Take the Pledge.It’s Time for Action.Let’s Close the Gap on Board Diversity.

The Board Challenge is a movement to improve the representation of Black directors in the boardrooms of U.S. public and private companies.
  • Pledge Partners: Commit to add a Black director to your board of directors within the next year.
  • Charter Partners and Supporters: If your organization has at least one Black director, pledge to foster continued efforts for change. Introduce your network to The Board Challenge—and leverage your influence and resources to improve board diversity representation.

Take the Pledge

Lack of diversity in corporate boardrooms is NOT a pipeline problem – it’s a perception challenge.

Why The Board Challenge

Three Silicon Valley leaders —Brad Gerstner (CEO, Altimeter Capital), Sukhinder Singh Cassidy (Founder and Chair, theBoardlist) and Guy Primus (CEO, Valence Community) founded TBC to challenge their vast networks to increase diversity in corporate boardrooms across the U.S.

  1. Leverage professional networks to ensure board diversity is a priority and factored into decision-making during the board recruitment and board refreshment process.
  2. Amplify evidence-based business cases for diverse boards to fuel robust, rigorous and results-focused discussions among senior leaders in the C-Suite and the boardroom.
  3. Connect Black board-ready candidates to board recruitment services, working with our co-founders theBoardList and Valence. You can recommend board-ready candidates here.
  4. Drive accountability for increased board diversity through increased public awareness and engagement.

Our growing network corporations, investment companies, and business leaders are using their influence and resources to make board diversity a reality—on their boards and throughout their professional communities. Stakeholders across the spectrum are demanding transparency and accountability to increase board effectiveness and improved company and financial performance .

94%

of directors agree that board diversity brings unique perspectives to the boardroom

Source: PwC’s 2019 Annual Corporate Directors Survey

87%

of directors said board diversity enhances board performance and 76% said it enhances company performance

Source: PwC’s 2019 Annual Corporate Directors Survey

53%

of investors say board diversity should be a top focus

Source: EY Center for Board Matters 2019

Recent Board Appointments

Pledge Partners

Committed to adding at least one Black director to their respective boards in the next 12 months.

Charter Partners

Already have at least one Black director and will continue to use their resources to accelerate change.

Supporters

Commit to support for The Board Challenge’s mission through online and offline engagement

Black and white headshot photograph of Les Brun.
Chairman and CEO, Sarr Group and Lead Director, Merck

Les Brun
Black and White head shot photograph of Shellye Archambeau.
Board Director, Verizon, Nordstrom, Okta

Shellye Archambeau
Black and white headshot photograph Crystal Ashby.
Former President and CEO, The Executive Leadership Council

Crystal Ashby
Black and white headshot photograph of Rich Barton.
Co-founder and CEO, Zillow

Rich Barton
Black and white headshot photo of Dara Khosrowshahi.
CEO, Uber

Dara Khosrowshahi
Black and white headshot photograph of Oscar Munoz.
Executive Chairman, United Airlines

Oscar Munoz
Black and white headshot photograph of Mindy Grossman.
President and CEO, WW International

Mindy Grossman
Black and white headshot photograph of Glenn Kelman.
CEO, Redfin

Glenn Kelman
Black and white photo of Julia Hartz in an office setting.
Co-founder and CEO, Eventbrite

Julia Hartz
Black and white headshot of Brad Gerstner.
Founder & CEO, Altimeter Capital

Brad Gerstner,
Headshot, in black and white, of Sukhinder Singh.
Founder and Chairman, theBoardlist

Sukhinder Singh
Black and White headshot of Guy Primus.
CEO, Valence

Guy Primus
Dave Girouard, black and white headshot
Co-founder and CEO, Upstart

Dave Girouard
Patrick Spence, sitting for a black and white headshot.
CEO, Sonos

Patrick Spence
Headshot of Jennifer Tejada, in black and white.
Chairperson & CEO, PagerDuty

Jennifer Tejada
Matt Blumberg, black and white headshot photo.
CEO, Bolster

Matt Blumberg
Black and white headshot of Dax Dasilva.
Founder and CEO, Lightspeed

Dax Dasilva
Headshot photograph of Omar Asali, in black and white.
CEO, Ranpak

Omar Asali
Black and white photograph of Brian Recatto.
President and CEO, Heritage-Crystal Clean, Inc.

Brian Recatto
Black and white headshot of Joanna McFarland.
Co-founder and CEO, HopSkipDrive

Joanna McFarland
Black and white headshot of Zach Reitano.
Co-founder and CEO, Ro

Zach Reitano
Chairman and CEO, Sarr Group and Lead Director, Merck

Les Brun

“The proportional participation by Black men and women on corporate boards is necessary, feasible, and likely to lead to better corporate performance.  There are existing and rising leaders across the country whose perspectives and experiences would be invaluable to any board and they belong in the boardroom.  A movement like The Board Challenge will hold companies to account as we work to increase our representation in America’s boardrooms.”

– Les Brun, Chairman and CEO, Sarr Group and Lead Director, Merck

Board Director, Verizon, Nordstrom, Okta

Shellye Archambeau

“We have to acknowledge that we have a problem and that we are not powerless to fix it. I like the optimism around The Board Challenge and the idea that we can use this moment to gain momentum, tap our networks and press forward together to encourage companies to appoint Black directors or if they have them, join the movement to encourage other companies to take the pledge.”

— Shellye Archambeau, Board Director, Verizon, Nordstrom, Okta

Former President and CEO, The Executive Leadership Council

Crystal Ashby

“The data is clear that companies with diverse boards outperform in the marketplace. For The ELC, board diversity is about more than just the bottom line. It’s about acknowledging that qualified Black board talent exists. It’s about authentic leadership demonstrating to Black employees that executives who look like us can be at the helm of the organization. ‘You cannot be what you cannot see.’ Black board representation is absolutely needed to effectively face the challenges of today.”

— Crystal Ashby, Interim President and CEO, The Executive Leadership Council

Co-founder and CEO, Zillow

Rich Barton

“The perspectives and ideas we listen to, and the voices we elevate, will determine the future of our industries, our companies, and ultimately our world. It’s obvious that Black people are underrepresented in corporate boardrooms and other positions of leadership and power. It is something we don’t talk about enough.”

– Rich Barton, Co-founder and CEO, Zillow

CEO, Uber

Dara Khosrowshahi

“If you see a challenge that is so important to the core of society and where we’re going as a society, as companies and as individuals, why not act now? This is the time.”

— Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO, Uber

Executive Chairman, United Airlines

Oscar Munoz

“From the boarding gate area to the boardroom, when I look across United Airlines I see diversity at the very heart of our strength. But, we know there’s more progress to be made, and we must lean into our long-standing efforts to ensure we reflect all viewpoints and values, starting with our Board. We will be a better, stronger business for it.”

— Oscar Munoz, Executive Chairman, United Airlines

President and CEO, WW International

Mindy Grossman

“There is pure empirical evidence that companies that create inclusive environments and champion diversity will foster greater innovation and ultimately achieve longer term sustainable success. Regardless of where your organization is on this journey, we can all do more.”

— Mindy Grossman, President and CEO, WW International

CEO, Redfin

Glenn Kelman

“Diversity is crucial to one of a board’s foundational responsibilities, to ensure the company is fairly run. This fairness depends not just on our board’s decision-making, but also on employees’ confidence in that decision-making. No matter how hard we try to be an open company, it can be daunting for any employee to escalate a problem to the board, but especially for an employee of color who doesn’t see a director with the life experiences to process that problem.”

— Glenn Kelman, CEO, Redfin

Co-founder and CEO, Eventbrite

Julia Hartz

 “Taking purposeful action and holding ourselves accountable is critical to driving the systemic change we need to see. We’re proud to participate in this challenge as we continue to do the hard work necessary to ensure a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for our employees, our creators and our society as a whole.”

— Julia Hartz, co-founder and CEO of Eventbrite

Founder & CEO, Altimeter Capital

Brad Gerstner,

“America is at a new point of reckoning to address racial issues and equal representation. Business leaders of all backgrounds can’t let this moment pass us by without taking this actionable, tangible step to build more diverse boardrooms.”

— Brad Gerstner, Founder & CEO, Altimeter Capital

Founder and Chairman, theBoardlist

Sukhinder Singh

“Another objection is that the focus on diverse candidates is too narrow. We know focus yields results and this is the start of a much bigger movement.”

— Sukhinder Singh, Founder and Chairman, theBoardlist

CEO, Valence

Guy Primus

“One objection we hear is whether companies can find the kind of diverse board talent they are looking for. It is 2020 – it is not a pipeline problem, it is a perspective problem.”

– Guy Primus, CEO, Valence

Co-founder and CEO, Upstart

Dave Girouard

“Our boards should reflect the communities we aim to serve and the companies we hope to become.  Diversity is a core American strength and should be a central pillar of our technology community as well.”

— Dave Girouard, Co-founder and CEO, Upstart

CEO, Sonos

Patrick Spence

“Sonos is honored to be a Charter Pledge Partner of The Board Challenge. We believe that  every company, and the world at large, benefits from greater diversity and inclusion, and are encouraged to see so many great companies commit to this effort for change.”

– Patrick Spence, CEO, Sonos

Chairperson & CEO, PagerDuty

Jennifer Tejada

“We need to reflect the richly diverse community we serve and as such, inclusion, diversity, and equity (ID&E) are business imperatives for PagerDuty. Like any business imperative, you must set measurable goals, ensure ownership and accountability, and invest to win,  and the Board Challenge supports our goal to achieve balanced representation on our board and throughout our company.”

— Jennifer Tejada, Chairperson & CEO, PagerDuty

CEO, Bolster

Matt Blumberg

“Private company boards aren’t diverse or independent enough, and it’s really hard to change this. As a new company, we have the opportunity to bring in a diverse board from the beginning, and The Board Challenge matches our plans to do this. It also fits with our goal of helping other companies diversify their boards. We are excited to sign onto the Challenge and encourage other companies to follow suit!”

– Matt Blumberg, CEO, Bolster

Founder and CEO, Lightspeed

Dax Dasilva

“At Lightspeed, diversity and inclusion have been in our DNA since I founded the company in 2005. I believe that innovation and creativity are strongest when different viewpoints are heard around the table. Company values start at the top and it’s essential for Lightspeed leadership to put our words into action and be part of The Board Challenge – not only for our global employees but for our SMB retail and hospitality industry customers located in multicultural communities throughout the globe. As we work towards a more inclusive future, initiatives like The Board Challenge are essential in bringing together top talent, with diversity as a key strategic advantage.”

– Dax Dasilva, Founder and CEO, Lightspeed

CEO, Ranpak

Omar Asali

“Ranpak is proud and honored to join The Board Challenge as a Charter Partner. As a global organization that values the life experiences, ideas and cultures each of our employees brings to our company, we strive to create an atmosphere of acceptance and respect for all our team members. Ranpak is proud to count men and women of all races and ethnicities as members of our team, and we are dedicated to increasing the diversity and well-being of our global workforce, from the boardroom to the factory floor. We know our differences make us a stronger company and we enthusiastically support The Board Challenge in its goal of true and full representation on all boards of directors. We will support and encourage the broader corporate community to accelerate these important changes.”

– Omar Asali, CEO, Ranpak

President and CEO, Heritage-Crystal Clean, Inc.

Brian Recatto

“We have decided to take part in the Board Challenge because we know diversity will enhance our ability to grow as a company, as well as enable us to improve as individuals. This is more than a check-the-box exercise for us. Change starts at the top, and our Chairman and I want to set the tone for our entire workforce that there is great value in welcoming unique perspectives to the leadership table. We are excited to strengthen our board in areas such as IT and logistics, and we are looking to embrace those that have the skills and background we lack to help us reach our full potential.”

– Brian Recatto, President and CEO, Heritage-Crystal Clean, Inc.

Co-founder and CEO, HopSkipDrive

Joanna McFarland

“Diversity and inclusion has always been a priority at HopSkipDrive. We’re excited about the Board Challenge because by highlighting such an important initiative we now have an even greater pool of qualified candidates to fill a seat we have been saving.”

– Joanna McFarland, Co-founder and CEO, HopSkipDrive

Co-founder and CEO, Ro

Zach Reitano

“Company boards are only as strong as they are representative of different backgrounds, experiences and talents. As a Charter Member of The Board Challenge, we encourage others to join in this important commitment to ensuring the next generation of Black leaders are a part of growing and advising the next generation of great companies.”

– Zach Reitano, Co-founder and CEO, Ro

  • Tony West (Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary, Uber)
  • Shellye Archambeau (Board Director, Advisor and Author)
  • Rodney Adkins (Chairman, Avnet)
  • Crystal Ashby (Interim President and CEO, The Executive Leadership Council)
  • Edda Collins Coleman (Co-Founder, Center for Inclusion, Belonging and Equity)
  • Bernard Coleman (Chief Diversity Officer, Gusto)
  • Corby Reese (Managing Director, Swander Pace Capital)
  • Lexi Reese (COO, Gusto)
  • Tolithia Kornweibel (CMO, Gusto)
  • Tim Gokey (CEO, Broadridge Financial Solutions)
  • Brian Krzanich (CEO, CDK Global)
  • Herb Scannell (CEO, Southern California Public Radio)
  • Arborview Capital
  • iNovia Capital
  • Coral Chung (Founder and CEO, Senreve)
  • Kenneth Frazier (CEO, Merck)
  • Raj Singh (CEO, Accolade)
  • Zander Lurie (CEO, Momentive)
  • Matt Fiedler (CEO and Cofounder, Vinyl Me, Please)
  • Kabir Shahani (CEO, Amperity)
  • Tony West (Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary, Uber)
  • Shellye Archambeau (Board Director, Advisor and Author)
  • Rodney Adkins (Chairman, Avnet)
  • Crystal Ashby (Interim President and CEO, The Executive Leadership Council)
  • Edda Collins Coleman (Co-Founder, Center for Inclusion, Belonging and Equity)
  • Bernard Coleman (Chief Diversity Officer, Gusto)
  • Corby Reese (Managing Director, Swander Pace Capital)
  • Lexi Reese (COO, Gusto)
  • Tolithia Kornweibel (CMO, Gusto)
  • Tim Gokey (CEO, Broadridge Financial Solutions)
  • Leslie Miley (Director of Engineering, Google)
  • Brian Krzanich (CEO, CDK Global)
  • Herb Scannell (CEO, Southern California Public Radio)
  • Arborview Capital
  • iNovia Capital
  • Coral Chung (Founder and CEO, Senreve)
  • Kenneth Frazier (CEO, Merck)
  • Raj Singh (CEO, Accolade)
  • Zander Lurie (CEO, Momentive)
  • Matt Fiedler (CEO and Cofounder, Vinyl Me, Please)
  • Kabir Shahani (CEO, Amperity)

Founders