Column: Don't fight DE&I naysayers, focus on building alliances

DETROIT — "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." — Buckminster Fuller

Fuller's quote was recited by Cheryl Thompson, founder and CEO of the Center for Automotive Diversity, Inclusion & Advancement, during the organization's Rev Up 2030 summit here this month at Wayne State University.

As the editor who has overseen Automotive News' diversity, equity and inclusion coverage during the past two years, this quote resonated with me. It is easy to fall into the trap of arguing with those who dismiss company DE&I initiatives as "woke nonsense" and "unfair," despite a mountain of rigorous, credible research that shows the positive business outcomes of such policies. The anti-DE&I sentiment in emails sent to us criticizing our coverage, as well as on social media and in state political offices, can be discouraging.

The unfortunate reality is that no amount of objective reporting, calm reasoning or impassioned counterarguments will change the minds of those who refuse to acknowledge DE&I's role as a competitive advantage in today's business environ-ment. Instead of arguing with the detractors, proponents of DE&I should divert that energy toward building a community with allies.

Rev Up 2030 was a welcome reminder that many allies are out there. More than 200 of them were gathered in a ballroom during the all-day program, which featured a workshop on inclusive hiring; panels on employee resource groups, talent and equity in mobility, inclusive leadership and supplier diversity; and a discussion among chief diversity officers. The event had nearly two dozen automaker, supplier, industry group and economic group sponsors.

"Let's focus on what it is we want," Thompson, a veteran of Ford Motor Co. and American Axle, told the audience. "It's no secret that we're in this time of resistance and backlash to DEI."

The day's keynote speaker was Lottie Holland, head of diversity, inclusion and engagement for Stellantis in North America. Holland, who assumed that role in May 2020 after leading Mopar's purchasing and supplier operations for the former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, found herself in the middle of "a racial and economic justice crisis" triggered by the murder of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer that month.

"I remember calling our leaders together. At first, we all just sat there in silence. Where were we even to begin?" she recalled. "But that silence turned into a courageous conversation before we even knew what 'courageous conversations' were. And that conversation left us all in tears."

Holland added: "We assembled our business resource groups and respectfully asked to hear their stories and any ideas that they may have to drive positive change within our company. We quickly realized that this was bigger than just a moment. It was quickly becoming a movement. Our communities, our employees — they weren't just asking for change anymore. They were demanding it — and rightfully so."

Let's pause for a moment to remember that successfully managing companies means successfully managing people, not just processes. If people are ignored and not treated with empathy, the emotions impacting their personal lives can seep into the workplace and affect performance.

The messaging can't come just from people with DE&I titles. It helps to have support from the top.

Holland said those discussions inspired this quote from Mike Manley, who was FCA's CEO at the time: "We are a source of economic empowerment for many people and communities, many of which have not participated fully in our economy, or have been denied economic justice for far too long. This is not a charity. It is a strategic decision to lift ourselves by lifting others. We believe that by embracing and empowering individuals from different backgrounds, we can foster innovation and creativity. We can build stronger relationships with our customers and suppliers and create more equitable and sustainable futures for all of us."

Among the actions at Stellantis:

• Establishing representation targets for women and minorities in leadership.
• Mandating 30 percent diversity on all hiring slates.
• Creating leadership development programs for multicultural and Black talent.
• Creating diversity action plans for each of the company's 31 functional areas.
• Partnering with the National Business League to create the nation's first Black supplier development program.
• Establishing a marketing and media bias strategy to increase spend on Black-owned agencies and media companies.

Despite this progress, Holland cautions that "time is not on our side, given the political and social environment [when even mentioning] the word 'diversity' has become divisive."

"I'm afraid that if we don't seize the opportunity to re-imagine DEI and our efforts, we can find ourselves falling backwards," she said.

Aside from the social benefits, understanding diverse groups of people affects the bottom line. Just ask Toyota.

As Automotive News' Vince Bond Jr. reported last week, Toyota Motor North America is winning the battle for Hispanic customers. The Toyota brand accounted for five of the top six nameplates sold to Hispanic buyers in 2022, according to U.S. new-vehicle registration data from S&P Global Mobility.

That doesn't happen by luck. The brand has worked to engage with Hispanic people for decades. Its strategy has included working with multicultural ad agencies, forming relationships with social media influencers and, unlike many of its competitors, keeping sedans in its lineup.

The takeaway? The automotive industry's DE&I movement is in good hands. It will only grow as more people join the conversation and see the positive business results, despite a vocal group of detractors.

"I want you to remember DEI is humanity," said Thompson. "So let's give each other some space and grace and invite others into the conversation so that we can keep moving forward."