Spotlight on Diversity: Gerry Fernandez of the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance

October 29, 2019 | As the only member of The Toy Association's Diversity & Inclusion Committee that comes from outside the industry, Gerry Fernandez, president of the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA), brings a unique perspective to the table based on decades of experience promoting a more diverse workforce in the foodservice industry.

Toy News Tuesday editors asked Fernandez about the types of training and initiatives that can help the toy industry achieve its inclusion goals.

Question: Why was it important to you to join the Diversity & Inclusion Committee and why do you feel this is an important topic to address in the toy/youth industries?

Fernandez: I was invited to participate by an old friend that I admire and I love toys, so the thought of being able to leverage my diversity expertise made total sense.

Also, the changing demographics of America and the world demand that all business segments look at how diversity, equity, and inclusion can add value to businesses and improve the lives of the people they serve.

Question: Can you share examples of how your work has fostered diversity and inclusion in other industries?

Fernandez: The work MFHA has been doing in the restaurant, foodservice, and lodging industry is vital and has brought about significant changes in the way companies think about and engage diverse customers and employees:

• Our conferences and regional events have shared best practices on how inclusive organizations look and behave; Our training workshops on unconscious bias and community engagement have helped companies develop new strategies and improve recruiting policies and tactics; and


• Our advocacy and risk mitigation work has helped companies minimize and resolve racial and ethnic conflict with guests, employees, and community partners.

Question: How can workplace culture impact the consumer experience and products?

Fernandez: Culture drives behavior, inclusive behaviors improve engagement, and engaged customers spend more money and return more often. Customer engagement is about meeting people’s needs. By understanding the different cultural backgrounds and values systems that our customers bring to our business, we can change our behavior to better meet their needs. This approach also allows businesses to develop products and solutions that will be relevant to a broader base of the marketplace.

Question: How can the toy/youth products industries advance diversity and inclusion in their own companies?

Fernandez: The toy industry can leverage diversity and culture by adding diverse perspectives to boards, advisory councils, and as suppliers. Diversity of thought, perspective, and experience produces the best solutions. By counting the heads of decision makers, and making sure those heads represent the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of America, toy industry leaders can actually make those heads count through better decision making. Leadership must look like the customers you serve.

Any final thoughts?

Fernandez: The tone and tenor of public discourse in America has not been this toxic since the civil rights era. Elected officials seem to be locked in an “us against them” battle and people are looking for solutions. This provides corporate America with the opportunity to provide vision and leadership when it comes to building an inclusive and harmonious nation. I encourage Toy Association members to get involved with the diversity and inclusion initiative and let your voices be heard. Businesses can help drive inclusion by getting involved.

This interview is part of an ongoing series that spotlights members of The Toy Association’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee. This committee was formed to build awareness of and provide best practices for creating diversity within toy companies’ missions, workforce, products, and content development. Previously featured committee members include LEGO's Mark Moynihan, Walmart's Anne Marie Kehoe, and Mattel's Kim Culmone.