Diversity, Equity & Inclusion For Dummies

Chapter 5

Hiring a Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer

IN THIS CHAPTER

Understanding the growing demand for CDEIOs

Recognizing when your company may need a CDEIO

Choosing the best person for your company

Considering where the CDEIO should report in the organization

Like many of the other aspects of DEI, the role and responsibilities of the Chief Diversity Officer have evolved over time. When I assumed my first role in DEI in the 1990s, neither the E nor the I was a part of the title. We didn’t even have job descriptions for them. I was first asked to take on the role because I was the only Black female in my division, and most of my colleagues back then had the same experience. The role mainly existed in large or mid-sized companies, mostly for-profit organizations, and it didn’t have the broad reach and global responsibilities that it has today, both inside and outside the organization. It wasn’t even considered a profession.

Today, the role couldn’t be more important. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the role of the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer ...