Long before diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) became the focus of organizational leaders around the globe, Shirley Engelmeier (she/her/hers) was leading the way in helping organizations build inclusive cultures to drive business success. She’s been a thought leader in DEI and inclusion as a business strategy for more than 25 years, first as a corporate leader in CPG operations, sales and organizational development and then, since 2001, as the founder/CEO of InclusionINC. Shirley recognized the critical implications of DEI for businesses long before most of her peers. For more than two decades she has helped global Fortune 500 companies and emerging organizations develop and implement DEI initiatives that drive business results. Recognizing that her personal reach was limited and passionate about transforming businesses to embrace DEI to drive employee engagement, productivity, innovation and retention, Shirley began documenting her philosophies and thought leadership on DEI in books designed for busy C-suite leaders and executives. She is the author of Inclusion: STILL the Competitive Business Advantage (2018), an update to Inclusion: The New Competitive Business Advantage (2013) and Becoming an Inclusive Leader: How to Navigate the 21st Century Global Workforce (2014). In addition to her writing, Shirley is a TedEx speaker and is often sought out for speaking engagements.Shirley’s approach is business and bottom line focused. She’s applied her strategic planning insights and DEI focus, along with her vast experience in the field to engagements with C-suite executives in companies including BASF, Michelin North America, Lockton, ESPN, 3M, PetSmart and Halliburton to name a few. She has evolved the approach to DEI taken by most organizations with her business-centric approach. The InclusionINC team offers a variety of services including current state analysis, DEI strategy, consulting, training and ongoing performance evaluations that help companies incorporate inclusion as a corporate business strategy to drive DEI. Shirley and InclusionINC believe that Equity is the Outcome! Inclusive Leadership, inclusion behaviors, and inclusive practices applied without bias is the key for organizations to achieve equity.