Did you know that feelings of belonging can boost job performance by 56%, and there is five times more human potential when a workplace fosters feelings of inclusion? Carolina Cardoso, Accenture’s North America Inclusion & Diversity Leader, shared these powerful data points with audience members during her keynote presentation at MMAC’s Region of Choice DEI Summit on June 4. The event attracted more than 200 HR/DEI/Employee Engagement professionals throughout the Milwaukee region, and Cardoso was one of several DEI practitioners to take the stage. Cardoso led an impactful discussion on authenticity and belonging in the workplace, as well as what an individual can take away from Accenture’s “Inclusion Starts With I” initiative.
The “Inclusion Starts With I” video garnered the attention of over 2 million viewers and has been included in the DEI initiatives of 95 organizations. While Accenture launched the video in 2017, the roots of this powerful storytelling approach date back to the organization’s Building Bridges discussions in 2016 which provided Accenture employees with a safe space to discuss inclusion and diversity in the workplace. Sparking these important conversations with employees allowed Accenture to take action. “As we think about our learning journey, it wasn’t enough just to put a video out there. We had to take the organization through a culture change and transformation…” The organization analyzed policies and procedures to address employee sentiment, encourage personal commitments and implement team reflection activities. Accenture’s commitment to an inclusive and diverse workplace is ongoing. Each year since 2016, the organization has published its U.S. Workforce Demographic Data with the motto that “Transparency Builds Trust.” The organization also continues to set goals for how it would like to work towards a more inclusive environment. “When we are free to be truly authentic to ourself, not self-editing ourselves as we walk in through the walls of work, but truly being true to ourselves, it’s only then can we really provide solutions and bring out the best of ourselves.” Comments are closed.
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