SAN DIEGO—D&I—shorthand for diversity and inclusion—is not just the politically correct thing to do anymore; these days, CRE capital is following companies that have strong diversity and inclusion policies that result in a fairer playing field for all, said G. Joyce Rowland, SVP and chief human-resources and administrative officer for Sempra Energy, said during last week's BMC event here. Part of the BMC Dialogue Series presented by Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate at the University of San Diego School of Business, “Unconscious Bias in the Workplace” included a presentation by Rowland on her company's journey to diversity and inclusion.

The transition into a diverse and inclusive company doesn't happen overnight—it's a process. Rowland said to build a truly diverse environment, you have to commit to the long game. “Diversity is part of our value statement … to embrace diversity of people and perspective.”

One of the pitfalls of the way businesspeople currently make decisions is backing ourselves into the reasons for those decisions instead of examining the facts without a predetermined decision in mind. “We think we're much more rational than we are,” said Rowland, and we use our unconscious bias to create shortcuts that lead to quick decision making.