The ABCs of Chief Diversity Officers: Alignment, Burnout & Culture

Senior Executives Share Their Challenges & Aspirations for the Future

The role of the Chief Diversity Officer is at a critical crossroads. In a shifting political environment, these leaders face intense pressure as their mandates and goals — and even the terms used to discuss their work — are shifting.

In the past few years, significant strides have been made at many organizations in terms of building and executing meaningful strategies that advance inclusion and belonging. Continued progress will require substantive, sustained investments that support the work of executives in order to overcome organizational challenges and personal burnout.

Find out what we learned from our research with Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) from across the United States. In this paper, we offer insights from senior leaders, grouping the most common challenges into themes of where they told us they struggle most: getting organizational alignment, preventing personal burnout, and building committed cultures.

From their stories, experiences, and aspirations, we can learn how to overcome these challenges to create more equitable and inclusive workplaces for everyone.

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