Queen City Certified Launches 'Elevating Equity' Speaker Series With Best-Selling Author on Inclusion

CINCINNATI, February 3, 2021 (Newswire.com) - Queen City Certified — the nation's first data-informed employer certification and cohort-based leadership program for promoting gender and racial equity — has announced "Elevating Equity," a series featuring thought leaders on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The first event on Feb. 3 is free to attend. The event has drawn hundreds of professionals nationwide from organizations committed to creating a more inclusive workplace. 

Dr. Stefanie K. Johnson, author of Inclusify: The Power of Uniqueness and Belonging to Build Innovative Teams, will share practical strategies for leaders to mitigate unconscious bias and develop more cohesive teams. An associate professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, her work has been featured in The WSJ, Forbes, The Economist, Newsweek, Time, Bloomberg, The Washington Post, CNN, ABC, NBC, and The Harvard Business Review.

"There is little doubt that diversity and inclusion in the workplace enhance engagement, innovation, decision-making, and performance. Studies show that inclusive teams are more productive, developing more creative and innovative solutions that drive value," according to Dr. Johnson. "I'm excited to join Queen City Certified's community to facilitate this very important conversation."

Queen City Certified has worked with employers from diverse industries since 2018 — leading ad agencies, law firms, cultural institutions, multinationals, manufacturers, municipalities, nonprofits, and more. An award-winning third-party certification, Queen City Certified partners with business and DEI leaders. Their goal? To recognize and support employers that are ready to intentionally create a workplace where all people can thrive. 

"If you have employees, you should invest in the Queen City Certified experience," said Brandon Blank, VP of Experience Design at Barefoot Proximity, a global ad agency. "QCC helps you assess where you are, equips you with a roadmap, and gives you practical and actionable frameworks, tools, and resources to move the needle. Within the first year, QCC has helped transform our organization."

By combining collaborative learning and proprietary assessments of policy and culture, Queen City Certified helps its partners recruit and retain top talent. Some meaningful results:

• 80% of employees reported that their employer has taken steps to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Reductions in turnover — A candidate accepted a job offer over a higher-paying alternative because of QCC's policy recommendations
• Increased retention — A law firm was able to increase women attorneys by 20%

According to Queen City Certified CEO and founder Nicole Armstrong, "Organizations partner with us to uncover barriers to workplace advancement experienced by women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other employees with marginalized identities, but also to develop meaningful actions plans that deliver tangible results. We're building a community of changemakers with a common vision and goal: a diverse and thriving workforce that brings greater success to our families, employers, cities, and regions. Our new 'Elevating Equity' series is a natural evolution of this work."

To learn more, visit QueenCityCertified.com.

Source: Queen City Certified