Ursula Burns, who spent 38 years at Xerox and rose to the position of Chairman and CEO, discusses her journey to becoming a board member. Her first board position was at a privately held company called PQ Corporation, where she was recruited for her manufacturing and supply chain experience. Burns emphasizes the importance of diverse candidates speaking up, advocating for themselves and others, and actively engaging in the process of increasing diversity on corporate boards.
Burns believes that without active efforts to promote diversity, progress will stagnate or even regress. She argues that search firms need to improve their practices to better identify and recruit diverse candidates. Burns also stresses the responsibility of current board members, particularly minorities, to mentor and advocate for diversity within their networks.
Burns asserts that businesses need a push when it comes to diversity and that legislation can be necessary to force companies to do the right thing. She discusses the effectiveness of quotas in Europe and California, which have significantly increased the representation of women on boards. Burns also touches on the ideal size of a board, suggesting that while it varies depending on the company, 12 is likely the upper limit for effective decision-making.
Throughout the interview, Burns emphasizes the importance of individuals embracing their unique experiences and perspectives, as diversity brings value to the boardroom. She passionately argues against the growing animosity towards diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, asserting that progress in these areas has made the world a better place. Burns concludes by urging people to actively work towards creating a more inclusive and compassionate society.
