Derek Gordon
Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Colgate Palmolive
Derek Gordon is Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for Colgate-Palmolive Company, a $17 billion consumer products company serving people in more than 200 countries and territories.
In this global role, Derek leads the development and implementation of a comprehensive, long-term and sustainable Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategy. Derek provides leadership ensuring that Diversity, Equity & Inclusion are embedded as an essential component of Colgate’s culture and business practices around the world.
Rooted in Colgate’s purpose of reimagining a healthier future for all people ,their pets and our planet and the company values of Caring, Inclusiveness and Courageousness, the focus points of Colgate’s Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategy are people, community, supplier diversity and communication. Through this strategy, Colgate will continue to become a more diverse, inclusive and equitable organization by implementing policies, learning experiences and processes that promote awareness, empathy, advocacy and opportunity.
Derek’s background as a commercial leader with global marketing and innovation expertise and strong collaborative nature and passion for diversity and inclusion, prepared him well to take on this important leadership role.
Derek joined Colgate North America in 2012 as the General Manager for U.S. Home Care. From there he became VP General Manager of Colgate Palmolive Canada. Prior to this new role, Derek was Vice President and General Manager of Colgate’s Global Toothbrush Division, where he forged a new strategy, focusing on sustainable innovation and design for Colgate’s manual toothbrush business and preparing for the reentry into the powered toothbrush segment.
Prior to Colgate, Derek worked for 15 years in positions of increasing responsibility at The Clorox Company until he became North America President for its Armored AutoGroup, which he helped spin off into a stand-alone company. He started his marketing career at P&G in brand marketing.
Derek holds a BS degree in Business from the University of Wyoming and an MBA from the University of Southern California.
