Reader Letter for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Magazine 2023

As 2023 draws to a close, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) remains a perennial hot-button topic that companies, no matter what business they’re in, must contend with not only to function on a day-to-day basis but to sustain future growth.

It is clear that implementing DEIA initiatives is vital for recruiting and retaining talent as well as attracting investors, but many businesses are slow to adopt clear objectives and actionable strategies. More awareness, transparency and effort are needed to drive change and instill a sense of acceptance among the workforce across America.

On October 19, L.A. Times B2B Publishing hosted the 2023 DEIA Forum at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills. A number of informative panel discussions, featuring diversity leaders from a variety of industries, enlightened attendees with firsthand advice and insights on several relevant topics, including the urgent need for increased accessibility, how DEIA proponents are breaking barriers and belonging in a remote workspace culture. We summarize each panel here in the pages of this magazine.

I would like to thank each of the sponsors who helped make the event possible. We greatly appreciate the support of Diamond Sponsor The Change Company and Platinum Sponsors CommonSpirit Health, Easterseals Southern California, Phaidon International and University of West Los Angeles.

New this year is the Top Rated Workplaces in Southern California Survey where we rank small and midsize-large companies based on employees’ anonymous replies to a questionnaire sent out by our partner DataJoe. The results follow several informative articles on trending DEIA news.

In the remaining pages, we’re proud to recognize individuals at numerous Southern California companies who are spearheading change and leading the way to creating more inclusive workplaces.

We hope you are inspired by their achievements in this realm.