London Inc. Fall 2021 - 18

Upfront Leadership
THE ROAD AHEAD
For new Chamber boss Graham Henderson, prioritizing diversity and inclusion
is the path to better business outcomes
BACK IN MARCH, one of the first things newly appointed
London Chamber of Commerce (www.londonchamber.com)
CEO Graham Henderson did was sit down and digest the
organization's strategic plan.
What he noted were some glaring omissions.
" The mission, vision and values all looked good, but I
noticed what was missing, " he says. " There was no reference
to community or to diversity, equity and inclusion. "
" WE ARE NOT
JUST FOCUSED
ON BUILDING
AND GROWING
THE CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE,
WE ARE FOCUSED
ON THE BROADER
COMMUNITY "
-Graham Henderson
Rumina Morris, London's director of anti-racism and
anti-oppression, was tapped as a resource to deliver antiracism
training to all board and staff members. Indigenous
advocate, Tia Kennedy, and DEI expert, Nicole Kiniki, are
part of the strategic planning team.
Henderson says engagement with Indigenous communities
is built into the process, with a goal of honouring the
business community's obligations under Call to Action 92
from the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission.
" What excites Nicole, Tia and me
are the focus groups we are planning
that reach beyond current Chamber
members to include Black, Muslim and
Indigenous business owners, " explains
Henderson. " We are asking 'Why aren't
you engaged with the Chamber? What
changes are needed to create a more
inclusive Chamber? What are the terms
on which you want to be engaged?' We
are not just focused on building and
growing the Chamber of Commerce, we
are focused on the broader community. "
Information gathering will continue
through the fall, with a goal to have
the new plan in place for January, but
Henderson says he won't sacrifice
quality for speed.
" We want to hear from everyone.
There will be an online Chamber member
survey in October, but if you're not a
Chamber member and you want to have
input, I invite anyone to email me. "
Part of the broader focus Henderson
talks about is making DEI training
more easily accessible, particularly
In the normal course of operations, the Chamber's
strategic plan was not due to be updated until 2022,
Henderson says. " But for a CEO to execute a strategic plan
that is not his or her own, that can be difficult, " he says.
Henderson reasoned his hiring presented a perfect
opportunity to rethink the strategic plan - and to re-examine
the Chamber's role in the community.
To get the ball rolling, Henderson pulled in voices and
perspectives that have not been at the planning table in the
past, and embedded DEI experts into the process at the front
end.
18 | londonincmagazine.ca | FALL 2021
for smaller businesses that may not be able to afford the
expense. To do so, he's exploring the development of a freeto-access
webinar, and is also reaching out and engaging
with the London Community Recovery Network, the London
Environmental Network, cultural institutions and other
" folks who are not traditionally connected to the Chamber, "
he says.
" We are hopefully creating methodologies and a toolkit
that will be of value to other Chambers across the province,
and to members who want to start building their own path
to DEI. "
KYM WOLFE
http://www.londonchamber.com http://www.londonincmagazine.ca
London Inc. Fall 2021

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