Corporate America has long been criticized for its lack of inclusivity and racial bias. Black people have slowly but surely been able to find positions in some of the top corporations in the world.
Still, they are almost invisible at the top of the totem pole. Black Progress Matters (BPM) is an organization that seeks to change that.
We sat down with BPM’s CEO, Dean Haynesworth, to talk about Black leadership in the corporate world. And how BPM can help effectuate change in this space.
Black Progress Matters
Kulture Hub: What is the mission of Black Progress Matters?
Dean Haynesworth: If you look at the top of any organization, there’s a huge chasm right now in the fortune 1000 space in corporate America. Thus, our mission is to change the face of leadership in corporate America.
We can do this by helping fill executive positions for top minority candidates – to change the color of Corporate America. That’s our primary goal.
We want people of color to walk in the doors of a corporation and feel like there’s an opportunity for them to succeed.
“BECAUSE, WHEN BLACK PEOPLE ARE NOT REPRESENTED AT THE TOP THEN THEY IMMEDIATELY FEEL THE LACK OF OPPORTUNITY. AND, THAT WE WANT TO CHANGE.“
Dean Haynesworth, CEO Black Progress Matters
Black leadership
KH: You touched on this a little bit before but how important is it for minorities to not just work at these companies, but actually hold power at the highest level?
DH: Of the utmost importance – it is mission-critical. There are staffing companies that may be minority-owned or even have a focus on placing minority candidates.
However, our focus is very particular – it is to put people of color at executive levels. And this is not to disparage what others are doing, but our focus is much more than just getting candidates in the door.
If we can have Black leadership on the board and have a proper place at the table, that will only make the entire engagement possible for all the positions straight down from the top.
And that’s the way we see it.
Panther Data Solutions
KH: Racial bias and discrimination in the workplace is an age-old problem that continues today. Talk about Panther Data Solutions and how their Racial Bias tool aims to be a solution to this problem.
DH: Panther Data Solutions came out of our Black Progress Matters Minority-Owned Business Incubator program to help young minority startup companies make their way throughout the entire business process, whether it’s legal support, documentation, logistics, marketing, branding, etc.
We help you take your company from an idea to a fully functioning business – which is how Panther Data Solutions started.
KH: Racial bias and discrimination in the workplace is an age-old problem that continues today. Talk about Panther Data Solutions and how their Racial Bias tool aims to be a solution to this problem. (cont’d)
DH: At Panther Data Solutions, I have worked with my partners to develop a variety of data management and compliance tech solutions, and the most remarkable offering that has emerged from this initiative is our Racial Bias Alert.
Our Racial Bias Alert utilizes advanced Supervisor technology to identify communications in over 135 different languages worldwide that indicate racial bias or discrimination.
Racial Bias Alert utilizes trend analysis and proximity detection in conjunction with an organization’s own highly-developed criteria to identify both obvious and subtle indicators of bias. The Racial Bias Alert tool also monitors phrases indicative of affinity bias – the kind that contributes to systemic racism.
While most organizations today have racial bias response protocols and remediation strategies, our Racial Bias Alert is the first solution to provide an immediate deterrent to racial bias in an organization.
Beyond the obvious legal damages, the potential for racial bias to damage an organization’s reputation is high. By identifying specific types of communications that represent a risk, our Racial Bias Alert tool provides an early warning for immediate corrective and preventative measures.
We have a Credit Union in Ohio, which is one of our first adopters. And they’re deploying this technology and using it to find out the efficacy of their diversity programs.
Many of the leadership positions within the diversity, equity, and inclusion space, have limited measurement tools to gauge how effective their programs are within their organization. Doing a simple headcount of people of color is no longer the way to assess diversity.
Black Progress Matters CEO Dean Haynesworth continues…
DH: If you can use the data sitting in your company, you see how effective these programs are, then we can start to effectuate immediate change.
This technology is a cloud-based solution that essentially monitors all the electronic communications in an organization. And it identifies racial bias, undertones, or messaging in communication.
It is a tool for an organization’s team of executive leaders, diversity and inclusion leaders, HR leaders, and immediate managers.
The organization itself develops the criteria, and through this monitoring, they can take the appropriate steps based on their corporate initiatives or employee handbook. However, they would want to move forward to rectify that situation. And use it as a teaching point and not a punitive tool.
“IT ALLOWS ORGANIZATIONS TO REACH OUT TO THEIR ASSOCIATES AND WORK ON THEIR COMMUNICATION AS A TEACHING TOOL. WITH OUR RACIAL BIAS ALERT TOOL, WE WANT TO CHANGE PEOPLE’S BEHAVIORS [NOT ONLY IN THEIR WORK ENVIRONMENT].”
Dean Haynesworth, CEO Black Progress Matters
And, we hope that by understanding why and what they’re potentially putting out into the universe is wrong, at work, spills over to their regular life as well.
Black representation in corporate America
KH: Many times Black people in corporate America think they’re undertaking this journey alone. How can the representation aspect of Black Progress Matters help Black professionals connect with each other and find opportunities?
DH: The representation portion of our business helps startup companies understand that there are programs and opportunities in place within corporate America.
You can look at any of the top 500 corporations in America, and they all have diverse supplier programs. The start-ups we work with and represent, that are just bringing their products to market, aren’t readily aware or have had any exposure to these types of initiatives.
So, we aim to help them expedite their sales and procurement processes and to help them navigate that journey in corporate America. This way, they can become part of these corporation’s diversity supplier initiatives through a much quicker pathway to success.
Opportunities for youth of color
KH: The internship program seems like a great way to expose some to the corporate world. And for others, a great way to take that next step. How important is it for the youth to be involved in this process of finding and creating opportunities in the corporate world?
DH: That is by far one of our key initiatives and something near and dear to my heart – because our first intern is my daughter, who is graduating with honors this coming May from Arizona State University.
Seeing her excitement the minute that this opportunity was created and throwing her hat in the ring to be our first intern not only made me proud, but it made me aware of how impactful this is.
If young people are exposed to these opportunities primarily through an internship program, they have this built-in organic step ahead of their competition for jobs.
Dean Haynesworth, CEO Black Progress Matters
The job market is highly competitive out there. To help identify opportunities for young minorities within corporate America speaks to what we’re doing, and that’s executive minority staffing.
So we have both ends of the spectrum covered with helping folks that are tenured and have a fantastic resume land executive leadership positions and board seats. Then we’re also helping young minority interns start their careers.
KH: : The internship program seems like a great way to expose some to the corporate world. And for others, a great way to take that next step. How important is it for the youth to be involved in this process of finding and creating opportunities in the corporate world?
DH: That is by far one of our key initiatives and something near and dear to my heart – because our first intern is my daughter, who is graduating with honors this coming May from Arizona State University.
Seeing her excitement the minute that this opportunity was created and throwing her hat in the ring to be our first intern not only made me proud, but it made me aware of how impactful this is.
If young people are exposed to these opportunities primarily through an internship program, they have this built-in organic step ahead of their competition for jobs.
The job market is highly competitive out there. To help identify opportunities for young minorities within corporate America speaks to what we’re doing, and that’s executive minority staffing.
So we have both ends of the spectrum covered with helping folks that are tenured and have a fantastic resume land executive leadership positions and board seats. Then we’re also helping young minority interns start their careers.
The future of Black Progress Matters
KH: How do you see BPM’s progress and influence so far and what do you see as the future for BPM?
DH: The sky’s the limit for us and opportunities in corporate America, and the first thing we tell people when they call to set up a demo, “We appreciate you reaching out. But if your organization isn’t willing to take the BPM pledge, then we do not want to associate with them.”
In reflection…
Black Progress Matters is truly at the forefront of changing the way the corporate world runs.
Opportunities are being created for minorities every day through their initiatives creating a more inclusive work-space where minorities finally hold power in some of America’s most successful and influential companies.