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Democratizing data access is key to bolstering data inclusion and equity but requires sophisticated data organization and sharing that doesn't compromise privacy. Rights management governance and high levels of end-to-end security can help ensure that data is being shared without security risks, says Zdankus. Ultimately, improving digital inclusion and equity comes down to company culture. "It can't just be a P&L [profit and loss] decision. It has to be around thought leadership and innovation and how you can engage your employees in a way that's meaningful in a way to build relevance for your company," says Zdankus. Solutions need to be value-based to foster goodwill and trust among employees, other organizations, and consumers. "If innovation for equity and inclusion were that easy, it would've been done already," says Zdankus. The push for greater inclusion and equity is a long-term and full-fledged commitment. Companies need to prioritize inclusion within their workforce and offer greater visibility to marginalized voices, develop interest in technology among young people, and implement systems thinking that focuses on how to bring individual strengths together towards a common outcome. This episode of Business Lab is produced in association with Hewlett Packard Enterprises.

All those topics have made headlines this year--in Education Week and elsewhere--and all of them are splashed over the agenda of the country's largest education technology conference, which kicks off in Philadelphia this weekend. The International Society for Technology in Education will draw thousands of teachers, school administrators, and researchers from across the world, not to mention the dozens of ed-tech companies hungry for a piece of the K-12 market. Ben Herold, an ISTE veteran, will be moderating a panel on meeting the ed tech needs of extraordinary students. And I'll be at ISTE for the first time! Follow me on Twitter at @AlysonRKlein.