For Dow Chemical Chief Inclusion Officer Karen Carter, diversity and inclusion are not only important parts of the company’s long-term growth strategy, but also a part of the way it leverages its sports partnerships. “We are putting our employees, our stakeholders and Wall Street on notice that inclusion is part of our business strategy,” Carter said during the '18 Octagon Sports Marketing Symposium. Carter was named to the role in July ’17 after serving at the company in various senior executive roles for more than 20 years. Dow Chemical has several sports partnerships, including with the IOC and with the LPGA, who it will host a new team tournament with next July in Midland, Mich. Carter said that similarly to the company’s support of the Dow Tennis Classic, the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational will place heavy emphasis on connecting the players with the community. “We want to elevate these female athletes as diverse role models for students,” Carter said, noting that the current plans are for the players to meet with more than 3,000 local students. “Ninety percent of c-level women played a sport, and there is a statistic that by the age of 14, girls drop out of sports twice as much as boys, so we’re trying to impact that as we know sports can play a very important role in business success.” Business success is at the core of Dow Chemical’s move into inclusion and diversity. Carter said that for new employees, the two most-asked questions are about sustainability and diversity. “I have the reasonability to level the playing field and create an environment where people can come and really be their whole self at work,” she said.
GETTING STARTED ON DIVERSITY, INCLUSION: Carter’s advice to any company that wants to get started on diversity and inclusion: “Just get started. It does start at the top, and I would say don’t get started if you don’t have that commitment, because employees know the difference. They know when it’s a campaign or you’re just doing something just because its regulated or its for your brand or its to address #MeToo, as an example, they know that. IF it’s not part of the culture that you’re trying to cultivate, I would say don’t get started. But if you really are aware and committed and believe in the business case, which is real. I won’t even worry you with all the statistics and studies, it’s real." She added, "If you really are about creating a culture that drives better business results, then it starts at the top with setting the tone, it’s important to have a strategy that is holistic, but you must include every employee. Don’t make this just about gender and race. Are those dimensions of diversity important? Absolutely, but the moment you exclude anyone, you lose."
