BRIDGE, the Only Independent DEI Industry Trade Organization to Host Its Inaugural Event - BRIDGE 2023: Pioneering DEI Next Practices, April 23-25

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Feb 15, 2023, 09:00 ET

Join BRIDGE's Board and Other Top Diversity, Marketing and Business Leaders at the One-of-a-Kind 2 ½ Day Retreat Focused on Transforming DEI from a Philosophy to Inclusion as a Critical Business Practice

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BRIDGE, the only independent DEI trade organization to serve the global marketing industry, today announced the launch of its first annual summit BRIDGE 2023: Pioneering DEI Next Practices, April 23-25 at Zachari Dunes in California. The event which coincides with the organization's first year anniversary, has been curated to deliver an intentional agenda that guides attendees through a journey beginning with a foundation steeped in data and culminating with tangible business practices of what it means to build an inclusive company or brand.

No other industry group has created the opportunity for the world's top diversity, marketing and business leaders to courageously work together to bridge the gaps in belonging, representation, inclusion, diversity and equity. Participation is open to champions of this change.

"BRIDGE 2023 will revolutionize our industry by replacing philosophical discussions of DEI with the kind of outcome-anchored collaboration we need to ensure inclusion, as a business practice, is finally driving systemic change and business growth," said Jonita Wilson, Chief Diversity Officer, Discover Financial Services and the first Black Woman and Diversity leader to chair an industry level board.

BRIDGE founder and CEO Sheryl Daija has created dozens of global marketing events during her career, but none as important or necessary as BRIDGE 2023.

"We have made a commitment to our BRIDGE 2023 attendees that the 2 ½ days they spend with us will be thought provoking, actionable and unforgettable. Everything we've designed is deliberate," said Daija. "This includes the way in which we will reveal our Voices of Inclusion™Research, the launch of BRIDGE Stories, the selection of the speakers as well as the process used to choose the event venue. Even the sponsorship programs, which provide ways to give back and create economic opportunities for underrepresented companies, are by-design. The event is one way for us to deliver on our mission to help companies prepare for a future of inclusion that is inevitable and to leverage it as the next growth driver for their businesses."

BRIDGE 2023's world class speaker line-up was developed by a board level steering committee, including executives from Adsmovil, Discover Financial,Campbell's, IBM, Indeed, MilkPEP, and NBCUniversal.

The summit kicks off on Sunday, April 23 with a talk by London-based Saint Lucian photographer, artist, filmmaker, historian, activist and storyteller, Fiona Compton. Compton will unapologetically challenge colonial narratives at the heart of so many of the structures that business is built on.

On Monday morning, in a two-part session, Omar Rodriguez Vila, PhD, Associate Professor in the Practice of Marketing at Emory University will reveal BRIDGE's proprietary framework on how every organization can measure its own inclusion maturity and what it will take to bridge their unique gaps across the workplace, workforce and marketplace. Vila, together with an academic team from Indiana University and the University of Georgia has been leading BRIDGE's Voices of Inclusion research. After Vila introduces the framework, Campbell's, Condé Nast and Sephora will share how a company can practically apply the learnings as part of BRIDGE's research pilot program.

On Tuesday the agenda moves from laying a strong foundation, "the what", into implementation, "the how" to build an inclusive company. Sessions include the role of the CEO, a code of conduct that dictates how companies must take action against all forms of hate as well as how to apply the practice of inclusive marketing and media buying.

Throughout the summit, participants will also have opportunities to engage in interactive workshops,actively participate in setting the future agenda for their industry and network with their peers in an intimate setting.

To date, BRIDGE has also confirmed the following CEOs, marketing, DE&I and business leaders as speakers. The full agenda is on the site:

Kirk McDonald, CEO, GroupM
David Kenny, Chairman and CEO, Nielsen
Tish Archie Oliver, Head of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, Unilever
Jennifer Warren, VP, Global Brand Marketing and Communications, Indeed
Leslie Waller, Vice President of Marketing, Campbells
Deborah Yeh, Global Brand Purpose Officer, Sephora Americas
Yin Woon Rani, CEO/CMO, MilkPEP
Yashica Olden, Global Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Condé Nast
Sandra Sims-Williams, Chief Diversity Officer, Nielsen

Daija assured, "No matter where an attendee or their company is on the DEI journey maturity curve, they will leave BRIDGE 2023 with tangible steps and the framework needed to build an inclusive and equitable workplace and marketplace. And we will be right by their side offering them the support and capabilities needed to be successful."

To find out more about attending, speaking or sponsoring BRIDGE 2023, please visit www.wearebridge.com/bridge2023.

About BRIDGE

Launched in 2022, BRIDGE is a member-driven 501C6. We help companies bridge the gaps that have created inequities for under-represented and untapped communities in the workplace, workforce and marketplace. With the variety of programs that BRIDGE offers including proprietary research, storytelling workshops, best practices, events and more, we identify and dismantle the structures in place to drive systemic change in belonging, representation, inclusion, diversity and equity (BRIDGE is an acronym for these constructs). Our long term goal is to create a comprehensive BRIDGE agenda for companies and certify against its implementation and impact. BRIDGE is an inclusive organization that welcomes support and participation from all companies in the global marketing industry as well as like-minded academics and DEI champions. We are stronger together. Visit BRIDGE to learn more and join (http://www.wearebridge.com).

Media Contact: Linzy Meija, [email protected]

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