Advocate Health’s Commitment to DEI: A Blueprint for Challenging Times

• Industry: Healthcare
• Headquarters: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
• Website: Advocate Health
• Employees: 155,000

North Carolina-based healthcare company Advocate Health is navigating two complex landscapes in the U.S.: a healthcare system rife with disparities and an onslaught of legal challenges that threaten corporate diversity initiatives. On a recent i4cp Next Practices Weekly call, Fernando Little, SVP and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Advocate Health, shared how the organization is responding with both caution and courage.

Little began by reaffirming Advocate Health’s foundational commitment to DE&I, which is central to its mission of reducing health disparities and improving patient outcomes. He emphasized that Advocate Health’s commitment is unwavering despite shifting legal landscapes affecting employees and patients alike. “Our focus is to honor diversity within our own walls so that we may also do so throughout our communities,” said Little. Their tagline? “Unwavering commitment in challenging times.”

Little highlighted the impact of the 2024 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Title VI, which has brought new scrutiny to how organizations can consider race in their recruitment and hiring initiatives.

The ruling prompted Advocate Health to assess their DE&I practices, ensuring they align with legal standards without compromising the company’s core values of equity and inclusion. The same month that Little spoke to i4cp, several companies announced they were withdrawing from the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, a national benchmarking tool that evaluates companies on their treatment of LGBTQ+ stakeholders (though more companies are joining the index than leaving).

The news comes at a time when conservative activist Robby Starbuck is campaigning against corporate DE&I programs. Little says Advocate Health’s approach to addressing such challenges is to “follow the letter of the law, balance caution and courage, and remain committed to the work.”

Leaders at Advocate Health identified four employment practices that they consider to be high-risk in the current legal landscape.

Little emphasized the importance of staying informed about legal developments and maintaining robust relationships with legal counsel, both internally and externally. “We need to be vigilant and proactive,” he said, noting that understanding existing and pending case law is crucial to navigating DE&I efforts successfully and driving meaningful progress.

“Our goal is not just compliance,” said Little. “It’s about ensuring that our DE&I initiatives continue to make a positive impact…balancing caution and courage.”

Advocate Health’s DEI Strategy Blueprint is a framework that aligns DE&I goals with business strategy and tracks their progress.

“The Diversity Blueprint is more than just a plan—it’s a commitment,” Little said. “It reflects our dedication to creating an inclusive environment where every individual feels valued. By adhering to this framework, we’re able to maintain our focus on what truly matters: fostering equity and inclusion within our walls and throughout the communities we serve.”