The Diversity Movement started as an idea to build one e-learning course that focused on inclusion and bottom-line results. Then, global unrest occurred as a result of George Floyd’s death and Donald Thompson — along with co-founders Jackie Ferguson, Kurt Merriweather, Sharon Delaney McCloud and Kaela Sosa — responded to the needs of clients.
Today, The Diversity Movement is a diversity, equity and inclusion consultancy that was one of two North Carolina companies cited in Inc. magazine’s Best in Business for 2021.
The business has served more than 90 clients including Lenovo, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and Truliant Federal Credit Union, while more than 100,000 people have studied its content worldwide, Thompson says.
“As a business leader and entrepreneur, I understand the challenges that C-suite leaders and managers face, so it is incredibly gratifying to watch our team help organizations as they navigate this new world we now live in,” he says. “We know the best-performing businesses of the coming decade will embrace cultures of diversity, equity and inclusion. So, I am proud of our team’s efforts, especially considering the highly charged and emotional nature of the work.”
Thompson, 50, says The Diversity Movement offers business data and training through a suite of employee applications that track results. Its MicroVideo digital learning platform and other offerings help clients solve problems and improve their work environments.
“We view DEI as a business imperative and help our clients across their entire organizations,” Thompson says. “Unlike traditional consultancies that focus just on surveys, raising awareness or just implement one-off campaigns, we utilize a data-driven approach that is built on our clients’ successes.”
Thompson left East Carolina University as a junior to work full time, later becoming a top executive at two Triangle technology firms that were acquired by Adobe and India’s KPIT.
He helped build Raleigh-based Walk West into a 40-employee digital-marketing company that ranked in the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in recent years. He joined the firm in 2016 when Brian Onorio was the only full-time employee and stepped down last year as CEO to focus on The Diversity Movement. He remains Walk West’s board chair.