Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Chambers are committed to their communities and are often seen as trusted organizations in their regions. Chambers are increasingly playing a broader role in helping Americans navigate the dramatic shifts communities are experiencing across the country. Business leaders can see the opportunity change brings, and they increasingly recognize that there is a strong economic case for embracing our country’s growing diversity.

The dramatic and unpredictable technological, demographic and economic changes we have experienced in recent decades have become the new norm for the foreseeable future. The COVID-19 pandemic and increased focus on racial inequities have underscored the need for chambers to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. Businesses and communities throughout America will continue to face uncertainty and change.

Chambers and the communities they serve will benefit by recognizing, understanding and adopting strategies that further equitable and inclusive economic growth with a focus on addressing racial inequities. Getting there will require business leaders to become civic leaders, often by forming new partnerships and acting as allies. Chambers are uniquely suited to generate new pathways of leadership and allyship because they are rooted in local areas, able to build relationships, and can steer civic conversations away from partisan ideology and toward data-driven analysis of the possibilities.

There is a rising imperative to advance equity and inclusion for marginalized communities, and it has become a central concern for economists seeking to promote prosperity. Below are resources on the business and economic case for the advancement of DEI: