CFP Board details sixth annual diversity summit and career fair

The CFP Board Center for Financial Planning has announced the agenda and speaker lineup for its sixth annual Diversity Summit and Career Fair. 

The summit, which is being held in Arlington, Virginia, on Nov. 9, has a 2023 theme of "Inclusion 360 … Profession, Planner, Community." Officials say the theme was chosen to highlight the significance of inclusion in recruitment and retention efforts for lasting organizational change.

The summit will be preceded by a virtual Diversity Career Fair on Nov. 8. The career fair will connect employers with qualified candidates, including current CFP professionals and those aspiring to be CFP professionals, with a special focus on women and people of color.

"In previous years, the Diversity Summit focused on filling the financial planner pipeline with diverse talent," CFP Board CEO Kevin R. Keller said in a statement. "This year, we've broadened the Summit's focus to include the equally critical task of inclusion. Without inclusion, retaining diverse talent becomes challenging. 

"Our programming is designed to provide attendees with actionable insights and best practices for fostering inclusivity within the financial planning profession."

The Diversity Summit was designed to address the Center for Financial Planning's vision of ensuring that every American has access to competent and ethical financial planning advice.

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The event brings together leaders from financial services firms, academic institutions and think tanks to showcase initiatives and best practices that advance racial, ethnic and gender diversity in the financial planning workforce.

During the Summit, the Center will release data about the financial needs and perceptions of LGBTQ+ investors, as well as how financial planners serve the LGBTQ+ community. The Center will also introduce a new thought leadership paper showcasing best practices for engaging diverse college students who are considering the financial planning profession and CFP certification.

This year's keynote speaker is Daisy Auger-Domínguez, founder of Auger-Domínguez Ventures, author of "Inclusion Revolution" and former global chief people officer at Vice Media Group. 

Last year, the Center published a report that aimed to serve as a resource for those committed to greater diversity in the industry. The 69-page document, titled "Metrics That Matter," is a compilation of five articles written by industry pros and academics covering best practices when incorporating metrics into DEI work.

Included in the "Metrics That Matter" report are articles from Ella Bell Smith of Dartmouth College; Stefanie Johnson of the University of Colorado; Crystal Cox and Laura Barry of Wealthspire Advisors; Lisa Shalett, Emily G. Thomas, Adriane Parris, Steve Edwards and Emily M. Feczko of Morgan Stanley; and Rachel J. Robasciotti of Adasina Social Capital.

The articles focus on topics like self-awareness when establishing leadership metrics, creating a framework for DEI metrics, what a firm's diversity efforts look like from the inside, monitoring progress and reevaluating due diligence processes through a DEI lens.

The report also explains that the heightened desire to make and track progress is coming at a critical time.