With a background in marketing and advertising, LaToya Rose found her niche in another role that requires strong communication skills and a solid understanding of human behaviors and motivations— Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Macmillan Publishers.
“It was both an unexpected and natural progression,” she reflects, sharing that she was approached by Macmillan in 2020 with a consulting opportunity that evolved into a more permanent role.
Throughout her experience that spans digital advertising, PR, brand building, and crisis management, Rose says she had many opportunities to be involved in equity and inclusion work for a range of clients, including global entities, celebrities, government dignitaries, and Fortune 500 companies.
Her role at Macmillan opened an opportunity to take on a newly created role for the company, and to make an impact in diversity, equity, and inclusion in transformative ways.
Embedding DEI Throughout Macmillan
According to Rose, “Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are woven into the fabric of our organizational values. We consider this work a business imperative, intentionally embedding it into every aspect of our operations.”
Rose has been able to draw upon her marketing background and expertise in these efforts.
For instance, the company’s Embracing Diverse Perspectives Initiative is a multicultural marketing effort focused on incorporating diverse viewpoints into the publishing process.
Other efforts to embed a DEI focus throughout the organization, while also fostering employee engagement include a DEI community chat room and divisional DEI committees to ensure the company’s publishing work reflects its commitment to inclusion.
“Accountability is another important component of our DEI program, and we regularly work to adjust and enhance initiatives based on the needs of our organization, the ever-changing publishing landscape and our employees’ feedback and needs,” Rose adds.
Employee Resource Groups
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) play a vital role in Macmillan’s DEI strategy. “We offer 22 Employee Resource Groups (ERG) and DEI Committees, and they play an essential role in building our community and embedding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in our publishing process,” Rose shares.
The groups operate independently with support from the DEI department, creating valuable opportunities for employees.
“These groups offer employees the opportunity to create community, network internally, participate in activities, attract a diverse employee base, advise the business on topics related to DEI, and create opportunities for mentoring and career development,” explains Rose.
Unique DEI Practices
What sets Macmillan apart in its DEI approach is its unwavering commitment even amid industry shifts. “We strive to ensure that inclusion isn’t just performative, but an integral part of how we conduct business. Despite the recent public rollback of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at companies across the U.S., our priorities have not changed,” Rose states.
This steadfast position reflects the publisher’s core values. “As a company, we stand firm in our mission to build an inclusive culture that embraces diverse perspectives. Inclusivity is everyone’s responsibility, and we carefully integrate our values, including inclusivity, into the core of our organization.”
Supporting Diverse Talent
“Macmillan emphasizes a culture that supports the development of talent, ensuring everyone feels valued and included,” Rose says. “We recognize each individual’s uniqueness and strive to create an environment where all feel a sense of belonging, are empowered to bring their whole selves to work, and are accountable for their words and actions.”
It’s a focus not on individual traits and differences—but on ensuring inclusion and an opportunity for personal and professional development for all.
From a recruitment standpoint, says Rose, Macmillan looks for diversity in education, background, and experience. They cast a wide net to find top talent “in a wide range of places including public and private universities, HBCUs, community colleges, and more,” Rose explains.
That diversity extends to attracting talent from outside the publishing industry. “As we expand our talent pool, we are committed to identifying candidates beyond the publishing industry, and we provide robust resources for recruitment, development and retention.”
Building and Sustaining an Inclusive Culture
Creating, supporting, and sustaining a diverse culture at Macmillan isn’t an event—it’s a process. A process that includes ongoing efforts and continuous assessment and improvement.
“Macmillan creates a diverse culture by sustaining an environment of belonging and inclusion through strategic initiatives and continual policy assessments aimed at promoting equity for all employees,” notes Rose.
This commitment persists, despite current fluctuations in DEI focus among many industries and organizations.
“Companies will act in ways they find appropriate,” Rose says. But, she stresses, those actions “directly and indirectly communicate their values internally and externally.” Despite external challenges, Macmillan remains committed to its values, including DEI. “We continue to recognize the significant contribution DEI makes to organizational culture and employee satisfaction,” Rose affirms.
Looking Forward
As Rose and her team continue to advance DEI at Macmillan Publishers, their focus remains on creating an environment where diversity enhances the company’s work and culture.
“Our aim is to empower every community member to feel their best, both personally and professionally,” Rose says. “We work daily to increase diversity in the content we produce, the authors we work with, and the talent we acquire, retain, and develop. Our efforts ensure these are part of our organizational aspirations and day-to-day realities.”
Through Rose’s leadership, Macmillan Publishers demonstrates how DEI can be successfully integrated into a company’s foundation, creating positive impacts across all aspects of the business, from internal culture to the content they publish.
DEI isn’t something that can be turned on and off. Companies are either committed to ensuring that all employees feel included and supported based on the unique perspectives and backgrounds they bring to their roles—or they’re not.
At Macmillan that commitment is unwavering under Rose’s leadership.