Ferrara

Jeanette Torres

Jeanette Torres serves as the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Ferrara, where she leads the development and execution of strategies that foster a more inclusive, equitable and representative workplace. Her work spans training and education, support for Business Resource Groups, inclusive talent recruitment and community partnership building. Torres plays a key role in embedding DEI into Ferrara’s business operations by using data to track progress and drive accountability. Passionate about translating values into action, she is committed to creating an environment where every employee feels seen, heard and valued.

Defining Success in DEI Through Measurable Progress

“Measurable” DEI goes beyond good intentions and focuses on clear, data-informed outcomes. At Ferrara, this means increasing representation across all levels of the organization, improving engagement scores among historically marginalized groups and making meaningful progress toward specific goals, such as diversifying candidate slates, closing attrition gaps and ensuring equitable access to development opportunities.

To ensure DEI strategies are truly outcome-driven, accountability must be integrated into business operations. This includes setting clear goals, consistently tracking and reporting progress and holding leaders responsible for results. It also involves listening to employee feedback, refining strategies based on what works and investing in continuous education and behavior change rather than onetime initiatives. Ultimately, success is achieved when DEI becomes a consistent part of how the organization thinks, leads and grows.

Balancing Insight and Care When Using Data to Drive Equity

Data plays a crucial role in identifying and addressing equity gaps. It reveals patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed, such as disparities in hiring and promotion or variations in employee experience across demographic groups. When DEI is integrated with all areas of Human Resources — including talent acquisition, learning and development, total rewards and employee relations — data becomes a shared foundation for informed decisions, action planning and tracking progress toward a more equitable workplace.

“When handled with intention, data becomes a powerful tool for driving accountability, fostering inclusion and delivering lasting impact.”

Balancing transparency with care means sharing insights in ways that build trust while protecting privacy. It is important to clearly explain why data is being collected, how it will be used and what safeguards are in place to ensure confidentiality. Just as vital is acting on the findings, moving beyond reporting numbers to translating insights into real change. When handled with intention, data becomes a powerful tool for driving accountability, fostering inclusion and delivering lasting impact.

The Role of Middle Managers in Advancing DEI

Engaging middle management as DEI champions begins by connecting DEI to their everyday responsibilities. This can be done by integrating inclusion goals into performance metrics, offering targeted training that links inclusive leadership to team outcomes and providing simple, actionable tools such as inclusive hiring guides or conversation prompts for team meetings.

Creating space for open dialogue is equally important. Middle managers often have valuable insights into team dynamics but may feel uncertain about how to engage. Regular check-ins, peer learning groups and recognition for inclusive behaviors help build confidence and reinforce that DEI is not an extra task—it is a core leadership skill. When leaders understand that inclusion enhances engagement, sparks innovation and drives performance, they are more likely to prioritize it, even when balancing competing demands.

Advice for DEI Leaders at the Start of Their Journey

Start by building strong relationships across the organization. DEI efforts do not belong to a single department; they thrive when integrated into business strategy, talent development and day-to-day culture. Take time to listen, understand the business and identify shared goals where DEI can add meaningful value.

From there, prioritize progress over perfection. Set clear, attainable goals, use data to inform your approach and recognize small wins along the way. Lasting, measurable change is driven by consistency, collaboration and a genuine commitment to aligning intent with impact.