When you think about issues that represent ever-shifting challenges, where instead of definitive solutions we need to simply commit constant care and attention (like a chronic medical problem,) you need to think about the issue of equality first. That may seem a harsh and hopeless image to open with, but when the scales of justice demand realigning, the process of that fine-tuning is as sensitive and ongoing a process as there can be. And since humans haven’t figured this out yet after 10,000 years of trying, we need to face this process with our hearts and minds fully engaged. This kind of emotional intelligence and sensitivity is never a human speciality despite out capabilities for it… but we need to figure out some new tricks if we want to make this world a nice place to live, end of story.
These companies are all working on fine-tuning DE&I processes on a still-shifting ground, and we asked a handful of representatives to illustrate:
Can you tell us about your new DE&I strategies?
Sephora has continued to scale our leadership development program for underrepresented minorities across our corporate offices, stores and distribution centers. We recently launched the Talent Incubator Program and announced the 2022-23 cohort to build the next generation of diverse leaders through a nine-month structured mentoring and coaching program designed to empower career advancement at Sephora. The program has three components – competency based mentoring, theme oriented group coaching, and peer group coaching sessions. This year’s pilot runs from May 2022 through April 2023 and this year’s cohort consists of 50 mentees.
How far do you feel the issue of diversity in the workplace has come over the last few years?
At Sephora, we are proud to have teams of all backgrounds and experiences, with employees of color representing 69% of our total workforce and 45% of our leadership as of December 2021, but we recognize the need to continue improving our leadership mix within each area of the business.
Check Out Sephora’s Careers Page Here!
Can you tell us about your new DE&I strategies?
We understand that building and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace takes effort. That’s why our DE&I strategy encompasses the entire candidate journey – from attracting job seekers through supporting our team – and combines internal efforts with external partnerships. Before a candidate even applies to Octane, we take steps to ensure we’re inclusive in our outreach: we’re active on websites devoted to reaching diverse talent, including Mogul and Firsthand, in addition to leveraging Comparably to help us increase transparency around our culture and our approach to work. Since we take a data-driven approach to hiring and promoting, we know where we’re falling short and where we need to focus. Additionally, our partnership with Hummingbird Humanity helps us identify opportunities to reduce unconscious bias and create inclusive manager training and DE&I training for all of our employees. We also have internal DE&I initiatives to increase visibility and understanding. We regularly hold round table discussions about news and articles relating to DE&I topics, support charities that foster diversity, host Octane Stories, our speaker series that allows our people to share their unique experiences, and have Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which each have a C-Suite sponsor, to help foster connection among our people and advocate for causes that matter.
How far do you feel the issue of diversity in the workplace has come over the last few years?
Businesses have realized the importance of diversity in the workplace – it leads to better decision making in business, improves the employee and customer experience, and increases employee engagement and growth opportunities, and many companies are taking steps to increase representation and create more inclusive workplaces. But there is still work to be done, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to McKinsey & Company’s 2020 Global Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion/ COVID-19 Employee Experience Survey, women, those in the LGBTQ+ community, and people of color struggled the most as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and many cited decreases in mental health, feeling less connection and belonging, and feeling that they have fewer growth opportunities at work.At Octane, an important part of our DE&I strategy is supporting our employees in and out of the office with policies and practices that create work-life balance and provide opportunities for our people to progress their careers. In response to the impact COVID-19 had on our employees, we introduced emergency days off with “no questions asked” and expanded the number of remote and hybrid work opportunities we have, in addition to continuing to provide 20+ days of PTO, a dedicated lunch hour, and parental leave for any birth, placement, and adoption event. We also offer health, financial, and wellness benefits, like 401k contributions, employee assistance programs, and a $3000 yearly education stipend, which help diverse employees, parents, and caregivers get the support they need to achieve their personal and professional goals through life’s ups and downs.
Check Out Octane’s Careers Page Here!
Can you tell us about your new DE&I strategies?
Cambium Assessment has committed itself to being an inclusive and equitable workplace for all employees. In 2021, Cambium Assessment introduced a DEIB-specific (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging) strategic plan, with a number of those initiatives now either completed or underway as we prepare to close out 2022. Examples of these initiatives include: • Implementation of a 4-course DEI training suite for all permanent and contract employees, paired with ongoing DEI education sessions for departments within Cambium Assessment• Created and implemented two sets of guidelines, the first for hosting inclusive meetings and the second to communicate impactful events (i.e. the murder of George Floyd, reproductive rights, etc.)• Collaboration with Success Services (HR) on an inclusive holiday calendar and the removal of gender binary terminology from HR documentation• DEI review of new hire procedures for departments in Cambium Assessment• Introduced a DEI Glossary and a guide to inclusive language to all of Cambium Assessment
How far do you feel the issue of diversity in the workplace has come over the last few years?
In the last few years, the discourse around diversity in the workplace has had an incremental increase. However, there is still more to be done to truly weave diversity, equity, inclusion, equality, and belonging, into our everyday practices. Understanding that the DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging) journey is unique for all employees – from senior leadership to the newest employee – it is imperative that organizations continue to do the work of infusing these concepts across all facets of the business. In doing so, businesses recognize that this work is the responsibility of us all, not just those tasked with DEIB work within a job description. As we continue to have conversations regarding DEIB, it is imperative that we examine which voices are missing from the conversation, and which identities are absent from the room. Finally, we must understand that DEIB is not a destination but a constant journey to improve upon practices and adjust policies, taking the necessary measures to create a space where all individuals can feel – and be – seen, valued, and supported.
Check Out Cambium Assessment’s Careers Page Here!
Can you tell us about your new DE&I strategies?
At Newsela, we look at every process through an equity lens. So for us, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) are embedded in the entire employee lifecycle. We assess our systems for recruitment, career development and growth, and employee departures to ensure equity across the full span of an employee’s time at Newsela. By applying a DEIB lens to every process, we’re able to course correct for inequities in any of our employee processes. In recruitment we focus on building a diverse slate of candidates at every stage of the pipeline. In promotions, we look at proportional representation and promotion velocity. For departures, we look at representation and if we identify a pattern, we focus on understanding the lived experiences of that group to better support their experience and job satisfaction.
How far do you feel the issue of diversity in the workplace has come over the last few years?
The last couple of years have further propelled us forward and we’re not even close to done. We’ve seen an increase in action, accountability, and commitment across Newsela, at every level and in every department. This has laid the foundation for us to do a lot of work building more equitable systems and processes internally, thanks to the passion and dedication of our employees. We’ve been able to prioritize a number of DEIB-focused systemic changes as a business, including adjusting our processes for equity, building more structural support for our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and affinity groups, establishing a DEIB team, and hiring for roles across departments that are focused on creating more accessible, inclusive solutions for our students and teachers. We’ve also been able to establish accountability for departments through semi-annual DEIB reviews.
Check Out Newsela’s Careers Page Here!
Can you tell us about your new DE&I strategies?
Last year, our DE&I strategies focused heavily on educating our employees. This year, we’ve shifted into what our DE&I council has coined “centering joy.” We are focused on highlighting and celebrating our cultural differences and alleviating the responsibility minority groups often feel to educate others. We’ve also recently grown our employee-led affinity groups to a total of six, with the newest addition being Mi Gente, a group for our Latinx, Basque and Hispanic employees and their allies. Our priorities are ensuring that our employees have the right resources and strong support from the DE&I council and executive team so that they can be their most authentic selves at work. We’re excited to continue building on the strategies we’ve started, to add more in the future and to continue to ensure our employees know instinctively that nCino stands with them.
How far do you feel the issue of diversity in the workplace has come over the last few years?
As nCino continues to grow and deliver a positive impact on our communities, it is vital that our diversity, equity and inclusion strategies are well rooted within our organization and that we recognize there is always more work to be done. Companies must find what works for their organization as they balance their needs from both a fiscal perspective and an employee perspective. It is more important than ever to be sure our employees feel safe, heard and welcome and emphasize that we stand with our employees and our diverse communities. To continue to have strong programs, it is important to focus on fostering an environment based on inclusion for all of our employees. Whether it’s through sharing our pronouns, prioritizing mental health or providing safe spaces for employees to share their perspectives and background, we want our employees to feel safe and valued.
Check Out nCino’s Careers Page Here!
Can you tell us about your new DE&I strategies?
At Strava, we have a commitment to becoming an antiracist organization. We have established antiracist norms and we have even added antiracism as part of our company’s values. We’re working to become an antiracist organization through our diversity, equity and inclusion strategy and by executing on that strategy. We’re focusing on DEI and AR not just in our culture but also thinking about this work in terms of our product and community of athletes.
How far do you feel the issue of diversity in the workplace has come over the last few years?
Progress has been made in terms of the commitment to DEI, whether that is lip service or not. There has also been some progress in terms of accountability. Overall there is much more dialogue about diversity which is a helpful place to start. That said, we (executives, leaders, companies, organizations, institutions, etc.) have so much more work to do to increase representation in meaningful ways such that people from historically excluded backgrounds see people like them when they look across roles, orgs and levels in the workplace. This helps contribute to the overall sense of inclusion and belonging.