Maria Hughes Discusses the Critical Role of Inclusion and Diversity

Maria Hughes, Humana’s Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer, recently spoke with DiversityInc about the critical role that I&D plays and the perspective she brings to her job.

She noted that “in order for inclusion and diversity to be successful in our organization, it has to be connected to our values, sustainable and drive business outcomes.”

“Diversity is important, but it’s also a more narrow view by focusing on representation and differences like ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation and religion,” she said. “We view inclusion as being much broader. It includes having a culture where all employees can thrive and are encouraged to reach their highest potential.

“While it’s important to have a workforce that represents the communities we serve, we also strive to have a culture that leverages differences to drive innovation, quality, and productivity,” she said. “Having leaders throughout the organization take personal accountability for inclusion is part of our culture evolution.”

Read the full interview here.