CEO Driven

There is general agreement on this concept: the commitment of company leadership can make or break the effectiveness and pace of racial justice advancements. The CEO, executive director, board member or boss, if given the right circumstances, can embed the vision for DEI into core company decisions. It’s important to note that not all CEOs may be operating in a supportive environment for racial justice. They may be experiencing aspects of racism if they are BIPOC, or perhaps struggling with getting supporters among staff or investors. Hopefully with the right ingredients, a CEO can organize power for change with dedicated staff.

Help set the tone for increased racial equity work and importance.
Drive policy changes towards DEI advancements with expert staff.  
Participate in shared labor towards lifting DEI, such as participating in (and not directing) the equity committee, and should be at a majority of DEI trainings and functions.

Set a budget for equity. This work takes time and money. To be serious about creating impact, racial equity work must be given the staff time and resources it deserves.  
Model foundational understandings of DEI strategy.
Feel supported in their leadership. Particularly if the CEO is BIPOC, there should be other leadership members who are sharing the labor of change creation and safety measures should be in place for when they experience racism from board members or other partners.
Hold people accountable for equity work similarly to other company tasks.