Anjali Mathai has joined HLW as director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, operating out of the firm’s New York City office. Mathai brings nearly two decades of experience in organizational design, development and change management to the firm, with an emphasis on communication transparency.
“For over a century, HLW has used design to advance positive change in the world. Today, we recognize diversity, equity, and inclusion is an indivisible part of creating a sustainable future,” said Susan Boyle, managing director at HLW. “We’re excited to welcome Anjali into her new role and look forward to collaborating with her. With Anjali on board, we will focus on centering equity within the firm and its work, and we will use her insight and experience to find innovative solutions for some of our industry’s most challenging issues.”
Previously a licensed social worker in the nonprofit field, Mathai will work closely with the firm’s leadership team to cultivate a work culture open to transparent dialogue, which will enhance the employee experience and increase engagement and collaboration across the organization.
Mathai will oversee the convergence of the firm’s various existing corporate social responsibility initiatives and culture-based programs under a single umbrella, including HLW’s recent alignment with the International Living Future Institute and Just certification. Mathai will also support the human resources team in further building out the firm’s ethnically and socially diverse professional staff –– a workforce that is currently more than 50% composed of women and minorities, with BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) accounting for 37% of the team.
