CDO Action

Many organizations believe their hiring process is objective. Job descriptions are often written with the intention of being thorough, clear, and specific about the qualifications required for a role. But sometimes the details reveal something else. It is not uncommon to see job descriptions asking for 15 years of experience alongside expertise in tools that have only existed for a few years. Or leadership experience in positions that historically were not accessible to many qualified candidates. On paper, these criteria may seem reasonable. In practice, they can quietly narrow the talent pool before the hiring process even begins. When organizations later say, “We couldn’t find qualified applicants,” the issue may not be a lack of talent. In actuality, the system filtered out strong candidates long before the interview stage.

Many workplace problems don’t start with conflict. They start with assumptions that no one pauses to question. Consider a common scenario. A leadership team is planning a new product launch aimed at a younger and more diverse customer base. But no one in the room actually represents that audience. The strategy moves forward anyway. Months later, the campaign underperforms. Leadership struggles to understand why the messaging didn’t resonate. The issue wasn’t about effort. It was caused by perspective. DEIA practitioners help organizations examine where decision-making lacks the insight needed to avoid these blind spots. CDO Action exists to support the professionals doing this work and to strengthen the frameworks that guide it. Because better systems lead to better decisions. Support the coalition working to strengthen DEIA practice and leadership accountability. 🔗 www.cdoaction.com #CDOAction #LeadershipSystems #WorkplaceEquity

Across the U.S. and globally, we are witnessing civil and human rights being rolled back, ignored, and openly violated. In moments like this, work that protects people, their dignity, access, safety, and ability to participate fully, is often the first to be attacked. That is why DEIA has become a target. This backlash is not about improving organizations. It is about removing guardrails. It is about weakening protections so harm is easier to justify, dismiss, or ignore. Workplaces are not separate from these realities. When rights are under threat in society, they are also at risk inside organizations, especially for those who are already marginalized. CDO Action exists because this work cannot be left undefended. Protecting human dignity at work requires a structured approach, shared standards, and collective action, especially now. If you believe civil and human rights must be protected, including at work, join the coalition and stand with CDO Action. https://lnkd.in/gaKpYJfM

The removal of slavery-related displays from a historic site in Philadelphia following a federal directive is not a neutral decision. It is an act of historical erasure. Philadelphia holds a central place in the story of American freedom. Removing the realities of slavery from that narrative attempts to separate the nation’s ideals from the violence, exploitation, and resistance that shaped them. That separation is dangerous. It makes injustice easier to dismiss and accountability easier to avoid. History is something that informs our laws, our institutions, and our workplaces. When the history of slavery is stripped from public spaces, it becomes easier to weaken the civil rights protections that were created in response to that history. CDO Action exists because progress is not self-sustaining. Civil and human rights require active defense, education, and structure, especially when political power attempts to rewrite the past to justify harm in the present. Protecting dignity at work and in society begins with refusing to erase the truth about how inequality was built. Stand for civil and human rights where they are under threat. Read more about it here: https://lnkd.in/g5ec3U3w

What we are seeing right now is not a failure of DEIA. It is resistance to accountability. When civil rights are challenged, organizations often feel pressure to retreat, soften commitments, or disengage altogether. But silence does not reduce harm. It allows it to spread unchecked. DEIA work exists because history has shown us that fairness does not sustain itself without structure, education, and accountability. Without shared standards, equity becomes optional, inconsistent, and easily dismissed. CDO Action exists to strengthen and unify this work, so dignity, access, and fairness are not left to individual interpretation or convenience. In moments like this, leadership is not about comfort. It is about responsibility. This work requires collective commitment. Join the coalition: https://lnkd.in/gaKpYJfM

Black History Month exists because Black people fought, persistently and at great personal cost, to make civil rights visible, enforceable, and protected. This year, the federal government chose not to formally recognize Black History Month. That decision is not symbolic. It is part of a broader pattern of minimizing, erasing, or reframing the history of how civil rights were won, who fought for them, and why protections were put in place in the first place. Civil rights did not emerge naturally or easily. They were demanded through organizing, resistance, and sacrifice. Ignoring that history makes it easier to weaken the structures that protect equity, access, and dignity today, especially in workplaces, institutions, and public life. Recognizing Black history is not about celebration alone. It is about understanding why guardrails exist and what happens when they are removed or ignored. CDO Action exists to protect this work. To ensure that civil and human rights are not treated as optional, inconvenient, or disposable when political pressure shifts. History shows us what happens when accountability disappears. We cannot afford to forget that now. Stand for civil and human rights at work and beyond. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eSjrwhz2

In moments of political pressure, uncertainty, or backlash, the instinct is often to scale back, soften language, or pause DEIA efforts altogether. But history shows that retreat creates gaps. Gaps where inequity re-enters systems quietly and quickly. What makes progress durable is coordination. When DEIA work is fragmented, it becomes easier to challenge, dismiss, or dismantle. When it is aligned across educators, certifying bodies, and practitioners, it becomes clearer, stronger, and more defensible. CDO Action brings that movement to the field. Our work centers on creating shared standards, strengthening credibility, and ensuring DEIA efforts are rooted in consistency rather than trends or individual leadership preferences. In a climate where protections are being questioned, clarity and coordination matter more than ever. ✍🏽 Join the coalition. Sign the Statement of Support for a Unified Future for DEIA and help build a framework that can withstand shifting political winds: https://lnkd.in/gaKpYJfM #DEIA #Equity #Inclusion #Accessibility #Leadership #Accountability #CDOAction

The current climate in the U.S. is making one thing clear: protections and progress can be weakened quickly when they are treated as optional. When DEIA work is reduced to a “nice-to-have,” people feel it in practical ways. It shows up when accommodations take longer or stop being prioritized. It shows up when harassment goes unaddressed. It shows up when pay inequities go unchecked, when workplace norms reward conformity, and when employees are expected to absorb harm quietly to keep their jobs. CDO Action exists because this work needs to be credible, consistent, and durable. We are building a coalition to unify DEIA training and certification standards so organizations can’t treat equity like a trend. We focus on communicating what DEIA is (and what it isn’t), educating supporters and detractors, and creating a shared roadmap that strengthens trust in this field. Contribute to the cause. Your support helps fund the foundational work required to bring DEIA leaders, educators, and certifying bodies together to build and maintain this coalition: https://lnkd.in/g2YMyeDD #DEIA #Equity #Inclusion #Accessibility #WorkplaceCulture #Accountability #CDOAction

In 2025, more than half of S&P 100 companies adjusted DEI language in major filings, reducing public references and some disclosures but not necessarily abandoning oversight. The Conference Board’s analysis shows disclosure shifts (e.g., fewer targets, narrower pay-equity detail), while many companies continue internal efforts. Standardized, credible DEIA frameworks help separate substance from spin, keeping action consistent even as language changes. That’s CDO Action’s focus. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e-ij9tcb (ESG Dive) #DEIA #Disclosure #Governance #Accountability #CDOAction

Rolling back DEI doesn’t create stability, it creates risk. Organizations that deprioritize DEI face higher attrition (especially among Gen Z and underrepresented talent), brand damage, and a weaker culture for innovation. Investing in inclusion remains a competitive advantage in 2026. CDO Action exists to standardize credible DEIA practice so companies keep what works and avoid performative swings that erode trust. #DEIA #Talent #Retention #EmployerBrand #CDOAction