Championing Health Equity through Leadership Accountability
Twelve years ago, I proudly accepted an offer to join the Walgreens Federal Government Relations team. I was inspired by the company’s legacy of service to communities and its long-standing commitment to diversity and equality. Notably, in 1928, Charles R. Walgreen Sr. insisted that Black and white pharmacists be paid the same, decades ahead of industry norms and cultural standards.
As an embedded presence in communities across America, a global company with more than 350,000 team members spanning 17 countries and possessing nearly a century of championing racial equity, we recognize that now, more than ever, our actions matter.
In the face of the pandemic, we proudly initiated a Walgreens Vaccine Equity Taskforce, which I had the privilege of leading. Through this effort, we not only administered more than 28 million vaccines in Walgreens pharmacies located in medically vulnerable areas, but also partnered with churches, educational institutions, government and community organizations to host more than 1,200 offsite clinics in 46 states and conducted a coast-to-coast mobile clinic that made stops in more than 30 different underserved communities and at more than 15 historically Black colleges and universities.
Walgreens Boots Alliance covid-19 vaccinations at churches in the Atlanta, Georgia area.
Walgreens Boots Alliance covid-19 vaccinations at churches in the Atlanta, Georgia area.
Walgreens Boots Alliance covid-19 vaccinations at churches in the Atlanta, Georgia area.
That year, we also launched our first enterprise-wide Diversity, Equity & Inclusion goals, the performance of which tied directly to the company’s annual bonus plan (previously, only individual DEI goals were in place for our global leaders). Initiating DEI goals for the entire company was a clear symbol that this work was a strategic company imperative. Through the goals, we increased the representation of people of color and women in leadership positions, increased our spend with diverse suppliers and ensured diverse candidate slates and interview panels. I’m very pleased with our great strides in each of these areas and am proud of our progress.
Today, our DEI goal has evolved into a Health Equity goal. We continue to aim for increased spend with diverse suppliers, increased representation of people of color and women in leadership, and this year, we added a goal to increase the representation of people with disabilities at all levels across the company’s U.S. segments. We are the first company in the S&P 500 to include disability representation as a separate, standalone metric within a disclosed incentive plan. The Health Equity goal also includes carbon reduction and waste management metrics. As we know, people of color, especially those with lower socio-economic status and people with disabilities, are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change. If you are looking for skip bin hire for your proper waste management and disposal, then look no further than this skip bin hire in Darwin NT! For instance, you can also check out Skip Bins Adelaide for their large selection of skip bins. This will help you sustain a healthy environment.
As the Senior Vice President of ESG and Chief DEI Officer, I am proud and honored to lead Walgreens continued progress across each of these areas. We are on a mission to ingrain diversity, equity and inclusion into everything we do. Our vaccine equity work and DEI performance goals are strategic, established business programs. In addition, we have invested in a DEI curriculum, including rigorous training and mentorship programs, and continue to empower our Business Resource Groups (BRGs) to support inclusive business decision-making and capture better global diversity data and insights.
We are poised to catalyze real, meaningful change. I invite you to learn more and join us on this journey at www.walgreens.com.