One Houston Together: The Business Community's Role in Addressing Racial Inequities

Published Sep 29, 2020 by A.J. Mistretta

Through a series of webinars held this month, the Partnership's One Houston Together initiative has explored multiple facets of racial inequity in our community, from how race impacts access to quality education to its effect on residents' health outcomes. Now, armed with this knowledge, what can individual companies and the broader corporate community do to help eliminate the disparities?

The fifth installment of the One Houston Together webinar series looked at the Business Community's Role in Addressing Racial Inequities and featured LaTanya Flix, Founder and Principal, CauseAdvance; Ingrid Robinson, President, Houston Minority Supplier Development Council; Nicole Zhao, Senior Consultant, Human Capital, Deloitte; and moderator Bob Harvey, President and CEO, Greater Houston Partnership.

Before the conversation got underway, Partnership Board Chair Bobby Tudor gave an update on the progress of One Houston Together, reminding the audience of the organization's commitment and the principles guiding its actions.

“One thing that’s really important to us at the Partnership, and certainly to me as the Chair, is that this needs to not just be about dialogue but about action," Tudor said. “We are committed to actions that make things better and lead to a more just and racially inclusive community in Houston, and in particular the business community in Houston.”

We invite you to watch the full conversation by clicking the video recording to the right.

Discussion topics included:

How specific companies and organizations have begun to take action.
Ways that companies can make sure their efforts are meaningful instead of "checking a box"
Specific company efforts at diversity, equity and inclusion that work, and those that do not.
Reducing implicit bias at key points in the talent life cycle.
The obstacles that remain for minority-owned businesses and how companies can increase their supplier diversity.
How businesses and organizations can act beyond their own walls to address racial inequities in the community.

“When the business community is serious about an issue, they establish clear benchmarks on what they are trying to achieve and they hold themselves accountable," Harvey said. "If we’re serious this time about racial equity and justice, then we should set benchmarks for our communities that go beyond what we can directly impact in our businesses. We should hold ourselves accountable for how we’re shaping, or helping shape, the community.”

Learn more about One Houston Together. Register today for our upcoming Houston NEXT: An ERG Summit on Oct 16.

Watch previous One Houston Together webinars: