Inclusion Unlocked

2Fixing a Broken Society

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Our world is peppered with many challenges: environmental issues and global health crises, food and water security, human rights violations, economic inequality, political instability and conflict, migration and displacement, energy transition to sustainable energy, and technological disruptions. While people argue about whether society is broken or just imperfect and evolving, it is clear from the corporate advisory work we do, that many business executives want to be a force for good in the world and not a cause of the inequality, exclusion, and marginalization that undergird many societal challenges.

Business leaders are in the spotlight with the rise of corporate influence and power contributing to ever‐widening inequities in society.¹ Pressure is upon them to step up and use their power to create substantial, positive change in the world. Much of this change involves focusing on people and issues previously marginalized, excluded, and ignored. The complex challenges of accomplishing this goal are widely apparent, as executive teams come to the realization that talking about DEIB is not nearly as powerful as demonstrating it through their own personal commitment and investment of resources needed to make sustainable change a reality. As E.F. Schumacher, author of Small Is Beautiful: ...