Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Why You Can’t Afford to Ignore This Powerful Movement

Inclusion matters to me and to True Value Company because it makes associates feel valued, trusted, and empowered. It ultimately leads to better engagement and helps in retaining, as well as attracting, new talent. At the core of inclusion is diversity, which we embrace because we all come from different walks of life and our unique characteristics, ideas, backgrounds, and experiences not only make us a better company, but a more innovative one with a competitive advantage. More simply, it's just the right thing to do. No one should ever feel excluded or ostracized because they are different from their peers. Everyone should be embraced and treated equally. By celebrating our associates' differences, we maximize our full potential.

Cornell Verdeja-Woodson is the CEO and Founder of a boutique consulting firm called Brave Trainings LLC and the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Headspace Health (formerly Headspace). He has spent his career, spanning over 10 years, engaging people in difficult conversations that have led to a deeper understanding of the world around us. Cornell has traveled around the country working with higher education institutions, non-profits, and corporate organizations on their inclusion efforts. He lives in the Bay Area with his husband and their two dogs.

Denise Medved is Chief Growth Officer at Xamax, a composites manufacturing company. Throughout her 30+ career she has worked in the US Senate, on Wall Street, as well as in Media, tech and trade show industries and was a small business owner for eight years. She has witnessed many changes in the workforce over the years and is very optimistic on how DEI has and will continue to change the landscape.