DEI in Today's Climate

Companies, boards, and investors are facing increased pressure from legislatures, regulators, shareholders, employees, and activists related to their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and commitments. Startups can be caught in the crosshairs trying to live up to their DEI values while trying to avoid legal challenges and, potentially, making things more difficult for those they seek to help.

This panel will be a Chatham House rules dialogue on how to build startups that can thrive from a business perspective with a diverse set of individuals in operations and management and how to build investment portfolios with positive DEI characteristics (and why that’s important) while managing legal, reputational, and business risks associated with pursuing DEI objectives and goals.

Panelists include:

• Fredo Silva – Partner and Co-Chair of Social Enterprise + Impact Investing Group, Morrison & Foerster LLP

• Shu Dar Yao – Founder & Managing Partner of Climate + Social Justice VC Advisory, Lucid Capitalism

• Nadia Dugal – Co-Founder of Tome and General Counsel, Congruent Ventures