Wednesday, October 10, 2018
7:30 – 9:00am
BlueCross BlueShield of Nebraska
1919 Aksarben Drive
presenter:
Bianca Harley, Manager – Community Diversity & Inclusion at the Greater Omaha Chamber
Sarah Moylan, Senior Director – Talent at the Greater Omaha Chamber
Topic: “Commitment to Opportunity, Diversity, and Equity – Building Equitable Access”
In a 2017 survey, Black young professionals gave a glimpse into their Omaha experience, and it wasn’t the same as their peers of other races. Black young professionals were 6 times less likely to recommend Greater Omaha as a place to live and work. They didn’t feel connected to the community or access in the workplace. Through a partnership between the Greater Omaha Chamber and Urban League of Nebraska, a team of volunteers and staff got to work addressing disparities that often drive young professionals of color to land elsewhere. Hear about what the group learned and how employers can partner to eliminate disparities at work and in life.
The survey revealed disparities in connectedness to the Omaha community and opportunities in the workplace.
Recommendations from the volunteer committee led to what is now called CODE. CODE is our Commitment to Opportunity, Diversity and Equity – a program of the Greater Omaha Chamber in partnership with the Urban League of Nebraska. CODE was born as a sustainable initiative to address diversity, inclusivity, equity and access to opportunity in Greater Omaha. More than a collaborative new diversity and inclusion initiative, it’s a call to action for those who believe we can and must do better.
The Greater Omaha Chamber recognizes that opportunity, diversity and equity are multi-faceted issues and require a holistic approach to have an effective impact in this area. With a focus on underrepresented populations including women, ethnic/racial minorities, LGBTQA+, people with disabilities, people marginalized by poverty, and religious minorities, CODE seeks to:
– Create positive, measurable outcomes leading to increased opportunities and equity and an increase in community and quality of life satisfaction for underrepresented populations.
– Increase workplace diversity in workforce, management, and senior leadership among Greater Omaha to accurately reflect the demographics of our region and assist companies in achieving an increase in diverse employee satisfaction and inclusion ratings.
– Provide opportunities for dialogue, engagement, networking, and training/education surrounding Diversity and Inclusion.
– Create networking opportunities, support, and mentorship programs for underrepresented groups.
Increase in minority-owned businesses through access to existing networks and resources for training, technical assistance and funding.
Employers can participate in the Employer Coalition for CODE if they are interested in joining our efforts. The Employer Coalition for CODE will convene employers to increase recruitment and retention of diverse talent, address disparities in the experience of diverse professionals in the workplace, provide education and exposure to issues of opportunity, diversity, and equity within the workplace and ensure our region is a welcoming and inclusive community in which all people can obtain personal and economic success and a high quality of life. All signatories serve as leaders of their companies and commit to a specific set of action items to advance Diversity and Inclusion within their organization.
Register at http://www.hram.org/events/events-calendar/oct-symposium-2018/