Corporate Religious DEI as Covenantal Pluralism In Action
Covenantal Pluralism transforms religious diversity into a powerful asset, rather a troublesome fact merely to tolerate.
The modern corporate workplace is a most interesting example of covenantal pluralism in practice. This is in large part because the business world is placing greater emphasis on including faith and beliefs as part of their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Read: CORPORATE RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION AS COVENANTAL PLURALISM by Brian J. Grim and Kent Johnson, Chapter 13 in The Routledge Handbook of Religious Literacy, Pluralism, and Global Engagement
Understanding the business imperative of allowing people to bring their “whole selves” to work, including their faith, has led America’s best companies to expand their DEI initiatives to include faith-oriented Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and other faith-friendly initiatives such as corporate chaplains. Such companies include American Airlines, American Express, Texas Instruments, Intel, Target, Tyson Foods, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Google, Apple, Salesforce, Accenture, PayPal and Walmart.
To experience this in action, join us at Dare to Overcome in Washington, DC, May 22-24, 2023, and in India Sept. 24-26, 2023!
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The commonalities between DEI and covenantal pluralism emerge because DEI initiatives are a recognition that to be competitive in today’s and tomorrow’s marketplaces, companies need to tap into the full identity, strength and potential of their employees by including religion as a full-fledged part of their DEI commitments. What are the commonalities? Watch the video above from Dare to Overcome 2021 for an in-depth discussion.
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For an example of Covenantal Pluralism in practice, watch the short video Google premiered at our 2021 Faith@Work conference to introduce their IBN Network. Its is produced by an Emmy Award-winning director at Google. “Our mission does not include watering down of any religion or faith group … we strive to highlight the beautiful differences that each one of our faith groups have.”