The Why: Where there’s innovation, there’s Parimi planning ways to keep Spectrum Enterprise at the forefront—a passion he extends to his advocacy for DEI. He was integral to the introduction of the Stay Connected K-12 program at the height of the pandemic, and it remains strong as evidenced by a partnership with the L.A. Unified School District to bring internet to thousands of families.
He Says… “Published reports on the positive impact of DEI initiatives on business success are changing attitudes at senior leadership levels across the industry.”
What movie or show is A must-watch for celebrating diversity? “Never Have I Ever” celebrates diversity across many facets: ethnicity, gender, age, etc. It reflects the world we all live in.
Place I would love to retire to: I like to travel, so hoping to split my time between places in the U.S. and Southeast Asia.
What practices should be adopted to make the hiring process more inclusive? Start with making sure everyone is aligned on how being inclusive benefits the business. Rather than taking a passive stance to targeting and recruiting, proactively reach out to diverse talent. Having diverse recruiters will also go a long way—recruiters are the first point of contact and seeing diverse recruiters can help candidates feel at ease. It is also important to build and maintain an internal pipeline of high-performing diverse talent, especially for leadership roles.
How have attitudes about DEI changed since you began your career? There have been many significant developments in DEI since my first job 25 years ago. DEI moved from more of a concept/idea to an implemented initiative that is increasingly being embraced by organizations. Published reports on the positive impact of DEI initiatives on business success are changing attitudes at senior leadership levels across the industry. Most organizations today are creating work environments that encourage the attraction and retention of diverse employees because this variety of experiences and insights is regarded as essential for creating innovative and relevant products, services, and customer experiences.
