Paradigm for Parity® CEO Spotlight Series: Juan Luciano
The Paradigm for Parity® coalition CEO Spotlight Series showcases member company CEOs who are transforming their corporate culture to advance women of all races, cultures and backgrounds.
This week we are pleased to highlight Juan Luciano, CEO of ADM, discussing ADM’s commitment to gender parity and the value of joining forces with Paradigm for Parity® coalition. Luciano shared that “as [ADM] has tried to understand the root cause of some of these issues, [they] are translating that focus and commitment into progress through a number of initiatives,” such as ADM’s global and regional Women’s Leadership Summits.
1) What motivated your company to join the Paradigm for Parity® coalition?
In 2019, ADM became one of the first 100 global companies to partner with Paradigm for Parity® with a commitment to close the gender gap in senior leadership roles. Our longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) is not just part of our core values, but it is also a business imperative.
We recognize that our success as a company and as an industry depends upon building a diverse and inclusive workforce with wide-ranging backgrounds and experiences. That is what generates true innovation and that’s why joining forces with Paradigm for Parity® coalition was a natural next step in our DE&I journey.
2) What role can/should CEOs play in leveling the playing field for marginalized groups, including women and people of color, in the workforce?
We need to lead by example by being the biggest champions of our company’s DE&I efforts. As the leader in the organization, my commitment is to create an environment in which everyone who works for ADM feels like they can be their best — and you can only be your best if you can be yourself.
It goes beyond the role of a CEO and includes the entire ecosystem of leadership across the organization. When we signal our own commitment to equality and inclusion, we help make our DE&I vision a reality by inspiring leaders in the company to create a workplace, culture and environment that are conducive to help everyone, regardless of their differences, be their best and express themselves.
3) What do you consider to be the benefits of leveling the playing field for women in the workforce for your company and society as a whole?
Solving complex problems and serving the world through nutrition is a purpose that ADM can only unlock when we empower everyone, regardless of their gender or background.
We can sense opportunities and identify trends when we not only represent the diversity that we see around us, but when we empower everyone to contribute fully to our collective success through their unique skills and talents. Businesses can only deliver on their purpose and create true value when they have multiple viewpoints represented across their organization to translate challenges into solutions that make people’s lives better.
4) How is your company advocating for, lifting up and supporting women of color in your workplace? What has made the biggest difference in advancing all women in your company?
What’s clear is that underrepresented groups, including women and people of color, often face greater barriers when it comes to advancing their careers. That’s a big part of our DE&I focus — how do we create those career paths that don’t limit certain individuals from advancement? As we have tried to understand the root cause of some of these issues, we are translating that focus and commitment into progress through a number of initiatives.
Last year, we launched ADM’s global and regional Women’s Leadership Summits, bringing hundreds of women across the company together virtually with our leadership team, as well as internal and external experts to focus on personal and professional development. These inaugural summits also led to the launch of our first employee resource groups to support women and promote gender parity as we accelerate our efforts to close the gender gap in our senior leadership team by 2030.
5) When you look at the Paradigm for Parity® coalition 5-Point Action Plan, is there one step that you think is most critical to ensuring that women of color have the same opportunities for advancement as their colleagues?
It’s not about one step, but about addressing the issue from multiple perspectives with different initiatives and programs. Not only is it important to have a network of mentors and sponsors to help women of color succeed, but it’s also important to create a strong culture of inclusion, in which all colleagues and leaders are equipped with the skills to identify and guard against their own unconscious biases and remain open to new perspectives.
As we work towards our goal of advancing more women into senior leadership roles, we also have a clear focus on regularly measuring DE&I progress and holding ourselves accountable for how we are measuring up to our goals.
Juan R. Luciano is chairman of the board of directors, president and chief executive officer of ADM.
Luciano joined ADM in 2011 as executive vice president and chief operating officer. He was named president in February 2014, and in January 2015 became the ninth chief executive in ADM’s 112-year history. He became chairman of the board in January 2016. Before joining ADM, Luciano had a successful 25-year tenure at The Dow Chemical Company, where he last served as executive vice president and president of the Performance division.
About Paradigm for Parity®
Paradigm for Parity® is a coalition of business leaders dedicated to addressing the corporate leadership gender gap. The coalition is made up of CEOs, senior executives, founders, board members, and business academics who are committed to achieving a new norm in the corporate world: one in which women and men have equal power, status, and opportunity. The ultimate goal is to achieve full gender parity by 2030, with a near-term goal of women holding at least 30% of senior roles.
