Elizabeth Nieto
Cultivating Impactful Diversity and Inclusion at Amazon
By Gloria Romano-Barrera
In 2019, Amazon appointed Elizabeth Nieto as the head of Global Diversity,
Equity & Inclusion. With courage, tenacity, and perseverance, Nieto has led
by example when it comes to diversity. Her leadership role at the world's
largest online marketplace, especially during the pandemic, has helped shape
how Amazon is engaging for impact, innovation, and shaping its future.
Turning every obstacle into a success story, Nieto has climbed proverbial
career mountains. At a time when uncertainties transformed the way we live and
work, Nieto stayed atop of her challenges: making decisions based on impact,
for both customers and employees, setting priorities and goals, cultivating
relationships, and communicating her message of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Responsible for implementing Amazon’s comprehensive DEI strategy
focused on attracting and developing a diverse workforce, she believes
working in the diversity and inclusion field is aligned to her personal purpose.
Although not new to Amazon, the focus on diversity and inclusion has become
especially important at a time where the conversation of oppression, racial
inequality, and disparities are constant.
Making decisions based on the impact on Amazon’s stakeholders,
customers, and employees, are at the core of her strategy. Under her
leadership, the company continues to improving hiring, developing, promoting,
and retaining the best builders of all backgrounds. Educating, engaging, and
influencing leaders and managers, while partnering with talent management,
recruiting, and the full human resources community are part of her strategy.
“A lot of the work of DEI is understanding who your customer is and
centering the work on them,” she shares. “We need to think of candidates and
employees as our customers and understand their experience when they
interact with our organizations. The DEI teams create processes so
that recruiting teams and hiring
managers get exposed to a broad set
of talent...that, to me, is one of the
ways that we influence our
organizations and we have an impact
on the workforce,” she adds. “For me
to be successful is to fulfill my
purpose. I think about the positive
impact not just for our employees,
but for their families and
communities as well. Success
is seeing that there are more
opportunities for children like mine to
be able to have access to education,
access to health, or access to careers
that previous generations didn’t
have.”
At a time when diversity is
Elizabeth Nieto, Amazon’s
Head of Global Diversity,
Equity, and Inclusion addresses
attendees at AmazeCon, a
signature diversity conference
hosted by the company
in Seattle.
ever more critical and the Latino
population is growing at a fast rate,
Nieto is no stranger to different
experiences and transitions. Born and
raised in Argentina, with a
background in educational sciences,
she learned and embraced diversity
and inclusion earlier in her career.
“I raised my hand to lead diversity and inclusion for one area at the bank
where I was working and I then found the purpose of my career,” she shares.
“Understanding how people learn, their behaviors and choices, as well as how
organizations manage their talent are building blocks to create organizational
cultures of inclusion. To build equity, not only do we think about the individuals,
but the systems that support someone in the organizations or the systems that
hinder them to be successful. In today’s world, we understand how systems have
an impact on the livelihood and the career opportunities of different groups, we
do the same from a company perspective.”
Prior to joining Amazon, Nieto was the Global Chief Diversity & Inclusion
Officer at MetLife since 2012 and the Global Talent Management Leader since
2017. Under her leadership, the company defined and implemented their first
global D&I strategy supported by MetLife CEO. The strategy focused on the
development of women globally and regional initiatives (e.g. emerging talent,
LGBTQ+, people with different abilities, veterans) and accountability metrics to
achieve the company’s world-class status aspiration. As the Global Talent
Management Leader, she was responsible for the senior talent review and
succession management process, the MBA global leadership development
program and executive coaching.
Amazon Head of Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Elizabeth Nieto (second from right) with colleagues at
AmazeCon, the company’s annual gender diversity conference.
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