Celebrating Women’s History Month at Granite: A Model for Prioritizing DE&I

By Jamie Brown

Jamie Brown

I believe Granite Telecommunications is a standout and stand-up company when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I). Granite’s leaders and teammates prioritize DE&I month after month, day after day. One-off fundraisers and activities supporting DE&I are a step in the right direction, but a constant cadence of activism makes the difference.

Granite’s celebration of Women’s History Month is a shining example. The activities planned kept DE&I for women top-of-mind for our teammates all month, rather than just an hour or a day. The monthlong celebration also served as a great jump-start for women’s DE&I initiatives that last all year long.

Women’s DE&I and empowerment initiatives at Granite are led by an internal organization called WE CAN (Women Empowered through Collaboration, Appreciation and Networking). WE CAN coordinates women’s DE&I-focused events year-round and orchestrated several events to celebrate Women’s History Month.

A Look at the Campaign

Fundraising for Women’s Nonprofits. Each week during March, the Granite Cares Charity Program collected teammate donations to support nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping women. These included:

Women’s History Month Posters. Posters recognizing and celebrating impactful women, past and present, were on display in headquarters lobbies and distributed to all teammates via email.

Monthly Virtual Discussion Forums. A year-long initiative, WE CAN hosted monthly meetings to discuss ideas for events/initiatives and other topics regarding supporting and empowering women – especially the women of Granite – in a safe, judgment-free and supportive environment. These meetings also included plans for recruiting volunteers and creating subcommittees to execute planned initiatives.

Networking Luncheons. WE CAN held several networking luncheons in various branch offices to encourage coming together for a cause and building new relationships.

Companywide Celebration Luncheon. All of Granite’s offices and teammates came together on the same day to celebrate Women’s History Month during a luncheon catered by local, women-owned restaurants.

Guest Speaker. WE CAN invited networking guru and author Diane Darling, founder and president of Effective Networking Inc. and author of “The Networking Survival Guide,” as a featured guest speaker. Teammates joined in-person or virtually hearing Darling discuss topics such as relationship building, empowerment, basic networking skills and other tactics to promote self-confidence at work.

Volunteer Opportunity. Granite teammates were invited to attend Girls Inc.’s eight-hour empowerment workshop, “Strong, Smart and Bold.” Attendees discussed mental health response, empowerment, community impact and more.

What Can You Do To Help Your Company Continuously Prioritize DE&I?

Would you like to accelerate DE&I initiatives at your company? Raising DE&I awareness at your organization doesn’t happen by accident, and it’s not the sole responsibility of HR. It requires a concerted effort and planning companywide.  Here are some tips to get you started.

Find Your Champions. DE&I initiatives really start to work when they’re driven by passionate people. Find the individuals in your organization who want to make a difference and give them the resources to do so.

Involve Leadership. Involving company leaders in DE&I initiatives at work or in the community adds weight and resources to your DE&I efforts.

Calendar Activities. Take a multipronged and multievent approach by calendaring activities – ranging from monthly book clubs and quarterly seminars to volunteering and fundraising. This variety of events, time commitment and group size enable employees to get involved when and where they’re willing and able. Be sure to build in opportunities for your team to be active and charitable beyond the days like MLK Day or months like Women’s History Month designated to draw attention to DE&I issues.

Shake It Up. Analyze success and involvement across your initiatives to be sure your efforts generate interest, discussion and action. Be intentional about trying new tactics. As with any initiative, DE&I efforts are ineffective if they become repetitive or perfunctory. The goal is to maintain momentum.

Keep Your Eye on the Prize. DE&I events and activities can be fun, but they also must drive the mission forward by raising awareness about the need for DE&I and the actions that will help us advance toward equality for all.

Jamie Brown is a senior program manager in Granite Telecommunications’ Government Solutions Department. She is the founder and chairperson of WE CAN (Women Empowered through Collaboration, Appreciation and Networking), which is focused on raising awareness and action around women’s DE&I initiatives.