Last night, Editor-in-Chief Drew Limsky and Managing Director Kim Sarni joined Jennifer Starkey to lead an animated discussion focusing on TD Bank’s impressive diversity efforts—and diversity, equity and inclusion in the corporate world in general. Starkey is a senior vice president and regional vice president at TD Bank, serving Broward, Southern Palm Beach, Lee and Collier Counties in South Florida.
When Limsky pointed out that several studies show that companies with strong diversity policies are more successful than their competition (McKinsey reports that more diverse companies add 36% to their bottom line compared to their less diverse peers), Starkey had a quick and unambiguous response: “I don’t care. It’s the right thing to do,” she said, regardless of profitability.
The topical conversation elicited enthusiastic and, at times, vigorous participation from the 40 or so attendees (many of whom were honorees at SFBW’s D&I Awards held in June at the Venue in Wilton Manors). Dawn Watts (DW Consulting), Sheryl Woods (CEO of YMCA South Florida), Kerry-Ann Royes (CEO of YWCA South Florida) and community advocate Marc Matarano all offered potent remarks.
Several guests spoke of wanting to feel supported at work during the George Floyd protests. The subject of working from home—and how it particularly benefits women and people of color—was a hot topic. The self-consciousness of being the only black person, or the sole black woman, “in the room” at the office was mentioned.
Frank Romano, senior recruiter at TD Bank, spoke not just of sourcing talent who appreciate his employers’ values, but he also shared his own experiences at TD Bank, saying that working for the bank actually aided his coming out process as a gay man. Michell Morgan, a business process manager at TD Bank (and a member of TD’s Black Employee Network), stressed how the bank not only talks the talk, but walks the walk, and how that makes her feel as a black woman. TD’s message is clear: You are not only welcome, but encouraged, to bring your whole self to work—even if that environment elicits awkward but ultimately valuable discussions.
“Silence is part of the problem,” one attendee said, an echo of “Silence is complicity,” the often-used antiracism saying, and “Silence=Death,” which became the catchphrase of the AIDS advocacy group ACT UP.
When the highly fraught subject of convention cancellations and people leaving the state came up—in the wake of laws coming down from Tallahassee—Starkey noted that whether to stay or go (if you feel fearful for yourself or your family) is a “personal decision,” and there was broad agreement in the audience that where you work is a major part of that decision. The point underscored the sense of belonging that TD Bank fosters. “This what TD Bank has been about for 200 years,” Starkey noted. Several attendees voiced their commitment to “stay and fight”—a sentiment that Starkey echoed and one that received a rousing and seemingly unanimous show of support in the room. A few attendees emphasized that gatherings like this were important to demonstrate that people in vulnerable communities “are not alone.”
TD Bank’s online D&I section, which carries the slogan, “Come as you are,” reflects a wealth of diversity efforts, some of which are highly specific, illustrative of an uncommon commitment to the subject. There are articles such as “The Silent Housing Crisis for the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Community” and “Helping LGBTQ2+ Refugees Start Over Through the Power of Mentorship.” The site also highlights the story of Shiloh Jimenez, who came out as non-binary and transgender to their TD Bank team.
TD Bank’s investment and intentionality is playing out against a backdrop of controversy and flux around the topic of diversity, equity and inclusion. As Bloomberg reports, “US companies increased their use of some keywords related to diversity initiatives in job posts this year, in a sign firms are withstanding pressure to pare back on their diversity, equity and inclusion programs,” adding, “Some 12% of US job posts contained the word ‘equity’ in the first six months of 2023, compared with 10.1% last year, according to an analysis by Textio, a firm looking to help businesses created unbiased job ads. Mentions of ‘diversity’ rose 1 percentage point to 31.6%.”
Gilda’s Club in Fort Lauderdale, the hosting venue, is part of the nationwide nonprofit community organization for people with cancer, their families and friends. The club was named in honor of the original Saturday Night Live cast member Gilda Radner, who died at 42 of ovarian cancer in 1989.
