Get to Know Gil Casellas
Gilbert F. “Gil” Casellas is vice chairman of Toyota’s Diversity Advisory Board (DAB), a group established in 2002 to seek perspectives from global diversity leaders. Casellas joined the DAB in 2007 and brings significant expertise from previous roles, including vice president of corporate responsibility and chief diversity officer for Dell, Inc. and chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under former President Bill Clinton.
What's a fun fact people might not know about you?
My first appointment in the Clinton Administration was as general counsel of the U.S. Department of the Air Force, and in that role, I also served as Governor of Wake Island! I never got to visit the island (actually a chain of three islets in the central Pacific) because several months later I was appointed chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Who or what in your life has inspired your commitment to D+I?
Growing up as an Afro-Latino in the segregated South in the 1950s and 60s, I personally endured the indignities of Jim Crow, meaning separate schools, movie theaters, water fountains and the like. However, with the passage of civil rights laws, I benefited from opportunities not available to my parents and grandparents. As a result, I have tried to honor their sacrifices by devoting myself to the cause of equal opportunity in government, academia and the business world.
You've advised many companies on diversity and inclusion. What do you think is distinctive about D+I at Toyota?
It’s simple: Toyota’s longstanding commitment to and respect for its people, which is so embedded into the culture and has served as the foundation for success. I recall reading a speech by Shoichiro Toyoda, the late chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation, in which he spoke of “building people” as more than giving skills but developing a strong sense of mutual respect and teamwork. He noted that investing in people is investing in Toyota’s future. Nothing is more representative of the underlying values of D+I than mutual respect and understanding.
How does the DAB help Toyota drive D+I progress and strengthen accountability?
First and foremost, the DAB brings the “outside in.” That is, we try to bring to Toyota our experiences with different companies in different sectors and industries as well as from government, the military and academia. The diversity of the DAB members’ experiences, and the lessons gleaned from those experiences, can assist Toyota in its relentless pursuit of becoming a better company.
What advice do you have for purpose-driven Toyota team members who want to make a greater contribution in their workplace or community?
Stay true to the enduring values that have contributed to the company’s success: mutual respect for people, continuous improvement (kaizen) and passionate dedication to teamwork.