Engage monthly with industry leaders who are actively choosing diversity, equity and inclusion for sustainable growth in challenging times.
It’s becoming harder for leaders to prioritize JEDI in the face of competing company priorities, fading momentum, and ongoing economic challenges.
Leaders are struggling to bring their organization’s mission, workforce policies and fiscal requirements together in a way that centers human-centric, inclusive, equitable (qualitative) practices in order to ensure financial stability and on-going, sustainable innovation.
Research shows that JEDI can drive real progress, even in challenging times.
“Inclusion and diversity are at risk..—but are critical for business recovery, resilience, and reimagination…Leaders will need a great deal of resolve and resilience as they seek to navigate an economically and socially viable path toward a “next normal.”
– McKinsey
What can you do to ensure JEDI remains a core business objective during the “downturn”, and beyond?
Join our CEO safe space!
The JEDI CEO Action Initiative is a facilitated, virtual program for Leaders in the natural products industry to discuss, connect, debrief and inspire each other. Get inspiration from executive peers in a structured, conversational space to share knowledge, collaborate on solutions. Meet monthly with CEO peers who believe justice, equity, diversity and inclusion are necessary to ensure sustainable and innovative growth; to hear practical advice on how to use your innate strengths and moral compass as a leader to advance JEDI in hard times.
Engage with other leaders like you
Talk about lessons learned from mistakes, share some laughs with other CEOs who are also struggling to prioritize diversity and inclusion practices at their companies.
Decrease risk and sustain your company using innovative, tested ideas from industry peers
The business case for JEDI is relevant in all conditions. Learn practical solutions from peers and industry practitioners.
Connect in an exclusive peer-to-peer network
Be a part of an exclusive peer-to-peer network of leaders who are committed to practicing the principles of equity and social justice in their own organizations.
Be inspired to create the future together
Meet once a month with CEOs in the natural products industry who are striving for the same goal as you.
Fundamentally change how the natural products industry interacts with society, nature, our environment and other species.
Sign up now and join other CEOs who are striving for the same goal as you: creating an inclusive environment within their company and leading with authenticity.
Jeffrey Sanfilippo
Chief Executive Officer of John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc.
Michelle Pusateri
CEO & Founder of Nana Joe’s Granola
Gun Ruder
CEO & President of Martinelli’s
Reem Hassani
Co-Founder & Chief Brand Officer of Numi Tea
Blair Kellison
CEO of Traditional Medicinals
Former Participating Brands
What you’ll learn
4 sessions over 4 months - Experience cross company learning with 10-15 activated leaders that meet virtually.
Session 1
History & The Road Forward
Session 2
Why Now? Current Environmental Challenges & What the Data Says
Session 3
Why Now? Climate + Social, Political Challenges & Solutions
Session 4
Final Sharing & Community Commitments
CEOs deliver lessons, learnings, & applications. Share refined J.E.D.I plans. CEOs make a J.E.D.I Community Commitment. Accountability
Meet Your Facilitator & Guest Speakers
CYNTHIA BILLOPS
Cohort Facilitator, EdD VP of Membership, Operations & Belonging at OSC
Cynthia Billops is the VP of Operations, Membership & Belonging at One Step Closer & J.E.D.I Collaborative. She is a business strategy and operations expert who has spent the last few decades planning, designing and launching complex IT, Web and SaaS services. She earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Mills College – focusing on small group interactions and the importance of each individual’s contribution to optimal success. She is an inspired, “human-first” leader of people, projects and organizations and a practiced facilitator – using inclusive practices to build and sustain equitable, diverse, transparent work cultures.
Cynthia has guided multiple leadership teams through periods of great change, accelerating growth and expansion within the constraints of broader economic and environmental challenges. She has experience as Founder, ED, Director, advisor, and Board member; for start-ups, nonprofits and for-profit organizations. Her unique understanding of the challenges (and opportunities) faced by developing organizations combined with her determination to ensure open doors and “on-ramps to opportunity” for persons living in and coming from systemically marginalized communities; help her collaboratively create systems and processes that lead to sustainable growth, better staff retention and higher profits due to optimization and efficiency gains.
JAMES D. WHITE
Former Jamba Juice CEO, Founding Cohort Leader, Author of Anti-Racist Leadership
James D. White is a transformational leader with over thirty years' experience as a CEO and operating executive in the consumer products, retail, and restaurant industries, as well as an experienced corporate director and adviser with twenty years of experience on more than fifteen public and private boards.
White currently chairs the board of the Honest Company and is Executive Chair of the startup Air Protein, in addition to several other boards.
As Chair, President, and CEO of Jamba Juice, he led the successful turnaround and transformation of the company from a made-to-order smoothie shop to a global healthy-lifestyle brand.
In his recently published book, Anti-Racist Leadership: Transforming Corporate Culture in a Race Conscious World, James gives leaders a practical solution to achieving their diversity and inclusion goals, sharing actionable guidance and “how-to” advice.
What you’ll gain
- A community of accountability partners and changemakers to support you in your J.E.D.I journey
- An improved action plan for implementing J.E.D.I principles and strategies
- Practical tools and resources to drive J.E.D.I work based on your specific company challenges
- Knowhow to drive action that leads to systemic change in your company
- The ability to speak and lead with authenticity and integrity on J.E.D.I within your company
- Exposure to best-known practices through lived experience, case studies and industry experts
Enrollment Details
PREREQUISITES:
- Identify as a CEO, President or Founder of a natural products company
- Made a public commitment to J.E.D.I or in the development of making one
- Are able to articulate your commitment or general internal plan for implementing J.E.D.I principles & practices
- Have an open mind & embrace vulnerability
SESSION DATES:
- Friday, October 28, 10-12pm PT
- Friday, November 18 , 10-12pm PT
- Friday, December 16, 10-12pm PT
- Friday, January 13, 10-12pm PT
Format:
This is a 4-month facilitated program that meets once a month.
Participants:
This program is for CEOs, Founders & Presidents leading natural products, food or CPG-based companies who are fully invested in making JEDI a key part of their brand & mission.
We encourage you to apply especially if you are from a marginalized background. We aim to make the circle as diverse as possible across a number of different intersections, such as race, ethnicity, sexual identity, companies, and geography.
Cost:
OSC Members: $1500
General Public: $2500
**Scholarships are available. Please request a scholarship when you submit your application.