Founded in 2019, Chicago United's Corporate Inclusion Institute (CII) is a leadership development program built for today’s workforce and beyond. Over nine months, this acclaimed program helps companies develop individuals and teams who lead with inclusion, collaborate more effectively, and contribute meaningfully to business success.
The impact of CII goes beyond shaping corporate culture—companies that lead with inclusion see up to a 40% improvement in market share, making CII a powerful investment in both people and business. Employees gain leadership skills, cultural fluency, and confidence. For an organization, these results translate into stronger collaboration, higher retention, and better business performance.
INFORMATION SESSIONS — CII Cohort IX
Now preparing to begin its ninth Cohort, Chicago United’s Corporate Inclusion Institute (CII) has helped companies across industries to:
- Strengthen leadership pipelines
- Increase cross-cultural competency and collaboration
- Improve retention of high-potential talent
- Embed inclusive leadership as a business strategy
Contact Luz María Vargas, Senior Director of Leadership Development & Organizational Capacity, at 312.977.3082 or LMVargas@chicago-united.org to schedule a virtual information session for CII Cohort IX and learn how to invest in your company's leadership pipeline and overall business strategy.
The Benefits of CII on business
Inclusive firms have 2.3 times more cash flow per employee.
Companies with high inclusion practices see 45% improvement in market share compared to peers.
For every 10% increase in inclusion on a firm’s senior-executive team, EBIT rises 0.8%.
A Success: CII COHORT VIII
Chicago United held the CII Cohort VIII Closing Reception in October 2025. This reception marked the culmination of a nine-month inclusion journey for the program's Corporate Guides and Fellows, who were presented with a Certificate of Completion.
All Cohort VIII participants are now equipped to exemplify the inclusive leadership competencies cultivated through CII’s workshops and resources.
Led by distinguished professors and thought-leaders from top universities, CII Cohort VIII revealed proven results:
- The majority (76%) of Cohort VIII participants showed improved scores on cross cultural competency.
- Participants were able to apply the principles from the workshops to their jobs and indicated they would recommend the program to others.
- Participants are finding immediate opportunities to model principles learned in session to the work setting while learning is shared with other team members.
The Impact of CII-VIII
Satisfaction with the program is high with CII faculty, content, and applicability, averaging a 4.7 rating on a 5-point scale.
Coaching was viewed as a valuable component of CII with coaching partners indicating they had developed meaningful, trusting relationships.
THE TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY
BEGINS HERE
The business case is clear: Study after study has shown a direct positive correlation between an organization’s level of inclusion and its problem-solving capacity, creativity and team cohesion. The Corporate Inclusion Institute is a major component of your corporate goals, yielding long-lasting and far-reaching benefits to your organization.
The program is equally effective in small- to medium-size firms as well as large corporations, and interfaces seamlessly into leadership development initiatives already in place.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHICAGO UNITED'S CORPORATE INCLUSION INSTITUTE, PLEASE CONTACT:
Luz María Vargas
Senior Director of Leadership Development & Organizational Capacity
312.977.3082
LMVargas@chicago-united.org