Transforming Discriminatory Corporate Cultures: This Is Not Just Women's Work

Authors

Cheryl L. Wade, St. John's University School of LawFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Maryland Law Review

Publication Date

2006

Volume

65

First Page

346

Abstract

(Excerpt)

The Symposium on Women and the "New" Corporate Governance began with an opening address by Sheila Wellington, the President of Catalyst. "Don't change women," she said, "change corporations." I agree with Ms. Wellington, but I would go one step further by observing that companies will change only if men change. The overwhelming majority of the directors and officers who manage and govern large public companies in the United States are white men. Public companies will enjoy healthy relationships with their women employees only to the extent encouraged and facilitated by the men who control these corporations. But how does one inspire men to change?

Here is the problem. Even when men witness discrimination or harassment, they may fail to encourage the kinds of changes in corporate culture that are likely to promote gender equality. Many male managers and employees may support gender equity efforts in the workplace, but because they are concerned with institutional fit and loyalty to the company, they may not be advocates for gender equity even in circumstances that they believe merit such advocacy. Devon Carbado and Mitu Gulati discuss how some workers ignore racial and gender conflict situations in the workplace. Carbado and Gulati explain that white men who deplore sexist conduct may fail to challenge such conduct in order to demonstrate their loyalty to the corporation. Likewise, women may fail to challenge sexist comments and jokes because they want to demonstrate that they fit in at their places of business.

For men to behave more responsibly toward their female colleagues, they must work in a corporate culture that supports and affirms gender equity advocacy. The chief executive officer (CEO) establishes that culture. Male employees and managers will adapt to the corporate culture in order to survive and succeed within that culture. It seems, therefore, that for companies to change, the men who work for them must change. The best way to inspire change among male executives, managers, and employees is to inspire change among America's CEOs.

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Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.umaryland.edu/mlr/vol65/iss2/6/