Workshop #2
DEI Business Strategies: Needed or not?
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
9-11 am Pacific / 12-2 pm Eastern
Let’s have a Better Argument about the merits and shortcomings
of diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in today’s workplace.
Presenters: ISDI Board Members
Amelia Ransom
Seasoned DEI and HR leader, formerly VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Smartsheet
Eddie Pate
ID&E Consultant and Co-Author of Daily Practices of Inclusive Leaders
Effenus Henderson
Co-director of ISDI, President & CEO of HenderWorks, and former CDO at Weyerhaeuser
Kimberly Miyazawa Frank
DEI, Organizational Development, and Corporate Social Responsibility Consultant
Kirk Adams
Business Growth Speaker, Former CEO at American Foundation for the Blind
There is no doubt—companies and organizations are at a pivotal moment in their approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion. While some have scaled back their DEI initiatives, others have claimed that these efforts have had little to no positive impact or are responsible for “invidious forms of discrimination.”
At the same time, some organizations remain committed to investing in practices that support their employees, ensuring their organizations reflect the population in the greater community, operate free from bias, and are known to be fair and inclusive. Some claim that removing artificial barriers to participation creates a stronger, more innovative business that better serves their diverse customer base.
So then, the key question is: Are DEI Business Strategies needed for a diverse, globally sourced, workforce? If the answer is yes, how might they evolve to be effective in the current business climate? If the answer is no, then what strategies will organizations use to build a cohesive, highly productive workforce?
In this workshop, you’ll hear from professionals who’ve been on the front lines with diversity, equity, and inclusion. You’ll hear their stories and their viewpoints, pro and con. Then you will have the opportunity to practice and sharpen your arguments about diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace using the Better Arguments Process.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this workshop, participants will:
- Clarify their understanding of the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Gain a historical context for the evolution of DEI
- Understand the difference between President Trump’s Executive Order on DEI and civil rights laws
- Master the 3 dimensions and 5 principles of the Better Arguments Process
- Develop skills for using the Better Arguments Process to engage in productive dialogue about DEI business strategies
HR Continuing Education Credit:
Our two-hour Learning Series workshops provide 2.0 HR (general) recertification credit hours through the HR Certification Institute® (HRCI) or Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)®, toward aPHR™, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™, SHRM and SPHRi™.
Live Virtual Sessions and Recordings:
ALL Sessions are conducted live virtually on the dates listed above. If granted permission by the Session presenter(s), we will share the webinar recording with registered attendees for four weeks after each Session.
Accessibility:
American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, by certified interpreters, is available upon request. If you need an accommodation, please contact Series Project Manager, Christine Nakano, at christine.nakano@i4sdi.org. Requests MUST be made at least TWO weeks prior to the session.
