Earlier this year, we invited Venterra team members to share their opinions on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion through a survey, and we’re pleased to have had approximately 80% of our teams participate. The graph below depicts our overall results as a company on a positivity scale and illustrates how we scored across several important DEI metrics that the survey was designed to measure.
Our DEI consultant, The Kaleidoscope Group, informs us that, compared to surveys at other organizations, these results put us firmly in the “best in class” category.
We believe that this reflects a corporate culture that is rooted strongly in our corporate values, and we are very pleased to see both the high participation rate and the encouraging results! Some of the key strengths that we can draw from these survey results are:
• Very positive perceptions of workplace inclusion
• Collaboration across differences and equitable policies/practices stand out as some of the highest-scoring statements
• Perceptions of Senior Leader commitment and manager accountability for inclusion are strong
While our scores were extremely positive overall, they also provide insight into areas we would like to focus on moving forward. To continue this journey, we have identified the following areas of focus over the upcoming months:
• Address pockets of opportunity from the survey results
• Increase efforts to amplify team member voices at all levels
• Look for opportunities to enhance diverse representation throughout the organization
Our team members’ involvement throughout this process is crucial to our success. Our next step is forming a DEI Strategy and Action Team (DEISAT), which will be responsible for developing and guiding important elements of our DEI strategy. The team, made up of employees from across all levels of the organization, will engage in several educational and strategic sessions over the next few months designed to shape the DEI Action Plan. The 15 individuals selected for the group’s initial start were announced last week, and we anticipate rotating in new members in the future, allowing new voices to be heard, and providing future opportunities for additional Venterra employees to participate in the fundamental building of Venterra’s focused DEI strategy.
In addition to the DEISAT, we’re inviting all Venterra employees to attend a Conscious Inclusion Education session hosted by the Kaleidoscope Group throughout 2021 with details to follow in the near future.
Our commitment to DEI is a natural extension of our commitment to our core values and employer promise. We are embarking on this journey because we believe that embracing DEI in a proactive, thoughtful, and strategic manner will make us an even better company. Be on the lookout for more information about our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to come!