Wednesday, April 10, 2019
10:00 am – 11:00 am EST
In a world where technology is deeply embedded in all aspects of our daily lives, providing a unique experience for every member of society has become a universal business imperative. To reach new markets and develop the innovations that will shape tomorrow’s business landscape, today’s most successful companies are operating with everyone in mind—not just the majority.
In this Expert Connect, Frances West, strategic advisor and author of Authentic Inclusion Drives Disruptive Innovation, will illustrate how putting people first—and building inclusion into business strategies, technological infrastructure, products and services, and organizational processes—can help companies with talent acquisition, market expansion, and business differentiation.
Authentic Inclusion is the institutional insight that human diversity is at the core of disruptive innovation. It calls for actions across all parts of an institution to respect an individual’s ability to make a difference not in spite of, but because of their difference. Frances proposes new ways that business leaders can affect sustainable and scalable change—and tap into tremendous opportunities—by viewing inclusion as strategic and by addressing diversity proactively.
Frances is an internationally recognized thought leader, speaker, and women-in-technology trailblazer known for her work in innovation, technology, and business transformation. She is the founder of FrancesWestCo, a global strategic advisory company. Her approach comes from her experience as a global executive in sales, marketing, business development, and research, as well as her groundbreaking work in accessibility as IBM’s first Chief Accessibility Officer.
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