Ep. 293 | Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Sustained Change Doesn’t Happen Without Long-Term Commitment

This episode of Sunny Side Up highlights a company that has made Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion a focal point within the workplace – not just for now but in the future. C Space CEO Jessica DeVlieger and Kisha Payton, head of the company’s DEI Think Tank, walk us through their journey in the wake of the pandemic and Black Lives Matter. Their workplace program no longer checks a box or offers a bandage. Rather, Jessica has taken the trauma of George Floyd’s murder and used it as a springboard to make C Space a model for meaningful change. She and Kisha share their experience in starting difficult conversations and the internal work that had to be done before the company could even start to think about promulgating a DEI agenda among clients. They have put in place systems to advance authentic understanding and programs with actual teeth when it comes to things like hiring. Most of all, Jessica says, there is a firm, bold, ongoing commitment to making space for marginalized voices to be heard. Operating from a place of respect and communication makes good business sense, but at C Space, it’s also personal; something is woven daily into the culture’s core values.

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