Exploring How Diversity Fuels Innovation at the Intersection of Supply Chain, Technology, Sustainability, and Gender Equity with Sallie Jian (Head of SAP.iO NY Foundry)

The business case for diversity is stronger than ever. According to McKinsey's latest research, 2019 analyses find that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability up from 21% in 2017 and 15% in 2014. Yet gender equity in STEM and supply chain has been hit hard in 2020. Women accounted for 100% of the 140,000 jobs shed by the U.S. economy in December, more than 111% of jobs lost last month. 5.4 million women have been affected since February — equal to 55% of all U.S. jobs lost. We need bold steps in 2021 to build back better, not only messages of inspiration but deep insights around the tools and skills needed for women and underrepresented groups to succeed in the fields of supply chain, technology, and innovation start ups. In this 1st episode of Season two, host Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) joins Sallie Jian, Silicon Valley superstar who's touched SAP, eBay, Linkedin, Box, and Uber. She shares her journey from investment banking to technology and sustainability. In episode 50, you'll hear insights on top skills needed in the tech world, what's driving leadership in global supply chains, the common threads of success in scaling innovation, and how to leverage the SDGs in your partnerships and hiring practices. Sallie Jian shares why she decided to lead the SAP.iO NY foundry: (1) the opportunity to build out a world class portfolio of next-generation software startups; (2) SAP’s No Boundaries commitment to building out a startup portfolio comprising of 50% women and minority founders. She believes that "from an enterprise perspective, when a company builds a product or an algorithm that is not representative of the population they serve, there will be missteps or gaps in the long-term sustainability of the technology. From a societal perspective, the collective of the best minds means we must embrace minds from all backgrounds. Finally, it’s smart business since diverse leadership teams are proven to lead to more innovation and improved financial performance across all industries." To join the free SAP.iO supply chain -focused demo day for COVID resilience on January 21, 2021, check out the links below. Blog article with info on startups applications and demo day https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6755527497221251072/Demo Day RSVP page https://covid-19recoverycohortdemoday.splashthat.com  And feel free to link out to Sallie and SAP.iO on social media! @sallie_jian | LinkedIn Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com