FORT MITCHELL, Ky. — The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce (NKY Chamber) has entered a new partnership with Fifth Third Bank centered around diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts in Northern Kentucky.
Fifth Third Bank’s significant investment in the NKY Chamber’s DEI work will enable the chamber to continue to build and further develop its DEI Committee’s mission of intentionally engaging and supporting underrepresented businesses in the region.
“Fifth Third Bank is committed to ensuring people of all backgrounds not only feel welcome here, but that they also have equitable opportunities to pursue careers where they can utilize their unique talents,” said NKY Chamber President and CEO Brent Cooper. “Their sponsorship of the NKY Chamber’s ongoing DEI efforts ensure we will have the needed resources and expertise to bolster our economy and enrich our region with diverse, talented individuals.”
Fifth Third Bank Senior Vice President Stephanie Smith – who became the company’s Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer in 2019 – agrees.
“The Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region is rich in people of all cultures, backgrounds, ethnicities, faiths and of course talents, all of which make it a perfect place for businesses to invest in their future,” Smith said.
The NKY Chamber’s DEI Committee, comprised of more than two dozen area business leaders and led by Ashleigh DuBois, talent strategies specialist/ director of DEI for the NKY Chamber, is focused on defining the issues and leveraging shared data to guide authentic engagement which will lead to actionable change, sustainable progress and measurable DEI outcomes for Northern Kentucky.
Among the many initiatives that will be powered by the partnership with Fifth Third Bank include:
- Providing members access to training resources focused on business policies that impact equity and evaluate systems;
- Establishing a database of underrepresented businesses to facilitate the support of minority-owned businesses; and
- Producing programming to assist members with their efforts to attract and retain a diverse workforce.
Additionally, the DEI Committee will seek to continue the work of programs like the recent Small Business Grants for Minority-, Women- and Veteran-Owned businesses the NKY Chamber facilitated in partnership with Duke Energy, which provided financial assistance to small businesses following the onset of the pandemic.
Already in the works, Fifth Third Bank’s partnership will also support a new NKY Chamber event, Intentionally Building Diverse Connections. Hosted quarterly, the series brings businesses of all sizes and sectors together to meet in a structured environment geared toward creating diverse business relationships.
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