{"id":3949,"date":"2023-07-05T13:33:23","date_gmt":"2023-07-05T13:33:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mysourcefunding.com\/leadership\/how-mattel-and-rei-innovate-with-diversity-equity-and-inclusion\/"},"modified":"2023-07-05T13:33:24","modified_gmt":"2023-07-05T13:33:24","slug":"how-mattel-and-rei-innovate-with-diversity-equity-and-inclusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mysourcefunding.com\/?p=3949","title":{"rendered":"How Mattel And REI Innovate with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Most companies pursue diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to attract and retain talent from under-represented communities, meet representational goals, and enhance their reputation.<\/p>\n

Companies that are willing to go a step further and learn from identity-based communities can improve what<\/em> they do and how<\/em> they get things done, according to researchers from Harvard University and Morehouse College, whose work identified three main approaches to DEI.<\/p>\n

Mattel
\n MAT
\n <\/fbs-ticker> and REI are companies that epitomize this DEI learning approach.<\/p>\n

Mattel, the leading global toy company whose brands include Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, and American Doll, turned around the Barbie brand by making it more inclusive. The approach was so successful that it is now baked into the design and development of all Mattel brands.<\/p>\n

<\/fbs-ad><\/p>\n

Outdoor gear and apparel consumer cooperative REI \u2013 #1 on Forbes\u2019 2023 Best Brands for Social Impact list \u2013 has long committed to creating a more inclusive outdoor community and is investing more and more into these efforts.<\/p>\n

To understand these companies\u2019 success in learning from DEI, I spoke with Mason Williams, Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Mike Orroth, Senior Vice President, Product Development and Innovation, both at Mattel. I also exchanged emails with Nani Vishwanath, Senior Program Manager, Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Innovation at REI.<\/p>\n

Below are principles from this DEI learning approach that I gathered from these exchanges.<\/p>\n

Solicit Diverse Knowledge and Experiences<\/h2>\n

In companies that see cultural identity as a valuable resource, the unique knowledge and experiences of identity group members serve to uncover issues with a firm\u2019s current products and identify new opportunities.<\/p>\n

REI, in conversations with identity-group partners, learned it was difficult to find visually appealing, technical gear that fits all body types. These conversations \u201cunveiled opportunities around sizing, gender, affordability, and ease of use that then directly informed the design of the product,\u201d Vishwanath explained. The result: REI\u2019s size- and gender-inclusive Trailmade collection.<\/p>\n

Mattel\u2019s customers occasionally reach out if do not see themselves represented in Mattel\u2019s products. When they do, the company listens and sometimes follows up with niche products, Orroth tells me. This approach reportedly led to the creation of a Fisher-Price Little People figure with brown skin and red hair.<\/p>\n

Engage Identity-Group Employees Companywide<\/h2>\n

Inviting employees throughout the organization to share their identity-based knowledge and experience complements outside expertise, Mattel finds. It can also improve employees sense of belonging.<\/p>\n

The development of the 2023 Barbie Lunar New Year Doll, for example, relied on an internal team of designers with culturally relevant backgrounds, consultation with members of Mattel\u2019s Asians and Pacific Islanders Employee Resource Group, and external engagement, with Chinese couturier Guo Pei,Williams explained.<\/p>\n

Designing with employees who have community specific knowledge and experience \u2013 even if the employees are not design specialists \u2013 has an added benefit: it bolsters belonging.<\/p>\n

At Mattel, ERG members \u2013 who were not necessarily in design functions \u2013 appreciate that they can contribute to the innovation process to help ensure Mattel\u2019s products are more authentic, Williams told me.<\/p>\n

The numbers bear it out. Mattel employees are much more likely than those from the average U.S. company to qualify their organization as a great place to work, according to a survey conducted by Great Place to Work.<\/p>\n

Innovate Collaboratively<\/h2>\n

When companies engage only superficially with identity-group members, they don\u2019t learn much and can leave community members feeling unfairly treated. \u201cIt may seem simple, but so many companies design for<\/em> rather than with<\/em>, and the impact is considerably different,\u201d Vishwanath explained.<\/p>\n

What sets companies like REI and Mattel apart, is that they collaborate and co-design with identity-group partners rather than design solely on their behalf.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s imperative that community partners are not only brought in at the forefront of the design phase, but throughout the entire process from marketing to storytelling, and more,\u201d <\/strong>Vishwanath wrote.<\/p>\n

Designing with<\/em> helps ensure accountability and safeguards the inclusivity of a product\u2019s design, Mason shared: \u201cIt\u2019s not just the final product that symbolizes inclusivity: it\u2019s the pathway to getting to that final product that makes sure it is truly representative.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vishwanath also underscored the importance of compensating community partners for participating in conversations and feedback sessions.<\/p>\n

Embrace Process Improvements<\/h2>\n

Involving identity-group partners throughout multiple facets of the innovation process provides opportunities to redesign aspects of the innovation process itself: \u201cCommunity members not only inform the design but can provide continual feedback throughout the go-to-market process\u201d conveyed Vishwanath.<\/p>\n

REI, for example, \u201clearned the importance of inclusivity in the marketing and \u201cstorytelling\u201d of these new products,\u201d Vishwanath shared.<\/p>\n

At Mattel, the DEI learned approach made the design team aware of additional ways in which they needed to test their products before putting them on the market. \u201cGetting the product into the hands of children in different environments allows us to see things that- historically \u2013 we would not have seen until too late,\u201d Orroth said.<\/p>\n

Both companies find many additional benefits to their learning approach to innovation, including greater customer satisfaction, and improved ability to identify leadership potential.<\/p>\n

Embed DEI Learning Across The Organization<\/h2>\n

Companies that see DEI as a valuable resource for learning find DEI can help advance their mission, the Harvard researchers found. This came through in my conversations with REI and Mattel, too.<\/p>\n

REI believes that \u201ctime outside is a human right.\u201d DEI is therefore critical to REI\u2019s ideal that \u201cThe outdoors should be a place where everyone can feel welcome to be themselves, access opportunities, and connect with their community.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Williams described it to me, DEI supports the foundational idea that caused Ruth Hammer to launch the Barbie company: she wanted her daughter to be able to envision herself in different futures through purposeful play. By focusing on inclusivity and learning from people from various identity-groups, Mattel can further expand this vision, Williams told me: \u201cI think that that’s really what we’ve been able to do is operationalize that spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n

For this, the value of DEI for learning and change can not be seen as an HR initiative; it needs to be communicated from the top. \u201cInnovation is achieved through a common mindset driven from leadership all the way down,\u201d Mason told me. \u201cIt\u2019s very purposeful. It\u2019s part of our process.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adopt A Learning Attitude<\/h2>\n

Despite the powerful opportunities of leveraging DEI for learning and change, few companies have embraced this approach, the research shows. I asked Orroth, Vishwanath, and Williams for lessons learned and tips. Here\u2019s what they said.<\/p>\n

Be nimble and adaptable. Learning is an ongoing process that calls for adjustments along the way. At Mattel, \u201cwe understand the value of learning consistently and being able to pivot quickly, as a team\u201d Mason said.<\/p>\n

Build trust with the people you want to involve in your innovation processes. Vishwanath cautions that it may take time to do so, especially \u201cwith communities that have not formerly felt like they were a part of your audience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stay humble. \u201cWhen we try things for the first time, we may not get them right from the beginning. Designers and leaders who are committed to doing right for more people must be able to own their mistakes and opportunities along the way\u201d Vishwanath advises.<\/p>\n

Companies that \u2013 like REI and Mattel \u2013 go beyond surface level DEI initiatives and genuinely embrace principles of learning and collaboration with identity-based communities are witnessing transformative outcomes. Embracing some of the principles listed above could help more organizations foster lasting positive changes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Read the full article here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Most companies pursue diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to attract and retain talent from under-represented communities, meet representational goals, and enhance their reputation. Companies that are willing to go a step further and learn from identity-based communities can improve what they do and how they get things done, according to researchers from Harvard University […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3950,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3949","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leadership"},"yoast_head":"\nHow Mattel And REI Innovate with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Brandiary<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Most companies pursue diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to attract and retain talent from under-represented communities, meet\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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