources allocated to diversity and inclusion are paltry compared to those that go towards other types of learning, according to a study conducted by Bersin by Deloitte this year.

CDO of the Future Infographic

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