Richardson is behind a slew of diversity and inclusion initiatives at ESPN and Disney, from ESPN’s first-ever participation in the New York City Pride Parade in June, to Disney’s “Heroes Work Here,” an effort to hire, train and support returning veterans, to launching employee resource groups and a diversity council. Though he recognizes the movement toward a more diverse workforce in cable is an ongoing process, Richardson is proud to be a part of progress. “I think the cable industry has been committed to diversity ahead of most others. I can’t think of another industry that recognized diversity’s importance earlier than cable. Perhaps it was driven by the fact that we serve audiences of so many different back- grounds, but regardless the reason, I’m glad to be a part of it.”
