5 Things / empower ERGs
One of the questions I enjoy speaking with organizations about is: "Do our policies or products exclude anyone?" Chances are, they inadvertently do. For those organizations with Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), consider the possibility that those groups may help unearth and solve these exclusions.
Here's a great example: Equifax's (the credit reporting agency) LGBTQ ERG had a transgender guest speaker last year. The speaker shared that their credit score went down after transition because their great score was attached to their former name. Equifax thought they might be able to help solve this problem.
The ERG did some digging, figured out why this was happening (because first name changes with banks didn't automatically update with Equifax). While the ERG couldn't solve that problem specifically, it did craft detailed guidance for transgender customers to change their name within Equifax (even online) so that their credit score is accurate.
While the onus for change is still on transgender folks and that remains a problem, the Pride Network addressed an important inclusion gap that may improve the experience for members of their own community -- and they were empowered to do so.
That's the key takeaway here: ERGs can be incredibly valuable to your business, but it starts with empowering them, giving them access to executives, and investing in leadership development.
Here are some other good vibes I found this week:
Major League Baseball is moving its All Star Game from Atlanta in protest of the racist voter suppression laws being passed in the U.S. state of Georgia. The statement reads, in part: " the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is by relocating this year's All-Star Game." This matters because MLB is a powerful, influential system using its platform to send a signal to Black players that they matter.
Bank of America expanded its commitments to racial justice, committing an additional $250 million to their programs. The bank's statement specified its commitments to Asian communities as part of its larger program. This matters because Asian communities have often been overlooked in antiracism work, and these communities are suffering.
Lululemon has new ads, and they're incredibly body-positive. The ads tell the stories of a variety of runners, including that of badass antiracism advocate and ultra-marathoner Mirna Valerio. This matters because there's no one way to be an athlete or runner, and these inclusive ads (and stories) break down stereotypes.
You may know that caretaking duties due to the Covid pandemic forced many women out of the workforce. Even pre-Covid, women who stayed home to care for loved ones faced resume' gaps, which can later trigger unconscious bias from prospective employers. LinkedIn has updated its features so users can select from new job titles, including "Stay at home mom", "Stay at home dad" and others. This matters because these career gaps can lead to bias and lower future salary. This feature hopefully removes some of this stigma.
Image by: The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia