Racial disparities in COVID-19: A tragic reminder that diversity, equity and inclusion efforts still fall short

by Ayana Parsons, Senior Partner, Board & CEO Services

From the Korn Ferry series, “Inclusive Leadership in a Time of Pandemic” #KFCOVID

COVID's impact on underrepresented populations

In the United States, a story is being told all too familiar for me: Black and Brown people in cities across the country are contracting COVID-19 and dying at rates staggeringly higher than their white counterparts.

The racial and ethnic disparities seen in COVID deaths require an approach, across C-suites and boardrooms, tailored to addressing the underlying structural inequities that brought us here. 

The virus has hit home for me in a very personal way. My husband was born and raised in two of the hardest-hit cities, New Orleans and Detroit. My mother-in-law, who is from New Orleans, was with us in Georgia for one month. Meanwhile, her brother, whom she lives next door to in New Orleans, contracted the virus. He is on the mend, but his recovery has been a frightening experience that included multiple hospital stays, blood clotting and near amputation. Like many others, he was initially turned away from the hospital and told he had pneumonia.

My New Orleans relative is not alone. The underlying conditions that put people most at risk for COVID are ones highly common in black communities. And a report released in early April by the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation analyzed the underlying health conditions and social and economic factors that contribute to these startling numbers.

Across the country, the statistics are brutal: Black people make up a disproportionate share in 22% of U.S. counties, but comprise more than half of coronavirus cases and nearly 60% of deaths in those counties, according to a national study released in early May. Furthermore, in many cities like Chicago and New York City and across the state of California, Latinos represent an overwhelming percentage of coronavirus deaths. Says California Governor Gavin Newsom,

“That’s the occupational side of this – a disproportionate number of Black and Brown communities are not teleworking. They’re right on the front lines.”

Van Jones, CNN Host and CEO of the REFORM Alliance, a criminal justice organization, wrote in a recent commentary:

“As an African American man in my early 50s who battles high cholesterol, pre-diabetes and hypertension…I am someone whom COVID-19 could easily kill.”

Current corporate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts are not enough

While the numbers are disturbing, they are a manifestation of much deeper issues around diversity, equity and inclusion. What these stories don’t address is that it is the inequity at the top of our corporate structures that can lead to inequity at the bottom and vice versa.

Lack of African Americans, LatinX and other underrepresented leaders in C-suites and boardrooms results in systemic failures because there are so few people from these communities with decision-making authority that can proactively address inequities across the board. The result: More sickness, more misery, more death for Black and Brown people.

The late Bernard Tyson, who infused inclusion into the culture as CEO of health care giant Kaiser Permanente, proved this point. During his tenure, he made addressing healthcare disparities one of Kaiser’s top priorities and Kaiser made measurable inroads in narrowing the gaps. Bernard once said:

“Don’t ask permission to help improve the lives of the people and communities you’ve pledged to serve. Instead, march through the doors of red tape, make bold moves, and usher in access.”

Given his reputation, I have no doubt Bernard would be leading COVID-19 disparity efforts were he still alive today. For Bernard, it was not just about having the seat at the table, it was about what he did with his seat, the way he impacted lives. He openly talked about inequities, and he made it his mission to take bold steps to shift the paradigm from the top down.

6 ways we can change this dynamic

Corporate leaders are in a position to follow Bernard's example. Here’s a start:

1. Recognize that diversity without equity and inclusion just doesn’t work. Leadership in the 21st century demands that executives and their organizations move beyond diversity alone to capture the potential that comes from equity and inclusion. If diversity is “the mix,” then equity and inclusion are making the mix work by leveraging the wealth of knowledge, insights, and perspectives in an open, trusting, fair and diverse workplace.
2. Challenge existing norms. Today, nearly 95% of CEOs at the world’s largest companies are Caucasian men. We have made some progress – but not nearly enough – on gender diversity and are even further behind with efforts around racial and ethnic diversity. While I’m not suggesting that Caucasian men can’t be excellent CEOs, we must admit that we are far over-represented with this population of leaders both nationally and globally. The statistics become even more jarring when we look at industries and sectors where much of the customer, consumer, supplier and employee base is ethnically, racially and gender diverse – sectors like healthcare, retail, consumer packaged goods, sports, media, entertainment, technology and more.
3. Embrace the business case for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Today the research findings make it easier than ever to embrace this reality. In fact, this is why boards and investors are demanding greater diversity at the top because they understand the business case to be made. Companies with ethnically diverse executive teams are 70% more likely to capture new markets than their less-diverse peers. If that isn’t enough, they also generate 38% more in revenue from innovative products and services (The Black P&L Leader, Korn Ferry, 2019).
4. Actively develop the pipeline of ethnically and racially diverse P&L Leaders. Corporations must challenge succession and other high potential planning practices to ensure fair representation of diverse populations; to challenge the myth that the talent does not exist; and to support underrepresented P&L leaders for the long haul. Once opportunities are created for more Black and Latinx leaders to take on broadening assignments, they must be supported with critical resources to help drive success.
5. Hold leaders at every level accountable for demonstrating Inclusive Leadership. What if an inclusive leadership style was a prerequisite for every new board director, every new CEO appointed or every C-suite leader? Imagine what corporate America would be like if every executive was authentic, emotionally resilient, self-assured, inquisitive and flexible. What if we all built interpersonal trust, integrated diverse perspectives, optimized talent and applied an adaptive mindset to transform our businesses? These are the defining traits and competencies of inclusive leaders.
6. Commit for the long haul. Committing means investment in inclusive succession planning, recruitment, development, training and education, and not relenting. Every board director, CEO and C-suite leader should be thinking along these same lines if we are to challenge the status quo.

Yes, the stories continue to fill our news feeds, making clear COVID-19’s devastation of under-served communities and lives. It’s not just a story of suffering communities, but one of transformational opportunities. Corporate leaders and companies across the country need to heed this wake-up call.

It’s time for us to seize this moment, acknowledge the tragedy of what is playing out in communities nationwide, and focus on organizational change. By using the steps outlined above, corporate leaders can tackle the very structural inequities that have so long existed.

These bold moves need to begin at the top, and they need to happen now.