XPO Names Chief Diversity Officer

XPO Logistics has named LaQuenta Jacobs to the newly created position of chief diversity officer, effective Aug. 3. She "will provide cultural leadership and strategic direction as an advocate of diversity, equity and inclusion at XPO," according to the announcement. She will report directly to Chairman and CEO Bradley Jacobs.

LaQuenta Jacobs is a progressive human resources executive with 23 years of experience, joining XPO in 2018 as head of human resources for the company’s last mile business unit. Prior to XPO, the company says, Jacobs championed inclusivity in senior HR roles with Delta Air Lines, The Home Depot, Turner Broadcasting, and Georgia-Pacific, among others.

“I’m delighted that our first chief diversity officer is such a qualified candidate from within our own organization,” said Bradley Jacobs in a statement. “LaQuenta is a unique talent – she cares deeply about the human aspects of diversity, and also knows how to advance cultural development within a public company of XPO’s size, with almost 100,000 employees.”

Bradley Jacobs has been outspoken on LinkedIn about diversity and racism. In June, in the wake of protests following the death of George Floyd during an arrest, he wrote: “Let me be very clear about where XPO Logistics, Inc. stands on the events of the past nine days. Racism is wrong. Violence is wrong. Any word, thought or action that attempts to make one person feel less valuable than another is wrong. Love is right, hate is wrong.

“As a team, we stand in solidarity with people of color, and support peaceful protests that lead to a greater good. As a business, we will continue to stand up for equality as the most fundamental of human rights.”

On its website, XPO says, “At XPO, we take pride in having a culture that welcomes women, people of all colors and ethnicities, LGBTQ+ individuals, military veterans and those who are differently abled. In this way, we create respectful workplaces with a diversity of talents and perspectives.”

According to Comparably.com, diverse employees at XPO Logistics score the company 66/100 across various culture categories, placing XPO Logistics in the top 50% of companies in the United States with 10,000+ employees for Comparably's diversity score. The Diversity score provides insights into how diverse employees feel and rate their work experience at XPO Logistics across various culture dimensions.