Inclusive Leadership: Building Great Companies on Purpose

James-D.-White

James D. White

Former Jamba Inc CEO, Board Chair, Author & Speaker

About the Presentation

Anti-racist leadership is required for the future of work, and this shift must be led by the CEO. Companies cannot remain resilient in the years to come without investing in their diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies as a core part of their businesses. Becoming an anti-racist leader is an ongoing, multiyear journey that requires empathy, fortitude, and humility.  

In an environment where phenomena like “quiet quitting” and The Great Resignation have become commonplace, the demand to be treated with respect and human dignity rings loud and clear. Especially for millennials and Gen Z, who in the years to come will make up the majority of the workforce, traditional hierarchies are no longer cutting it.   

Based on the work in Anti-Racist Leadership: How To Transform Corporate Culture In A Race Conscious World, this talk is geared towards CEOs, senior leaders, and emerging leaders alike. Everyone has a role in designing their corporate culture, whether through sweeping change or getting their CEO on board. The buy in and collaboration of key stakeholders, like human resources and middle management, is necessary for sustainable change and the future of the organization. 

This talk will help leaders interrogate where they are on the spectrum of anti-racism and find tangible actions to take within their organizations. We will also cover the importance of empathy to unlocking lasting cultural transformation and ways leaders can build their empathy skills. 

Key Takeaways

  • How to evaluate your own leadership 
  • Practical ways to build your empathy 
  • Tangible steps to take in your anti-racist journey 

About Krista White

Krista White is a writer and consultant in the DEI space, focusing on work at the intersection of race and queerness. She is the founder and CEO of Kiki for The Future and the co-founder of Culture Design Lab, two DEI-focused startups. As a continuation of her lifelong commitment to the power of storytelling, Krista will begin her MFA in Fiction at Sarah Lawrence College this fall.  

About James D. White

James D. White is the former chair, president, and CEO of Jamba Juice. He currently chairs the board of the Honest Company and is the Executive Chair of the startup Air Protein, in addition to several other boards. He is the author, with his daughter Krista, of Anti-Racist Leadership: How to Transform Corporate Culture in a Race-Conscious World (Harvard Business Review Press, 2022)