Hartford Business Journal

Diversity and inclusion are reflected in our workforce, workplace, and marketplace. It's a commitment that's part of everything we do. We're proud of our record and of the recognition we've received, including awards earned year after year. Key knows that a diverse, inclusive culture helps us provide better service to our clients as well as strengthening the communities we serve. All credit, loan and leasing products are subject to collateral and/or credit approval. SBA Preferred Lender. ©2020 KeyCorp. KeyBank is Member FDIC. 190104-521095-1150850291 Thriving together. S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T By Gregory D. Jones, KeyBank Executive Vice President — Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Offi cer I n my experience, when companies talk about diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), it's of- ten examined through an internal prism. But through observation and experience I know that the climate in the community and its social con- cerns inevitably impacts the organization either di- rectly or indirectly via employees, local businesses or civic dynamics. One thing I believe companies can do to move the needle on racial inequity and diversity is to examine their DE&I strategy through both an internal and external lens. The strongest DE&I strategies extend beyond the workplace and into the communities. Once a business owner or company is looking at their strategy through this lens, they can see where their focus needs to be and where they might be able to operationalize additional action steps. Internally, companies can consider: • Increasing transparency around open positions and mentoring internal candidates By sharing information with employees, like ex- ecutive level job descriptions, training program selection criteria and leadership matrix compe- tencies, those employees are better informed and prepared to have career development discussions with their managers and activate plans which position them for career growth. • Building engagement through Employee Resource Groups Employee Resource Groups are valuable channels, especially for larger organizations. At Key, we call these groups KBINGs (Key Busi- ness Impact and Networking Groups) and they include some of our most engaged employees. The groups and their members should be a resource for companies to increase their under- standing of different cultures, clients and com- munities. Bringing employees together to lever- age similarities and differences can help drive increased retention, professional development, business innovation, community outreach, cli- ent acquisition and more. They also can help shape the overall company response for social justice issues and help leaders actively respond to different situations in a way that shows em- pathy, understanding and respect. Externally, companies may consider: • Engaging diverse suppliers A commitment to supplier diversity helps an or- ganization deliver exceptional service to clients, impacts the bottom line and plays a vital role in strengthening the economy of communities. At Key, we host Supplier Summits in various mar- kets to engage with prospective and existing suppliers and organizations focused on supplier diversity and economic inclusion. • Giving back to the communities you work and live in Transformative philanthropy is another key element to the external aspects of a DE&I strategy. Encourage employees to invest their time, talent and treasure in organizations that promote social justice and racial equity efforts, and model that example by doing the same as a company. Studies have shown that a robust DE&I strategy benefi ts businesses in many ways, including lower turnover and higher-quality productivity. Achieving these benefi ts requires buy-in and engagement – from the C-Suite, to the Board of Directors, to colleagues at all levels of the organization. When leaders believe in it, practice it, measure it, and hold each other accountable, the authenticity in their voices and actions will permeate the company. KeyBank's Annual Corporate Responsibility Re- port has more information about how we are working to bring our DE&I plan to life internally and externally, for our teammates and the communities we proudly serve. Any opinions, projections or recommendations contained herein are subject to change without no- tice and are not intended as individual investment advice. This material is presented for informational purposes only and should not be construed as in- dividual tax or fi nancial advice. KeyBank does not provide legal advice. KeyBank is Member FDIC. KeyCorp. © 2020. CFMA 200323-769447 Investment products are: NOT FDIC INSURED* NOT BANK GUARANTEED* MAY LOSE VALUE * NOT A DEPOSIT* NOT INSURED BY ANY STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCY Gregory D. Jones serves as Key's Executive Vice President — Chief Diversi- ty, Equity and Inclusion Of- fi cer, responsible for lead- ing the strategy and tactics to improve the acquisition, movement, development and retention of diverse tal- ent and suppliers across KeyBank's national foot- print. For more informa- tion on Key's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts, visit www.key.com/Diversity. How to evaluate your diversity and inclusion strategy

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