THE MCPHERSON MEMO

ON OUR MINDS

Brought to you by Account Executive, Gloria Kostadinova, who will be indulging in flamenco, tinto de verano and jamón ibérico this weekend.

From the gridlock to the gridiron   
The Super Bowl LVI halftime show was a sobering mix of nostalgia for early 2000s hip hop set against the backdrop of race and gender issues that riddle the NFL’s legacy. While celebrating Black history in Los Angeles, the NFL continues to grapple with discrimination and racism that impedes the mobility of the very people who carry its brand. Actions speak louder than words, and the numbers stand for themselves, demonstrating the deep barriers to racial equity within the NFL’s hiring practices. Coach Brian Flores offers a few pointers on how the multibillion-dollar league can address systemic inequality, and it starts with ensuring that Black voices have a seat at the owner’s table. After the halftime headlines and memes subside, the hard work will remain for companies to meaningfully address the systemic discrimination at all levels of their business practices and to authentically amplify Black voices from the mainstage to the sidelines and everywhere in between.
 

Redefining employee engagement 
Meaningfully engaging remote and hybrid teams can feel like a moving target, so it’s no surprise that for the first time in a decade, employee engagement in the U.S. has dropped. In this new era of work, it may be time to reevaluate how we define employee engagement. Research shows that how work gets done—quality, quantity and efficiency of work—may be a more telling metric than worker sentiment, and there are ways employers can identify behaviors that clearly signal when “great work” is underway. None of this great work is possible without real connection, which is why we couldn’t agree more with Target Chief Executive Laysha Ward’s call for a “Great ReConnection” and a renewed focus on building community and relationships. Whether a global Fortune 500 or a local nonprofit, Susan Hunt Stevens, CEO and Founder of WeSpire – an ESG-focused employee experience platform – says that taking a localized and tailored approach is key to employee engagement. Here are just a few more strategies and innovations in AI-driven employee engagement that can jumpstart the journey to rebuilding more connected communities.
 

With great information comes great responsibility
The influx of information coming into our social feeds can be overwhelming, making it difficult to not only moderate screen time, but more importantly, discern real information from the “fake news.” Many people, including Latinos, increasingly turn to social media for news related to COVID-19 and important elections, with growing concerns of Spanish-language misinformation that goes unchallenged. Pervasive misinformation spanning health, science and politics underscores the need for stricter gatekeeping when it comes to safeguarding the public good, forcing companies like Meta and Spotify to reckon with the right to freedom of speech and accountability. With increased scrutiny of the role that companies play in enabling misinformation, executives stand to learn from the recent Spotify-Rogan debacle, including when to listen to their stakeholders and how to lead with their company values. The future of journalism is here, and it involves corporate America stepping up to share the burden of responsibility in mitigating misinformation and ensuring news sharing is equitable and representative of the constituents it serves.
 
ON OUR RADAR
Read:

• Capital B is a Black-led, local-national nonprofit news organization serving Black audiences across the country. 
• Creativity Strategist Natalie Nixon explains why time spent thinking, wondering and dreaming is key to our most innovative work. 
• Companies are creating more time for employees to grieve and rethinking bereavement leave.
• “Reads for the Rest of Us” offers Ms. readers a list of new books being published by writers from historically excluded groups.
• ICYMI Susan’s latest edition of CONNECTED features Umbreen Bhatti, Director of the Athena Center for Leadership at Barnard College. Subscribe to the newsletter here. 
• Launching worldwide this June, The Carbon Almanac is a book of facts about climate change with a foreword by Seth Godin. Pre-order the book here. 
• Don’t Just Watch is a new LinkedIn newsletter by McP client Plus Media Solutions, moving audiences from inspiration to impact.

Cheer:

• LinkedIn Co-Founder Reid Hoffman donated $1 million to JUST Capital with a mission to help companies improve how they serve each of their stakeholders.
• McP client Persefoni is changing the ESG landscape with a new partnership to deliver investor-grade carbon disclosures.
• Aspen Digital and HP just launched a Digital Equity Accelerator to help bridge the gap of the digital divide around the world. Nonprofits can apply for the pilot program here. 
• Check out America’s biggest donors who made it to The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s “Philanthropy 50” giving more than $27.7 billion in 2021.
• As if Dollywood wasn’t cool enough, now the country star’s theme park will pay full college tuition for all employees who choose to pursue higher education. 
• Major philanthropies dedicate $40 million to higher-educational institutions, helping to reimagine capitalism for a more equitable and resilient society.

Watch and Listen:

• These TikTok videos teach us the forgotten lessons and firsthand stories of Black history. 
• Co-Founder of Ethical Clothing, Ben Heinkel, joins the Purpose 360 podcast to discuss the fashion industry’s sustainability opportunities and challenges.
• Global policy leader and member of Leadership Now Project, Minh-Thu Pham joins Tavis Smiley to discuss the impactful role that immigrants play in American democracy. 
• McP client Persefoni just launched a new podcast “Climate Tech with Kentaro” featuring conversations with the brightest minds and most influential voices in climate technology. 
• ICYMI here are six sustainability themed ads of Super Bowl LVI.

Act: 

• From COVID-19 scientists to cancer researchers, follow these Black scientists on Twitter.  
• Wisconsin business leaders can sign on to the letter of support to election administrators, an effort spearheaded by Wisconsin Business Leaders for Democracy and McP client Leadership Now Project.  
• Take the 15% Pledge to encourage businesses to dedicate 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned brands.
• Take WeSpire’s ESG Engagement Maturity Quiz to evaluate your efforts around employee engagement and your ESG initiatives. 
• Here’s how to engage with the Gen Z audience to demonstrate your company is authentically committed to purpose.

Attend:

• Join Susan on February 22 for a conversation on building meaningful business relationships as part of HubSpot Academy Ask An Expert Series. 
• McP client Tulaine Montgomery is kicking off a new Instagram Live series, Say More, with Daisy Auger-Domínguez, Chief People Officer at Vice Media Group. Follow Tulaine and tune in to the live conversation on February 24 at 7pm ET.  
• Girls ages 8-10 can sign up for a FREE Funny Girls class March 2 - May 19 to hone their leadership skills through improv games.

Apply: 

• Harry’s, Inc. is looking for a Social Impact Manager. Apply here. 
• Quest Diagnostics is looking for a Corporate Responsibility Student intern. Apply here.
• Women Donors Network is hiring a President & CEO. Apply here. 
• McP is hiring! Apply to join our growing team here.