The CEOs of the likes of the Co-operative Group, M&S and Unilever have signed up to a partnership aimed at creating more inclusive workforces across the country.
The 'CEO Activist & Moving the Dial on Diversity Pledge' will also look to drive action to better engage and support all underrepresented groups within business.
The campaign has been founded by the CEOs of the Co-operative Group, M&S and PageGroup.
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Steve Murrells, group CEO of the Co-operative Group, Steve Rowe, CEO of Marks and Spencer and Steve Ingham, CEO of PageGroup signed the agreement in partnership with DIAL Global - a diversity and inclusion accelerator that powers business growth through specialist knowledge, advice and expertise.
The campaign has also been backed by the leaders of Alfa Financial Software, Fresenius Kabi, HH Global, IPSOS, Lexis Nexis, Lucky Generals, Rugby League World Cup and Superdrug.
The campaign focuses on four areas:
- Ensuring workplaces are inclusive with clear steps to ensure current and future leadership team diversity
- A commitment to measure progress annually against 10 areas of diversity and inclusion, which were first introduced in 2020 through an inaugural report from the McKenzie-Delis Foundation
- A promise to implement strategic diversity plans with clear accountability for CEOs and their leadership teams
- A commitment for each CEO to share their learnings and strategic plans for the future
Leila McKenzie-Delis, founder of DIAL Global and The McKenzie Delis Foundation, said: "We are delighted to have these three remarkable and high-profile CEOs on board with us as founding partners.
"As leaders of some of the UK’s largest corporations, they manage hundreds of thousands of employees and play a critical role in driving action to ensure that diversity, inclusion, belonging and equity are core themes of workplace culture.
"Through our work, we have committed to authentically move the dial by taking a holistic approach to the various facets of diversity in order to create a more equitable society.
"Along with these three CEO Activists and all the other organisations that have already signed the pledge, we will all work together to be real models for open, authentic, evolutionary conversation to drive action and give a voice to all."
Mr Murrells added: "This is an important step towards creating diverse and inclusive workplaces for all our colleagues where they feel a true sense of belonging.
"Collectively, as CEOs and leadership teams, we know that more must be done and each of us has a responsibility to be role models and agents of change to drive true inclusion throughout our organisations, our products and services and the communities we serve."
Mr Ingham said: "We recognise that diversity and inclusion are multifaceted issues.
"Through this movement, we want to tackle these subjects holistically, and better engage and support all underrepresented groups within business. We also want to unlock potential, to ensure that workforces are truly diverse and inclusive."
