On February 14th 2009, the New York Times published an interview with Eric J. Foss, Chairman & CEO of Pepsi Bottling Group. In the interview, Mr Foss discusses Board-level diversity and the business case for diversity, particularly in a recession.

New York Times - Diversity Is Even More Important in Hard Times

In the January 2009 edition of Insights, Bridge Partners LLC also discussed the need to maintain diversity programs, even in a downturn.

An extract from that article can be found below:

DON'T DOWNSIZE YOUR DIVERSITY INITIATIVES (from Insights January 2009)

During times when you have to do more with (a lot) less, your company's diversity and inclusion initiatives might seem unquantifiable, and therefore subject to elimination. Below are a few reasons why it doesn't pay to downsize your diversity initiatives.

- Being branded an "Employer of Choice" will carry your company through the worst of times - eliminate your diversity-inclusion initiatives and both current and new talent will eventually look elsewhere for employment.

- Ensuring that your workforce reflects and understands the population served by your company will provide a much sought-after competitive edge.

- Companies that view diversity as an intrinsic part of their economic imperative and employer brand will emerge stronger than those that do not, especially in unstable business environments.

- Staying committed to the initiatives that attracted top talent will ensure that they remain loyal and committed to the success of the company.

Insights, January 2009

Keywords: diversity, board, directors, director, recession, downturn, strategy, onboarding, pepsico, foss