A seasoned diversity and inclusion hire has joined the senior leadership team at US-based international software provider, CSG, in a historic appointment for the company.

The role, based in Chicago, US, means Channing Martin Jones will become the company’s first-ever chief diversity and social responsibility officer. Prior to this move, Jones had spent years in the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) sector via senior roles at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the US Department of State, and the US Office of Personnel Management.

Jones will be CSG’s first c-suite executive in her area of expertise. She will work with new CEO Brian Shepherd to improve inclusion and representation levels across the organisation.

According to a shared statement about the appointment, Jones’s responsibilities at CSG will include the “equitable distribution of opportunities, rewards, and consequences” to “make employees and business operations better while supporting the company’s innovative spirit, rapid growth, and evolution.”

Commenting on the new hire, Shepherd said: “As a global technology leader with employees and customers all around the world, diversity and inclusion are critical to our business success. Channing’s track record of helping organisations implement systemic changes that promote inclusion and reduce disparity gaps will help CSG build a culture of equity in everything we do. We are thrilled to have her join our leadership team as we grow into the best version of CSG possible.”

Jones herself said: “Against the backdrop of a global pandemic and social injustice, it is imperative for organisations to invest in an equity and inclusion strategy that promotes shared ownership across its entire enterprise and one that possesses the flexibility to meet the needs of employees and clients. I am thrilled to see CSG, its board and its leadership embrace this vision.”

D&I roles: the statistics

Jones’s appointment to CSG proves that companies are starting to take diversity and inclusion seriously by carving out job positions in this area where they may not have existed before. But according to a 2020 study, it’s British organisations that are leading the way in the D&I job economy.

UK organisations hire twice more D&I professionals per 10,000 employees than other countries, although the US has the largest numbers of D&I professionals globally. There has also been a 58% increase in the number of D&I roles available in the UK over the past five years, which include many senior positions. UK D&I roles are also looking likely to overtake HR positions in terms of the number of job postings, which increased by 33% in 2020 from the year before.