Toys
Robotics Barbie Joins Corporate Chorus Calling for Diversity
- Mattel’s latest is one of a promised line of role model dolls
- Hundreds of CEOs have made public pledges to improve diversity
Robotics Barbie is a lab-coat-and-glasses-wearing robotics engineer, a far cry from the 1992 “math class is tough” version. Appropriately, she’s also part of a Mattel Inc. initiative to promote new jobs for girls, in line with a public pledge the company made earlier this year.
In February, Mattel Senior Vice President Lisa McKnight joined 40 executives onstage at the Makers women’s diversity conference to make a range of commitments toward improving women’s professional lives. McKnight promised 10 such dolls this year; advertising group UM said it would double the number of women of color at every level of its organization; LinkedIn said it will add job coaching for returning moms.