Culture is more important than ever before

 
 

In times like these, when we’re all tested, our long-standing commitment to inclusion and diversity has allowed us to navigate through this crisis and to do so with increased employee engagement, faster decision making and enhanced innovation.

We’ve said it, we’ve read it and we are living it: a true culture of inclusion allows every employee to bring their authentic self to work.

An inclusive culture attracts diversity. It creates an environment where we can do our best thinking. And through this, we can draw on our different perspectives to develop solutions — for a better tomorrow and a better today.

In times like these, when we’re all tested, our long-standing commitment to inclusion and diversity has allowed us to navigate through this crisis and to do so with increased employee engagement, faster decision making and enhanced innovation.

What I have seen from Team Dow is nothing short of amazing.

Inclusion and diversity set the tone; it strengthens our teams. The culture we built makes video conferencing from our living rooms, with a child in the background – or husband and dog in my case – the new normal. It reminds us we must consider the challenges all our diverse populations might face – especially our most vulnerable populations – as we execute our return-to-workplace plans. And it empowers us to identify dependent daycare solutions for our frontline workers, so we can run our plants safely while they manage their personal priorities safely.This is possible because of the tremendous work Team Dow has accomplished over the past few years. As a company, we have continued to accelerate actions and strengthen inclusion and diversity through our leadership teams, our 10 employee resource groups, and across the supply chain with our customers, suppliers and communities.

Our recent placement on the DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list is a recognition of our progress and allows us to be measured among the best.

We are honored to have placed 22nd on the 2020 Top 50 Companies for Diversity list from DiversityInc.

The DiversityInc Top 50 list, issued annually since 2001, recognizes the top companies for diversity and inclusion management. This marks the third consecutive year Team Dow is being recognized for the deliberate efforts to build an inclusive culture and capture the unique benefits of a diverse workforce.

You can learn more about our results and progress in our 2019 SHINE Inclusion Report. There are many reasons this report inspires me… but I’ll highlight some of my favorite parts:

  • Check out the video on page 5 where Dr. Ruth G. Shaw, former member of the Dow Board of Directors, shares why inclusion at Dow is unlike other companies in our industry.
  • Read through the stories on page 13 to see how our ERGs are expanding around the world, contributing to a 40% increase in global ERG participation in 2019.
  • Experience EMERGE, Dow’s second All-ERG conference, on page 14, where nearly 500 employees were joined by suppliers, customers and board members who share their passion for creating a more inclusive business environment for all.
  • And finally, visit page 19 to read about our global supplier diversity program and hear from one of our suppliers who received their certification as a Minority Business Enterprise through the National Minority Supplier Development Council.

I hope you take time to explore SHINE 2019 to learn all the ways Team Dow is driving progress for our Company and our communities. Because we’re only just getting started.Inclusion and diversity are at the heart of our culture. And as we adapt and respond to this ever-changing world around us, furthering that culture will be critical to our continued success.

Jim Fitterling
Chairman and CEO