A good indicator of an attractive community is one where people of diverse backgrounds work together, support each other and collaborate to spark innovation, create jobs and grow the economy. Greater Philadelphia embraces racial diversity with a vibrant community that respects people of all walks of life. However, while there has been great movement to embrace diversity in the workplace, more needs to be done.
Recognizing the importance and economic reward of diversity in the workplace and to foster a culture of inclusion, the Chamber designed the Diversity and Inclusion Network for Chamber-member executives. Comcast is the leading sponsor of the program, while supporting sponsors include Accenture and Dale Carnegie Training. Through the workshops, which takes place four times a year, participants gain access to best practices, new ideas, advice, practical materials, and insights on key trends that will help advance their diversity and inclusion efforts.
This year’s series has been focused on addressing unconscious bias in the workplace, which includes examples such as omitting certain people from “small talk” or listening intently to some people and not others. Although these are essentially implicit attitudes, actions or judgments that occur without a person’s awareness, the impact of these actions can be devastating from both a business and cultural perspective. But with true inclusion, employees gain a broader understanding that everyone has a crucial role to play.
Diversity inclusion is about more than strengthening Greater Philadelphia as a world-class region or fostering creative thinking and innovation. It’s about enhancing an organization’s ability to meet the needs of its ever-changing employees and customers. With so many unique people, multifaceted industries, and creative ideas right here in Greater Philadelphia, diversity is what matters most.
If you’re interested in learning more about the topic of unconscious bias, the final series event for the Diversity and Inclusion Network will take place on Wednesday, May 7 at the National Liberty Museum. During the event, representatives from leading organizations will discuss best practices for building inclusive organizations and demonstrate how cultural competency can create a strategic advantage for any organization in today’s global economy.
Key speakers include Nolan N. Atkinson, partner and chief diversity officer at Duane Morris; Lydia Mallett, director of organizational vibrancy for DuPont; Mahan Tavakoli, regional vice president and chief diversity officer at Dale Carnegie.
