I am often asked how a company drives Diversity and Inclusion. Is it from the top-down? From the bottom-up? Or somewhere in between? My answer: All of the above.
The factors that create a more homogenous workforce in the first place are based on a variety of elements that must be acknowledged and addressed for an organization to be up to the task of creating a culture of diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
Last November, I had the honor of joining Pure Storage as the Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging. I look forward to drawing upon my more than 25 years of experience to help thread Diversity and Inclusion through all aspects of our business, including the hiring, development, advancement, and retention of our amazing talent. And I’m glad to say that the Pure team is excited to be on this journey with me!
From the Top
I can truly say that Pure’s leadership team has set the tone from the top. They’ve made it crystal clear that, as we continue to grow and be successful in our industry, Diversity and Inclusion is a non-negotiable business imperative. As our CEO, Charles Giancarlo, said at a recent company meeting, “We need to build a culture that is representative of our societies in all the countries in which we serve; it’s the right thing to do.”
Not only have our leaders set the tone but they are walking the talk. Each leader has made a commitment to Diversity and Inclusion this year. They’re actively participating in learning workshops to broaden their own personal understanding of crucial Diversity and Inclusion topics and to actually model what they are learning. What better way to demonstrate to our employees around the world that we are all in this together!
We need to build a culture that is representative of our societies in all the countries in which we serve; it’s the right thing to do. Charlie Giancarlo, CEO, Pure Storage
From Our Employees
So much of the momentum we have at Pure has been driven by our amazing, committed employee resource groups (ERGs), affinity groups, and allies under the “Pure Equality” umbrella, including:
- Women@Pure
- Coalition (people of color)
- Veterans
- Rise (early-in-career professionals)
- Pride
- Able (differently abled)
- Sustainability
I have been fortunate in my career to meet some incredibly talented people who are devoted to driving inclusion and creating workplaces where we can all thrive. The employees who work tirelessly leading Pure ERGs are no exception. With their incredible passion, our ERG leaders and members create inclusive experiences that connect us as one Pure family globally.
For example, February brought us great virtual events from two of our ERGs. Pure Coalition’s African-American Council hosted Black History Month virtual events to deepen knowledge and understanding of global events and Black people who have impacted the world in countless ways. And the APISEA (Asian/Pacific Islander/Southeast Asian) team invited us to share in their virtual celebration of Lunar New Year.
Our ERGs also create ongoing opportunities for the Pure community to connect and inspire each other, through weekly virtual Pride lunches, podcasts and webcasts, panel discussions, book clubs, and volunteer opportunities organized by our Pure Good Foundation.
Across Processes and Programs
We’re incredibly fortunate to have a group of dedicated employees who volunteer outside of their day jobs to support and drive our global Diversity & Inclusion efforts. But Diversity & Inclusion must be sustained and reinforced systematically through formal processes and programs.
- Our Talent Acquisition team is leading the charge to ensure we have diverse talent pools for every open role
- The Benefits team has focused on providing individualized offerings that reflect the unique needs of our people
- The Pure Learning team hosts workshops to help employees and leaders deepen and broaden their knowledge and awareness so that we can increase representation, enrich our culture of belonging, and have a ‘think global, plan local’ inclusive mindset.
I’m so excited about everything that’s happening at Pure to drive Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging throughout our global family. Stay tuned for more content spotlighting our leaders, employees, and programs that represent the wonderful richness that makes the Pure culture so unique.
To keep up with what’s happening inside Pure, follow our @LifeAtPure Instagram and LinkedIn accounts.
