IGT Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Speaks to iGaming Post

Brian Blake

“Ahead of the Game.” This is the theme of IGT’s recently released 2022 Sustainability Report, a comprehensive document that details IGT’s global practices, policies, procedures and achievements related to protecting its people and the planet. It illuminates what IGT’s Sustainable Play™ program means to the Company and its approach to supporting its four sustainability pillars: Valuing and Protecting our People, Advancing Responsibility, Supporting our Communities, and Fostering Sustainable Operations.

As the Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at IGT, I imagine it comes as no surprise that “Valuing and Protecting our People” is always at the forefront of my mind and at the core of the Company’s DEI strategy. For IGT, 2022 was marked with important DEI progress, meaningful benchmarking milestones and accolades from credible, third-party organizations – much of which is outlined in the current Sustainability Report. For example, in 2022 IGT added its Human Rights Policy Statement to employee training, and more than 97 percent of IGT employees completed human rights training. For the first time in Company history, IGT was included in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index, which measures LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace. Similarly, in 2022, IGT was the first Casino and Gaming company to become a signatory for the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), a set of principles offering guidance to businesses on how to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community. I am incredibly proud of these achievements and momentum, however a thriving DEI project is not defined by checked boxes and meeting metrics – it’s a journey, and not always a linear one. One that requires commitment, resilience, and perseverance. The notions of continuous improvement, of increased compassion and of heightened awareness are cornerstones of DEI growth and frankly, the dimensions of my career that I find most rewarding and inspiring.

Onwards and Upwards

As the adage goes, “change is hard,” and in some ways, DEI change is extra hard. Not because it’s beyond abilities or exceeds available recourses, but because its highly nuanced and requires folks to look within themselves to examine and often recalibrate their beliefs, truths and actions. Resistance comes into play not because people are generally opposed to being more inclusive, but because DEI, when properly planned and instituted, encourages us to look within ourselves and question how we see the world, how we see the organization, how we see our colleagues, and ultimately, how we see ourselves. It impacts how we show up at work, how we treat people, and how we support others in ways that meet their unique needs. It levels the playing field.

In the face of this unique challenge, I am optimistic. I hold that most people want others to have good experiences, to feel valued and empowered and to live happy lives. This is why IGT will never relent, and we leverage education, benchmarking, research and more to engage and motivate employees and stakeholders to actively participate in DEI initiatives. Prior to joining IGT, I led DEI for the National Hockey League. Although the programs, people and challenges were different than those at IGT, the opportunities are quite similar. Research shows that companies that embrace diversity and inclusion are 70 percent more likely to capture new markets; that companies with above-average diversity performance report 19 percent higher innovation revenue; and that diverse and inclusive teams make better decisions 87 percent of the time. Although the demands of the hockey business and the gaming business are quite different, most people can appreciate that the requirements for business performance and profitability share similarities.

We Can Do Hard Things

With my initial months at IGT behind me and with the support of IGT leaders across the globe, IGT is taking its DEI programming to the next level. As a DEI pioneer in the gaming industry, IGTmade remarkable progress since the 2018 formation of its Office of Diversity & Inclusion (now named: Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).I am grateful for and respectful of the amazing foundation from which I started, but we must never settle or as the saying goes, “rest on one’s laurels.” After all, most journeys only have a starting line and no defined end point.

Looking forward, IGT intends to conduct an organizational-wide “DEI Maturity Assessment.” This exercise should establish a measuring point for our current and future DEI initiatives. The desired outcome is to further imbed and operationalize inclusion mindsets, behaviors, and practices at IGT. This endeavor will also build on the valuable benchmarking exercises that have helped us earn the respect of some of the most respected diversity advocacy groups in the world.

In tandem, we’ll focus on elevating our employees’ “DEI IQ,” so they can become even more culturally fluent, and helping our people managers become more adept at managing inclusively and recognizing the value of the differences that people bring to the table. To achieve this, we plan to employ both traditional and non-traditional modes of learning.

We will also continue to grow our thriving network of employee-led “Diversity and Inclusion Groups” (DIGs). With thousands of employees participating in DIGS around the world, each DIG represents a dimension of diversity (50+, Military Veterans, LGTBQ+, etc.) and through events and programming, illuminates ways IGT can better-serve each underrepresented group, inspires participation, promotes intersectionality and ultimately makes IGT a better place to work. Later this year we plan to introduce an eighth DIG and I anticipate great employee participation and learnings.

The Future Depends on It

A dynamic, authentic and thriving DEI program is no longer a “nice to have.” Today, it’s a business-critical program that positions companies such as IGT to become “employers of choice” and aids in attracting and retaining top talent. Research indicates that members of the millennial and Gen Zdemo graphics take important issues such as sustainability, DEI, and work-life balance into heavy consideration when evaluating employment opportunities. As an industry, we must prioritize these considerations and arm our talent acquisition teams with the tools they need to recruit with an “inclusive lens. ”If together we stay focused on creating spaces, opportunities, and even an entire industry where individuals feel empowered, welcomed and celebrated in bringing their full, authentic selves to work, we’ll all stay Ahead of the Game. I welcome you all to join us on this journey and invite you to check out the “Valuing and Protecting our People” chapter of IGT’s Sustainability Report. Let’s celebrate our people and beauty of their diversity; after all, they are the heartbeat of any organization.

About Brian Blake

Brian is an influential thought leader with extensive experience driving positive change through the design, delivery and expansion of diversity and inclusion strategies and initiatives. He most recently led diversity and inclusion for the National Hockey League (NHL), based in New York, United States.  

In his three and a half years at the NHL, Brian launched the organization’s first immersive, experiential inclusion learning experience, which was delivered to all full-time employees including the league’s commissioner and senior executive team. He also led and facilitated the NHL’s internal inclusion steering committee, multiple enterprise-wide town halls on topics such as inclusion and social justice, and the creation of the organization’s first diversity and inclusion groups.  

Before the NHL, Brian was the primary point of contact for diversity and inclusion and learning and organizational development solutions at Turner (now Warner Bros Discovery), a premier, U.S.-based media company. He is also a founding member of a management consulting firm focused on technical and digital services, program and project management, and learning and development. Additionally, over the last 20 years, Brian served as a senior career management consultant and organizational development consultant for organizations including JPMorgan Chase and Citizens Financial Group.