The last few months have demonstrated, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the urgency of CTI's mission. Our values, voice and prominence have never been as important. This year, CTI's impressive community of 91 global companies has been on the vanguard: bringing down the temperature bias; underpinning the careers of people of color; safeguarding the rights of LGBT employees; fully including employees with disabilities; and demonstrating the value of women at the top. Recent confrontations at Charlottesville and anger over the tardy official response to hurricane damage in Puerto Rico, confirm CTI's 2016 decision to launch "Easing Racial Tensions at Work." This research already informs a new wave of corporate initiatives. In a similar vein, scandals in Silicon Valley have brought CTI's deep tranche of work on the challenges facing women in STEM into sharp focus—and provide ammunition for our new Wonder Women project.
CTI's flagship project for 2017, "Disrupt Bias, Drive Value," has had enormous impact, appearing in Harvard Business Review, Strategy+Business, Fortune and The Huffington Post. With frameworks and tools that can radically reduce the perception of bias in workplace cultures, this seminal study will inform business leaders and D&I experts for years to come.
We're also thrilled to launch groundbreaking research on disabilities at this year's summit. "Disabilities & Inclusion" provides much needed data on the number of employees with visible and invisible disabilities. The study also demonstrates the relationship between inclusive leadership, engagement and disclosure rates for employees with disabilities. These insights allow employers to unlock the innovative potential of employees with disabilities.
Looking ahead, we have a remarkably rich pipeline of research projects ranging from "The Sponsor Dividend: An Investment Guide for Leaders" to "Wonder Women: Flourishing and Thriving on the Frontiers of STEM," to "Agile Careers," to "In Transition," and "Faith at Work." Please consider getting involved. Kennedy Ihezie, our VP for strategic outreach ([email protected]) has many ways for you to help lead and shape our research agenda.
CTI's Task Force for Talent Innovation continues to grow and thrive. We've added 22 standout companies to our roster since our 2016 Summit. A warm welcome to Acxiom; Audible; Brown Brothers Harriman; Capital Group; Charter Communications; Danaher Corporation; Davis Polk; GLG; Honda North America; Horne LLP; Lloyds Banking Group; Lockheed Martin; New York Life; OppenheimerFunds; Oracle; PIMCO; RBC Capital Markets; Sanofi; Shearman & Sterling LLP; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; United Way Worldwide; and The Walt Disney Company.
Our Co-chair group also expanded this year, with Wendy Cambor and Ellyn Shook bringing Accenture onto our leadership committee. We are enormously grateful for the commitment and dedication of our Co-chairs. They scan the horizon for trend lines and business model shifts, ensuring that we stay ahead of the curve. They also lift and polish our brand, and spearhead our actions on the ground. Their fierce loyalty to our mission and financial commitment is invaluable, and we are deeply appreciative.
I cannot stress enough how much CTI's success rests on our members—the CDOs, CHROs, talent heads, and business leaders that make up our wonderful Task Force community. In fundamental ways we depend on your expertise, enthusiasm, thought leadership and generous support and it is our partnership with you that allows us to dream big, reach high, and deliver on our promises. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Speaking of leadership, we are strengthening CTI's executive team going forward. On October 11, 2017, my much-esteemed colleagues Ripa Rashid and Laura Sherbin will become Co-Presidents of CTI. I will continue as CEO, giving my full-throated support and all the heft I can muster to ensure that our treasured organization flourishes and thrives for many years to come. Trevor Phillips (the Chairmen of CTI) is also lending hands-on energy and their very considerable clout. This gang-of-five is all set to propel CTI to new heights. I could not be more pleased.
Sylvia Ann Hewlett
Founder and CEO
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