Alex Gallardo/Reuters
- Rosalind “Roz” Brewer is the only Black woman leading a Fortune 500 company right now.
- Throughout her career, she’s been an outspoken advocate for racial and gender equity.
- Brewer shows what it means to lead as an anti-racist executive, leadership experts told Insider.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
In a 2018 speech at her alma mater, Spelman College, Rosalind Brewer, the then-COO of Starbucks, told the graduating class of the all-female, historically Black college: “We are still Black women in a white male world.”
For her, those words still ring true. Recently named the incoming CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, the parent company of pharmacy chain Walgreens, Brewer is the only Black woman leading a Fortune 500 right now and just the third in modern history. Most of America’s C-suite is white and male.
But the executive, who goes by “Roz,” is also an outspoken advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and racial equity. Leadership consultants told Insider that Brewer is an example of an anti-racist leader. Antiracism is defined as the set of beliefs and actions that oppose racism and promote the inclusion and equality of Black and brown people in society.
The way Brewer speaks with candor about racial equity, as well as some of the initiatives she’s led, shows that she’s serious about making change.
Admitting when you’re wrong, and making it right
In 2018, Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson, both 23-year-old Black men, were arrested while sitting in a Philadelphia Starbucks. The men were waiting for their business partner, when a white female barista called the police on them.
Video of their arrest quickly went viral, prompting protests and accusations of racism against the coffee chain and the police. At the time, Brewer was the COO of Starbucks. In the days following the arrest, she joined Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson in meeting with Nelson and Robinson to personally apologize. They also separately spoke out about the incident to local press, condemning the events.
Brewer made a statement about the events, showing how it impacted her personally.
"When I saw the video, it sickened me because I began to think about my son, who's 23 years old and lives in Brooklyn," Brewer said. "I immediately thought about him and his safety. Secondly, I thought about what he must feel because my son is the kid that gets up on Saturday mornings and goes to Starbucks."
Leadership consultant, speaker, and coach Arquella Hargrove told Insider that Brewer's tone and messaging, in the Philadelphia store incident, as well as other times she's spoken about racial equity, show that she's serious about change.
"As an anti-racist advocate and leader, she is communicating her stance with humility, empathy and compassion, which are also the characteristics of an inclusive leader fostering an inclusive environment," Hargrove told Insider.
Beyond apologizing, Brewer pledged action.
"We can look at this moment as a point in history - or as a transformation," Brewer said.
A month later, the company closed its US stores to conduct four hours of racial bias training for employees. The company then rolled out 12 more trainings over the following months on topics like empathy, team building, and inclusion. The coffee chain also updated its store policy to welcome non-paying guests to sit in its stores and use its restrooms.
The two men reached a private settlement with Starbucks for an undisclosed sum. They also received an offer of free college tuition to complete bachelor's degrees through an online program with Arizona State University, a program created for Starbucks' employees.
Kailei Carr, CEO leadership development firm The Asbury Group, said Brewer's words and actions exemplified anti-racism at work. Brewer not only addressed the situation and admitted Starbucks was wrong, but pledged companywide, national action.
Dismantling systemic racism is at the core of being an anti-racist executive, Carr said.
"Hearing about the steps she personally took after the racially-charged incident at the Philadelphia Starbucks store in 2018, and how she both took personal responsibility as well as took immediate and strategic action, shows me that she is serious about anti-racism," Carr said.
An outspoken advocate for DEI
Brewer is an outspoken advocate on racial and gender equity and she was openly discussing these issues when fewer executives were having conversations about DEI.
In a 2015 interview with CNN, Brewer said she "demanded" diversity of her team. At the time, she was the CEO of Sam's Club, making her the first Black woman to lead a division within Walmart.
During that same interview, she described a meeting with a supplier, where all of the executives where white men.
"That was interesting," she said, adding that she was "going to place a call" to the supplier to talk about their team's lack of diversity.
In response, people called Brewer a racist and encouraged a boycott of Sam's Club stores.
Soon after, Doug McMillon, Walmart's CEO, issued a statement supporting Brewer.
"Roz was simply trying to reiterate that we believe diverse and inclusive teams make for a stronger business. That's all there is to it and I support that important ideal," he said.
Brewer has proven time and time again to be a DEI advocate, Carr said. Anti-racist leaders aren't afraid to call out injustices or systemic oppressive structures and to take action.
"I bet none of us will ever know all of the things she has done to chip away at the oppressive structures that have existed at her previous organizations," Carr said.
In a 2020 TED Talk, Brewer spoke out about corporate action in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, calling on more executives to invest in Black and brown employees through mentorship and sponsorship programs.
America's C-suites will continue to lack diversity, unless executives invest in programs to develop talent from marginalized communities and focus on inclusion, Brewer said.
Hargrove said the incoming Walgreens CEO takes a clear stand on diversity and inclusion and makes those tenants a priority.
"Bottom line, she is showing the actions of a CEO dedicated to leaving a DEI footprint," she said.