Diversity and inclusion may be hot buzzwords, but they’re more than empty platitudes. Companies are realizing it doesn’t just mean a bigger talent pool; it means more customers, more sales — and it’s imperative to maintain relevancy.
On Sunday at NRF 2019: Retail’s Big Show, executives took the stage to discuss the realities of responding to and advancing real-time diversity and inclusion challenges. James Fripp, chief diversity and inclusion officer with YUM! Brands, has been with the company for 30 years and said his current role is the most challenging assignment he has ever had. YUM! Brands has 46,000 restaurants, 1.5 million employees and more than 2,000 franchisees who are working to add diversity to their leadership ranks. “The world is changing, it’s changing quickly, and we’ve got to get on the bus,” Fripp said. “If we don’t, we will become irrelevant and, quite honestly, for us that’s not an option.”
Watch the video below to see Fripp talk about making the business case for diversity and inclusion — and what that question really means for individuals and companies.
For more from the Show, take a look at the event recap.