Collaborative Leadership: The CMO, HR and Chief DE&I Officer Triad

In the quest for meaningful progress in corporate diversity, equity and inclusion, it becomes increasingly clear that isolated efforts fall short. Companies need collaborative leadership to make their DE&I strategy successful, especially from three key players: the CMO, HR and the Chief DE&I Officer.

Together, these roles form a triad capable of weaving DE&I into the corporate narrative with authenticity and impact. Let’s examine how these key roles intersect to champion DE&I initiatives, leading to a corporate culture where inclusivity thrives not just as an aspiration but as a practiced reality.

Why DE&I Needs Collaborative Leadership

The pursuit of DE&I success in the modern workplace transcends traditional company boundaries and hierarchies. It demands an ecosystem where several minds and departments are willing to unite around a common goal. Why is this collaborative leadership approach not just beneficial but necessary for DE&I?

Traditionally, DE&I initiatives were often relegated to a silo within human resources or designated to a single DE&I officer. While these roles are fundamental, DE&I’s scope and influence are more far-reaching, impacting every facet of an organization — from recruitment and employee retention to marketing and customer relations.

A siloed approach can lead to fragmented efforts, inconsistent messaging and missed opportunities for genuine integration into the company culture.

The complexities of DE&I are such that no single perspective can fully encapsulate the challenges or solutions. Each department brings a unique lens. This combination of perspectives allows organizations to meet every facet of modern DE&I: internal, external and foundationally strategic.

Three leadership roles in corporate organizations are essential in driving this collaborative strategy around DE&I forward: the Chief Marketing Officer, HR leaders, and the Chief DE&I Officer. When these roles operate in isolation, initiatives can become disjointed, and the organization’s DE&I narrative may fail to resonate authentically with a diverse set of stakeholders. In contrast, a collaborative leadership model ensures DE&I values are woven seamlessly into every company decision.

Collaborative DE&I leadership cultivates a richer, more innovative workplace where varied perspectives fuel creativity and growth. It fosters a culture where diversity isn’t celebrated but is seen as a fundamental part of the organization’s DNA.

Let’s examine how each of these three roles contributes to a successful DE&I strategy and how they can operate more collaboratively in practice.

Key Players: The CMO, HR and Chief DE&I Officer

The CMO, HR leaders and Chief DE&I Officer play a vital, interconnected role that, when synchronized, can elevate DE&I from an organizational afterthought to a strategic cornerstone. Here’s how:

The CMO: The Storyteller — The CMO is the architect of the brand’s narrative, shaping how the brand is perceived both within the company and in the public eye. With DE&I increasingly becoming a consumer priority, the CMO’s role extends to ensuring that the brand’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is not only communicated but also represented well across all marketing initiatives.

Brand messaging and values: The CMO ensures that DE&I is authentically represented in the brand’s values and communicated effectively through marketing campaigns.
Market insight and customer alignment: With a finger on the pulse of market trends, the CMO tailors DE&I strategies that resonate with customer values and demands, enabling the brand to align its initiatives with consumer expectations.
External DE&I advocacy: The CMO champions the brand’s DE&I efforts publicly, creating campaigns that tell the story of the company’s commitment to these principles, thus building trust and credibility.

The successful ability to communicate brand values around DE&I and other important issues through external messaging is a crucial indicator of high performance, and the CMO must lead the charge.

Human Resources (HR): The Culture Builder — HR’s domain is the internal workforce; they are instrumental in transforming DE&I policies into lived experiences for employees. They ensure the workplace itself is a testament to the company’s dedication to DE&I through:

Inclusive recruitment and retention: HR leads the charge in cultivating a diverse talent pipeline and creating an inclusive environment where all employees feel valued and can thrive.
DE&I education and training: It’s up to HR to implement training programs that educate and sensitize the workforce about DE&I, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to foster an inclusive workplace.
Policy and compliance: HR develops, enforces and monitors policies that support DE&I goals, ensuring the company adheres to both internal standards and external regulatory requirements.

Today, the ability to create a values-based culture in which employees feel aligned can directly translate to higher ratings and performance. Values alignment has a statistically high impact on employee engagement, NPS ratings and advocacy.

The Chief DE&I Officer: The Strategist — The Chief DE&I Officer is the expert in diversity and inclusion strategies and is tasked with overseeing and integrating DE&I across the organization.

DE&I vision and leadership: They create and lead the overarching DE&I strategy, setting goals and defining metrics for success.
Cross-functional coordination: This role involves collaborating with various departments to embed DE&I into all aspects of the business, ensuring a unified approach.
Measurement and accountability: The Chief DE&I Officer measures the effectiveness of DE&I initiatives, holding the organization accountable and steering continuous improvement.

But while chief DE&I officers are the subject-matter experts, they cannot act alone. Alarmingly, chief DE&I officers are experiencing 40% higher turnover than their HR counterparts, primarily because they cannot make the impact they aim to achieve without broader organizational support.

Chief DE&I officers need a collaborative leadership model in place to be effective and fulfill the fundamental purpose of their role.

Collaborative DE&I Leadership in Practice

To effectively embed DE&I into an organization’s culture and operations, the theoretical must become the practical. This requires a concerted effort where the CMO, HR and Chief DE&I Officer not only align in purpose but also collaborate in action through tactics like:

Integrated DE&I strategy sessions.
Unified communication.
DE&I goal alignment with business objectives.
Data-driven decision-making.
Regular, organization-wide DE&I progress reviews.
Employee inclusion programs.
Public DE&I commitments and reporting.

In practice, collaborative leadership extends beyond the confines of organizational charts and job descriptions. It’s about harnessing the collective power of different departments to create a workplace where diversity is valued, equity is pursued with intention and inclusion is experienced by all.

This practice strengthens the company’s reputation, enriches its culture and propels its success in a diverse global marketplace.

Kellie Walenciak is the head of marketing for Televerde, a global revenue creation partner supporting marketing, sales and customer success for B2B businesses around the world. A purpose-built company, Televerde believes in second-chance employment and strives to help disempowered people find their voice and reach their human potential. Seven of Televerde’s 10 engagement centers are staffed by incarcerated women, representing 70% of the company’s 600-plus global workforce.