Chief diversity officer

The chief diversity officer (CDO) is an organization’s executive level diversity and inclusion strategist. Roughly 20% percent of Fortune 500 companies employ diversity officers.[1]

Historical background

The chief diversity officer serves in an executive level leadership role. According to Billy E. Vaughn, a history of cultural diversity pioneer work conducted by university professors, cultural diversity consultants, and human resource officers precedes the chief diversity officer.[2] Less than 20 percent of Fortune 500 companies employed diversity officers in 2005, but that number has grown considerably since then.[1] Only recently has there been a discussion about the appropriate background education and credentials the diversity officer needs. In the business sector, the role remains tied to human resource management functions. Higher education chief diversity officers tend to have doctoral degrees.

Credentialing

Diversity Certification refers to credential training that empowers professionals with the techniques, skills, and tools.[3] [4] The resulting expertise drives their career in consulting, training, and managing diversity. The credential training is still in its infancy. [5] Training prepares individuals to serve in the cultural diversity profession role. A cultural diversity practitioner has expertise in managing and leading programs designed to foster productive relationships among people of different cultures.

Diversity Training University International (DTUI) offered the first cultural diversity professional (CDP) and cultural diversity trainer (CDT) credentialing program in 1998. [6] It was not the first organization to offer a specialization in cultural diversity management expertise. Cornell University offered a certificate specialization about the same year. The National Training Laboratory (NTL) also offered a certificate program. Cornell University now offers a certificate program and the CCDP credentials.[7]

A good credentialing program will offer professionals new to the role the competence needed to succeed. The training takes seasoned professionals to the next performance level by building on existing competencies and providing credentials.[8] A comprehensive, well designed credentialing program is backed by a body of knowledge collected from leaders in the field, evidenced-based techniques and tools, a strategic framework, leadership competency, and training skills.[9]

Requiring quality training and certification promotes the reputation of certified diversity professional experts as is essential to a high performing organization. A high impact diversity certification program teaches how to lead a high performing inclusion initiative, develop solutions based on needs analysis and business acumen, leverage technology to enhance organizational learning and much more. The best quality Diversity Certification programs include a common language to unify the cultural diversity and inclusion industry.

See also

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Are Diversity Officers Changing the Face of Corporate America? Archived November 29, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. News Analysis, Bill Picture, Asian Week, Nov 26, 2005]
  2. ↑ The History of Diversity Training & Its Pioneers
  3. ↑ Diversity Jobs. What is diversity & inclusion certification? Diversity Officer Magazine, (May 2018). https://www.diversityofficermagazine.com/diversityjobs/category/blog/
  4. ↑ Diversity Executive Leadership Academy (n.d.). What is diversity certification? - CDP CDT CDE. https://diversityexecutiveacademy.com/what-is-diversity-certification-cdp-cdt-cde/
  5. ↑ Vaughn, B.E. (2007), The history of diversity training and its pioneers. Strategic Diversity & Inclusion Management Magazine, pp. 11 - 16, Vol. 1, Issue 1, Spring. https://diversityofficermagazine.com/diversity-inclusion/the-history-of-diversity-training-its-pioneers/
  6. ↑ Diversity Jobs. What is diversity & inclusion certification? Diversity Officer Magazine, (May 2018). https://www.diversityofficermagazine.com/diversityjobs/category/blog/
  7. ↑ Vaughn, B.E. (2007), The history of diversity training and its pioneers. Strategic Diversity & Inclusion Management Magazine, pp. 11 - 16, Vol. 1, Issue 1, Spring. https://diversityofficermagazine.com/diversity-inclusion/the-history-of-diversity-training-its-pioneers/
  8. ↑ Lejonhuvud, L. (n.d.) Selecting a diversity professional credentialing program. Diversity Officer Magazine, https://diversityofficermagazine.com/diversity-professional/diversity-cerification-program-review/
  9. ↑ Diversity Executive Leadership Academy z9n.d.). What makes the diversity leadership programs standout? Frequently Asked Questions. https://diversityexecutiveacademy.com/faq/

Sources

  • Williams, D. & Wade-Golden, K. (2006). What is a Chief Diversity Officer? Inside Higher Education (original publication). http://www.insidehighered.com/workplace/2006/04/18/williams
  • Vaughn, B. (2008). Letters from the Editor. Diversity Officer Magazine. http://diversityofficermagazine.com/
  • Martin, M. & Vaughn, B. E. (2007). Cultural Competence: The Nuts & Bolts of Diversity & Inclusion. In Billy E. Vaughn (Ed.), Strategic Diversity & Inclusion Management (Now Diversity Officer magazine), pp. 31–38, Vol. 1, No. 1. Diversity Training University: San Francisco.
  • Vaughn, B. E. (2007). The history of diversity training and its pioneers. In Billy E. Vaughn (Ed.), Strategic Diversity & Inclusion Management (Now Diversity Officer magazine), pp. 11–16, Vol. 1, No. 1. Diversity Training University: San Francisco.
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