STRATEGY: WERE Support Lanes

The coalition came together in 2020 with an explicit commitment as private sector employers to use their capacity and talent to close racial equity gaps in workplaces and in the way businesses contract and invest in their communities. As we leave our third year, WERE is preparing to independently raise capital and add operational capacity needed to support meeting the Commitments to Progress by 2030.

The supports that WERE provides will center around activities in three primary lanes;

CONVENE: Task Force Happy Hour!

WERE Task Force chairs, members and interested parties got together for an in-person gathering in Belltown on November 15th! WERE would like to thank our member and host, Lease Crutcher Lewis, for donating food, beverages, and their beautiful space. WERE will continue to offer opportunities for coalition members to meet in person to build relationships, share ideas, and get to know each other across the coalition.

Thank you to Bart Ricketts, Aaron Wolford-Miles, and Marya Granger for making our event a great success! Thanks also go to our WERE Task Force chairs Andy Parks, Sharon Chism, and Dean Allen, and WERE Executive Committee chair Craig Dawson, for their leadership, vision, and passion for advancing the WERE Commitments to Progress.

BIG NEW IDEAS: New WERE 2024 Offerings!

We have heard from our members about ideas for an impactful project for 2024, and we look forward to delivering a Supplier Diversity Conference and Quarterly DEIB Convening.

Supplier Diversity Conference - 2024

A key priority of the Commitments to Progress are to increase investments in Black-owned businesses by 2030. Our WERE Task Force on Supplier Diversity, several CEO members, and our Executive Committee have weighed in and support the coalition delivering its first Supplier Diversity Conference by the Summer of 2024, with the goal of matching opportunities from WERE signatory companies and Black and Minority-owned businesses.

Stay tuned for an invitation to join the planning session in January of 2024.

Black Talent/Workplace Culture Task Force Quarterly Convening - 2024

One of the things we have heard consistently from executive members in DEIB who are focused on advancing equity is that they lack the opportunity to network and share ideas across the coalition companies. WERE is excited to offer a quarterly convening beginning in 2024 just for coalition DEIB executives aligned to topics and priorities directly from you. If you are a DEIB professional, complete the Doodle Poll here to offer a quarterly date that works for you.

Stay tuned for an update on our schedule and agenda by January of 2024.

CEO SUPPORTS: Conversations4Equity - December 1

Equity looks different in different companies. Make sure you join us on December 1, 2023 at 12:00 PM for our second virtual Conversation4Equity to learn more about two important coalition voices. Hear from Mary Kipp, CEO and President of Puget Sound Energy, and Bart Ricketts, CEO of Lease Crutcher Lewis. I am excited to discuss what equity priorities look like in their organizations, what still feels hard about the work, how they communicate their priorities, and what keeps them hopeful that inclusive organizations create a competitive advantage for Northwest employers.

Click here to join the call!

WERE offers two Conversations4Equity each year as a part of our commitment to hearing from CEO leaders about the work they lead towards an inclusive and equity-driven workplace culture.

Our special thanks to Mary Kipp and Bart Ricketts for adding their voices to our library of CEO visionary panelists. Contact Shirline Wilson for any questions on this series or if you want to be on an upcoming panel.

WERE RESOURCES: New Task Force Tools Available!

WERE has two active Task Forces: Supplier Diversity and Black Talent.

WERE’s Supplier Diversity Task Force, led by Dean Allen of McKinstry and Sharon Chism of Russell Investments, is building tools centered around the coalition's commitment to increase spending with diverse suppliers, specifically Black businesses.

Just over 60% of WERE coalition members have implemented a supplier diversity program as of the 2022 Workplace Index Survey. The Task Force on Supplier Diversity has delivered a playbook that centers six key strategies to implement or mature a program.

The WERE Supplier Diversity Playbook centers best practices from sources such as the Northwest Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council.

The playbook focuses on the need to:

• Make and keep the executive commitment to a supplier diversity policy.
• Develop and deliver a business case for supplier diversity to your organization.
• Establish baseline KPIs, collect data, and measure your progress.
• Hear from diverse suppliers and minority business networks in your region.
• Provide financial assistance, access to capital, and expedited payments.
• Push through resistance to transform processes to be more inclusive.

Find WERE's Supplier Diversity Playbook here.

WERE’s Black Talent Task Force, led by Anderson Parks of Central Washington University and Holli Martinez of T-Mobile, is building tools centered around our commitment to attract and retain Black talent and create inclusive workplace cultures in the interest of meeting the WERE Commitment to Equity.

The WERE Coalition has committed to close pay equity gaps between Black and White workers in similar roles by 2030. The Black Talent Task Force has delivered a key tool for coalition members working towards their goals.

Pay Equity Audits highlights key best practices such as:

• Essential to reach equal pay outcomes.
• Central to social impact, market competitiveness, and compliance goals.
• Foster trust, engagement, retention, communication, and policy objectives.
• Promote leadership engagement and development in addressing equity concerns.

Find WERE's Pay Equity Resource Guide here.

We appreciate the contribution of both task forces. If you want to join a WERE Task Force or learn more about this work, please contact Ben Krauss or Shirline Wilson.

WERE RESOURCES: Webinars, Best Practices

Check out the WERE Resources section to view recent "Conversations4Equity" webinars and download Spotlight Reports from the task forces that dig into strategies for advancing Black talent, increasing supplier diversity, and supporting Black-owned businesses.