Food company Mondelēz International announced today that it has hired Robert Perkins, appointing him to the newly created role of Global Diversity & Inclusion Officer. Along with the new appointment, the company announced a series of other diversity and inclusion-related initiatives, including joining the Board Diversity Action Alliance, and entering partnerships with the Unstereotype Alliance and the FREE THE WORK initiative.

Today’s moves follow the company’s announcement in September of a series of diversity and inclusion initiatives, including the commitment to appoint a senior D&I officer. At the time, Mondelēz also committed to double Black representation in U.S. management by 2024, to invest in building cultural competences for all employees, and to promote economic inclusion for underrepresented communities.

Perkins has held numerous senior roles in a variety of food, foodservice, retail and media companies, most recently serving as Vice President, Global Talent Management at Foot Locker. He also held positions including Vice President, Talent Management & Inclusion at Burger King Corporation, Senior Director, Global Management Development at Sony Music Entertainment, and Director, Corporate Management Development and Human Resources at Time Warner. In his new role, Perkins will drive efforts to advance diversity, inclusion, representation and belonging in all our markets, including a commitment to double Black representation in its U.S. management team by 2024. He will report to Paulette Alviti, Chief People Officer, Mondelēz International.

Dirk Van de Put, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mondelēz International, said:

“We’re delighted to appoint Robert to the role of Global Diversity & Inclusion Officer for Mondelēz International as we accelerate our efforts to promote inclusivity for our colleagues, our communities and through our brands. Our ongoing commitment to reflecting the diversity of the world in which we operate is essential to the success of our business and our mission to lead the future of snacking.”

Mondelēz announced that it has joined as a signatory of the Board Diversity Action Alliance. The organization aims to increase the representation of racially and ethnically diverse directors on corporate boards of directors, beginning with Black directors. Signatories to the alliance commit to increasing the number of Black directors on their corporate boards of directors to one or more, disclose the self-identified race and ethnicity of directors, and to report on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion measures on an annual basis.

Jean-François van Boxmeer, Lead Director, Mondelēz International, said:

“Advancing diversity and inclusion across our business, and ensuring accountability for our progress, are essential to corporate governance. Mondelēz International is committed to board diversity, as well as to efforts to increase representation of Black leaders in its U.S. business, and I look forward to working with my board colleagues to help the organization use its scale to increase its positive impact on the world.”

The marketing partnerships Mondelēz has announced with the Unstereotype Alliance and the FREE THE WORK initiative are aimed at helping the company address local and global opportunities to further racial equity and economic empowerment. The Unstereotype Alliance is a thought and action platform that seeks to eradicate harmful stereotypes in all media and advertising content. FREE THE WORK is a global talent-discovery platform for advertisers to find and connect with underrepresented creators.

Martin Renaud, Chief Marketing Officer, Mondelēz International, said:

“Our approach to marketing celebrates the human and emotional connections our brands create with our consumers: From racial inclusion to LGBTQ+ representation, our brands have a long history of ally-ship, advocacy, and standing up for the diversity of the world in which we live. We are excited to become partners of the Unstereotype Alliance and FREE THE WORK, and believe they are the perfect forums to ensure that we continue to drive diversity, inclusivity and belonging in our creative work and creative processes.”