BATON ROUGE, La. (July 1, 2022) — The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) today announced that it will host the inaugural Economic Inclusion Symposium presented by DOW on August 18, 2022. Registration is available at brac.org/events.
The half-day conference will take the place of BRAC’s annual Diversity in Business event with expanded programming featuring a keynote presentation by DOW’s Corporate Director of Sustainability Eunice Heath, a BR-POP Vendor Connect Showcase for minority-business owners to connect with contracting opportunities, and breakout sessions, including a panel and fireside chat. The goal of the symposium is to spur discussions on fostering greater levels of economic inclusion within the workplace and the community.
“We are excited that BRAC’s traditional Diversity in Business event is expanding into a half-day symposium,” said Jerry Lebold, BRAC’s Diversity and Inclusion Council chair and BASF’s senior vice president and general manager. “Economic inclusion encompasses more than just workplace diversity and inclusion practices. The new event format will cover all topics of economic inclusion and how a committed, community approach to inclusivity can increase the entire region’s economic vitality.”
Programming will speak to a wide range of individuals, including C-suite executives, diversity and inclusion practitioners, small business owners, HR professionals, and minority and women business owners. The agenda provides attendees with the option to participate in traditional speaker sessions or engage in the BR-POP Vendor Connect Showcase, which is designed for minority-business owners to better connect with procurement opportunities.
BRAC’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee will also announce the recipients of the BRAC Diversity Star Award at the event. With a goal of highlighting exceptional best practices taking place in the Capital Region, the award seeks to honor and recognize regional businesses that have championed diversity and inclusion in their businesses or in the community.
The event will take place from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Raising Cane’s River Center. Registration for the event is $65 for BRAC investors and $80 for non-investors. Reserved seating for groups of eight is also available. Event registration and additional event information, including the agenda and speaker list, are available at brac.org/events.
Companies interested in hosting a booth at the BR-POP Vendor Connect Showcase can contact Darrell L. Johnson, Jr., BRAC’s Manager of Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives, at darrell@brac.org for more information.
The event is presented by DOW. Premier sponsors include Shell and ExxonMobil. The BR-POP Vendor Connect Showcase sponsor is BASF.
About the Baton Rouge Area Chamber
The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC) is an aggressively ambitious regional economic development organization with a bias for action. BRAC seeks to push Baton Rouge beyond the status quo, unleash its potential, and support a vibrant business community that believes the finish line does not exist. BRAC seeks to accelerate economic opportunity in the Baton Rouge Area, for everyone, through BRING IT! Baton Rouge, its five-year, regional strategic plan. Learn more about BRAC at brac.org.
Source: https://brac.org/brac-announces-economic-inclusion-symposium-presented-by-dow/
