Diversity and inclusion start with us

J. Veronica Xu (veronica.xu@saberhealth.com) is the Chief Compliance Officer for Saber Healthcare Group headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

In 2020, SCCE & HCCA created a Diversity & Inclusion Committee made up of veteran compliance professionals, including a few members of our board. This group will discuss the role of the compliance and ethics profession, and therefore the role of this organization, in the ongoing battle for improved workplace environments in relation to race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and all other aspects of diversity and inclusion. The author of this article, a committee member, has chosen to focus on one of the most often discussed issues. To learn more about the committee, please see Gerry Zack’s column in this issue of CEP Magazine.

“Really? You don’t like math? I thought Asians like math, and they are so good at it.”

That’s a response I often get when people find out that I don’t really like math—something that I guess I am supposed to like. I always take these comments as compliments and very much appreciate people’s strong faith in my ability to solve complicated math problems. Personal satisfaction aside, sociologists and psychologists have long pointed out that we all make judgments about others and often assume that a person fitting in one category based on their appearance or behavior has all the characteristics of the members of that group; this is also known as stereotyping. Consciously or not, people label, characterize, and categorize each other by commonality, including shared beliefs (religious or other), physical resemblance (age, race, etc.), behavioral traits (e.g., gender), etc. Naturally, we have all experienced it one way or another—positive or negative—in our personal and professional lives, whether we are aware or not. With all the challenges we have seen in 2020, now more than ever, we recognize the importance of a more diverse culture and an open-minded attitude toward our differences.

Led by its vision, mission, and an acute understanding of the needs of its members, Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics (SCCE) & Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) has formed a diversity and inclusion work group consisting of compliance leaders from a variety of industries. It is dedicated to promoting an open dialogue, mutual respect, and understanding among people—regardless of our age, gender, ethnic background, or religious belief. One person’s power and influence may be limited, but together we can make a difference. This article aims to share some practical tips to help compliance professionals create a more inclusive workplace with your teams.

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