Expanding Equity is a transformational program for advancing racial equity, diversity and inclusion in your company. It offers the tools, knowledge and human-centered approaches for cultivating a workplace that attracts, develops, retains and promotes diverse talent – delivering benefits for both your employees and your bottom line.
Why Should Companies Care About Racial Equity?
Racial equity is an aspirational pursuit insisting that all people, regardless of their racial/ethnic group identification, skin color, or physical traits, will have equal opportunity to experience well-being in a just society. Achieving racial equity means that a person’s identity would not predict their day-to-day experiences or their life outcomes.
Within companies, racial equity means that all employees have equal opportunities to join, to be developed, to belong, to succeed, to progress, and to be respected in the workplace. It means that the workplace culture, systems and structures enable people from all identity groups to thrive.
There are lots of good reasons to advance racial equity in your company...
The Program
Expanding Equity is designed for companies at all stages of racial equity, diversity and inclusion (REDI) work that are looking for a thorough, structured, measurable and educational program.
It shares the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s proven experience, human-centered approaches, knowledge and tools on racial equity and racial healing with leaders and organizations.
The program’s curriculum is organized using four pillars:
ATTRACT
Attracting and hiring professionals of color into the company to increase representation at all levels of the organization
PROMOTE
Ensuring that professionals of color feel supported and have the same advancement opportunities as White professionals
BELONG
Ensuring that all professionals, regardless of racial/ethnic group identity, feel respected and can be successful
INFLUENCE
Advancing racial equity through the company’s products, services or relationships externally
Who Should Participate?
In 2020, WKKF piloted Expanding Equity with five financial services firms. In 2021 and 2022, the foundation expanded the program to support more than 550 leaders from nearly 100 companies from at least 10 industries (banking, financial services, private equity, investment management, consumer goods, retail, hospitality, advanced industries, travel, transportation and logistics, and professional services).
In mid-2023, the foundation will transition Expanding Equity from a live, workshop-based program to an online learning platform experience. It will support leaders and managers responsible for REDI efforts in their workplaces, from DEI/HR leaders to executives to Employee Resource Group (ERG) leaders to middle managers. WKKF is also working with a variety of partners to create and curate additional topical courses for the platform.
As we make this transition, we encourage you to access program resources below and to sign-up for Expanding Equity tools, case studies and more to be sent directly to your inbox. By doing so, WKKF will also keep you informed about the rollout of the online learning platform experience.
…The quality of the speakers, messages, content and goals are all excellent.”
It was a very thought-provoking workshop and set the stage well for the work that needs to be done. I thought the breakout sessions were extremely valuable and look forward to working on action items for our organization.”
“This partnership advanced our efforts in immeasurable ways. I really appreciated hearing about the practical and concrete things the Kellogg Foundation has done in your journey.”
COMPANIES IN THE EXPANDING EQUITY NETWORK
Here's what companies have to say about the program:
About The
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) is committed to ensuring all children, families and communities – regardless of race or income – have opportunities to reach their full potential. Companies play an essential role in creating those opportunities for people of all backgrounds in their workplaces and communities. Over the next 10 years, WKKF wants to help more workplaces transform into more equitable places of opportunity.
WKKF has been on its own decades-long journey to create a more equitable workplace and lean into our 2007 commitment to being an “effective anti-racist organization that promotes racial equity.” We bring knowledge, experience, a network of relationships, and a collection of proven tools and human-centered approaches on racial equity and racial healing to share with organizations and leaders seeking to do similar transformational work. Read more about our journey here.
As a private foundation, Expanding Equity puts WKKF’s capital, influence, knowledge and reputation to work in a new way. By sharing action-oriented tools, we can help advance racial equity by transforming policies and practices in the industries and systems that shape society; drive better results for companies; and ultimately build equitable communities and a just economy where all children and their families can thrive.
Resources
GUIDEBOOKS AND TOOLKITS
Inclusion and Belonging Guidebook
Industry Actions for Racial Equity – Investment Management
Racial Equity in Financial Services Report
Race in the Workplace: The Black Experience Report
Race in the workplace: The frontline experience
REPORTS
Oshkosh Corporation: Advancing DE&I Representation Goals through Formal Incentives
Ripples of Change: Ralph de Chabert's Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Journey
Steelcase:
Using a Skills-Based Hiring Approach
As Part of a
DEI Strategy
