Welcome to the Code & Conscience Newsletter
Code & Conscience is finally live! This has been several months in the making and I’m so excited to share it with you. This is my way of thinking out loud with friends (that’s you, btw) about the ways we as technologists–builders, creators, leaders–impact the world around us with what we choose to build and how we build it.
Here’s a space for us to have conversations around tech and its impact on society and share examples of responsible tech leadership that can lead to positive business and societal outcomes. I’ll also discuss any upcoming events and anything I’m working on, so you don’t miss a thing. I hope you’ll join me in building a community that thinks as much about our impact as we do innovation.
Let's Get Into It
DEI: A Business Growth Strategy
While companies like Meta, Amazon, and Target are backpedaling on their DEI initiatives, leaders at Apple, Delta, Costco, JP Morgan Chase, Mastercard, Microsoft, Cisco, e.l.f. beauty, and Ben & Jerry’s are doubling down–with JP Morgan Chase CEO, Jamie Dimon, vowing to “continue to reach out to the Black community, the Hispanic community, the LGBT community, the veterans community." According to Subodh Mishra, ISS's head of communications, "These politicized campaigns [against DEI] have failed to make the case for the economic impact related to the request."
That’s the thing. DEI was always good business and never was about providing unfair advantages to select groups, as many detractors claim. In fact, many employees from marginalized groups may be overqualified for their roles, with Black women, as an example, being the most educated demographic in the US. It’s about widening the talent pool, building sustainable growth, and solid teams. Think about it: when you bring in people with all sorts of backgrounds and viewpoints, you get a flood of new ideas. That leads to better products and services that more people want to buy, allowing companies to serve a wider consumer base and expand market reach. If diverse, global, revenue is your focus, DEI should be a no-brainer!
Plus, everyone is happier when they feel like they belong. When companies ditch these programs, it sends a signal that they don't really care about equity or belonging, which leads to lower morale and retention. But when everyone feels respected, they’re more likely to work hard and stick around longer. For anyone who’s had to train a new team 🙋🏾♀️, that's a major win–saving time and money, and reducing brain drain.
Ignoring DEI can also present a negative perception to the public. According to a Washington Post-Ipsos poll in April, 61% of Americans support DEI practices. Rolling back your programs can damage your brand and make you miss out on connecting with a larger customer base. Additionally, countries around the world are passing laws related to equity and diversity, so you could end up well behind the global curve, with the world moving steadily forward and myopic US-based companies setting themselves back 50 years. If you want to attract top talent, boost creativity, and grow your customer base, leaning into DEI makes both dollars and sense. 💰
Events
Past
2025 State of Atlanta Black Tech Ecosystem Summit
Highlights
View Full Sessions on YouTube
Scheduling the summit got off to rocky start, eventually going virtual due to back-to-back snow storms... in Atlanta! But it's all good because they also scheduled an in-person town hall at The Gathering Spot on February 1st (stay tuned for that recap in the next issue).
The main idea? To get the community together, make a plan, and actually take action, not just talk...
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