Setting Up Your Company's Diversity Council

Melanie had been the head of HR for a midsized but fast growing financial services company for only six months when the CEO called her into his office and asked her to set up the company’s diversity council. “Diversity is an HR issue,” he said, “make it happen by the end of the quarter.”

Not wanting to contradict her boss so early in their relationship, Melanie bit her tongue, even though she knew that diversity is far more than just an HR issue – it’s a bottom line issue. But, when she asked for a budget for the council the CEO said there were no funds available. When she asked for leadership support, he said that since she was the head of HR, she should consider herself the council’s leader; that was “all the leadership support the group needed.” And when she asked who the CEO believed would be good candidates for the council, he replied “pick the most vocal women and minorities.”

Melanie did as she was told and brought together a group of women and minorities for a series of meetings; had a great time talking, exchanging stories and eating lunch together. But by the end of the year, very little of note had been accomplished, and most of the members had dropped away, lost interest or moved on to other, more career enhancing pursuits. The council was disbanded and Melanie, disheartened, disappointed and disempowered, decided it was time to leave.

Unfortunately, this is an all too common story. Setting up and supporting an effective diversity council isn’t easy. And though it’s tempting to hand it off to HR, that would be a mistake. Valuing and leveraging diversity should be an organization-wide effort, with the diversity council being just one part of the initiative. Regardless, there are six “must have’s” that need to be in place if your diversity council is to have a decent chance.