Advancing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
EDI Wise is an employee resource to inform employees about equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) within our Company and communities. Monthly, the EDI Council hosts these webinars to communicate the Company’s EDI initiatives by encouraging participation in diversity education and opportunities for employees to play key roles in cultivating a workplace culture where diversity is supported by our Company’s inclusive and equitable practices.
View a sampling of three of the EDI Wise sessions as presented by various employees.
21 Days Racial Equity Challenge presented by EDI Council Co-Chair Debbie Smith
View this EDI Wise to learn more about the Company’s participation in Delaware’s first 21 Day Racial Equity Challenge, an initiative of the Delaware Racial Equity and Social Justice collaborative, sponsored by the United Way of Delaware and YWCA Delaware. Participants committed five minutes each day to complete an assignment of reading an article, watching a video or listening to a podcast to learn more about the history and impact of racism in Delaware as well as ways that bias, prejudice, privilege and oppression can manifest in everyday lives. Those accepting the Challenge were encouraged to join the conversation and reflect upon the content on social media. Debbie Smith shares an overview and personal experiences of the three-week, online journey as she and other employee participants joined the conversation to build effective social justice habits.
Differing Minds Produce Greater Results
Guest Speaker Milton Hunt, a motivational speaker and Native American, joined employees via this EDI Wise to share his professional and personal expertise, focusing upon the following three areas:
- How equity, diversity and inclusion impact Chesapeake Utilities Corporation and its constituents
- Open discussion about unconscious biases
- Understanding, identifying and dealing with microagressions in the workplace
Allyship presented by the EDI Council’s Advancement and Retention Committee
Learn more about allyship and how it is essential to an organization’s equity, diversity and inclusion efforts. Being an ally is about taking action to foster inclusion and creating a more inclusive workplace so everyone has the space to contribute their unique perspective. A key takeaway from this webinar is that anyone can be any ally by practicing the following:
- Do be open to listening
- Do be aware of your implicit bias
- Do your research to understand the challenges of others
- Do use your privilege to support others
- Do the work every day to learn how to be a better ally