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Diversity & Inclusion
It’s essential that our workforce, from the frontline to executive leadership, reflect the diverse customers and neighbors who make up our communities. Diversity and inclusion are fundamental values, as described in our Code of Conduct. WM continues to assess our goals to make improvements in future years.
Embedding Diversity and Inclusion Across WM
To further embed diversity and inclusion as a central pillar and continued cultural focus, WM continues to focus on representing the communities we serve by
- increasing female representation at all levels, from front line to leadership roles,
- and increasing minority representation in manger and above roles.
WM aims to level the playing field and build a community of belonging by creating structure around our recruitment, hiring, training, development, promotion and pay programs based on job related competencies; incorporating employee metrics into each market’s monthly and quarterly business reviews; and highlighting internally and externally a diversity of employees in an effort to inspire existing and future employees.
WM has begun launching new Impact Groups to further foster a culture of inclusion and belonging. We have four active Impact Groups: WEN (Women’s Empowerment Network), Unified (representing our multicultural employees), Prism (LGBTQ+), and Valor (Veterans). These Impact groups are led by Impact Group Chairs located in each of our market areas and are focused on supporting employees with professional development, cultural awareness and advocacy, increasing frontline employee engagement, and building external partnerships. Business Champions aligned to each market area provide guidance and serve as advisors to each Impact Group’s strategic business plan.
Our diversity and inclusion Leadership Council, sponsored by members of WM’s Senior Leadership Team, continues to work to evaluate policies, practices and procedures, and offers recommendations in areas of education, training, talent development, recruitment and partnerships to ensure that our diversity and inclusion efforts are sustainable and are support the long-term success of our business strategy. The diversity and inclusion Leadership Council provides a quarterly report on enterprise-wide progress to the Senior Leadership Team, and an annual diversity and inclusion report to the Board of Directors.
Unified, our Multicultural Impact Group, serves to attract, retain, celebrate and develop team members of all cultures. This diverse group works to empower all employees through networking, mentoring, development, resource sharing and community partnership activities.
Prism, our LGBTQ+ Impact Group, serves as a welcoming space for employees who understand that sharing their authentic identity is powerful in fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can bring their full selves to work each day. Through support from each other and allies, members illustrate how at WM, Inclusion Matters.
Women’s Empowerment Network (WEN), our Women’s Empowerment Network Impact Group, is focused on creating a workplace that empowers, encourages and supports women. WEN is dedicated to providing women resources they need to advance their skills and leadership potential through growth, development and allyship.
Valor, our Veterans Impact Group, supports veteran employees and military families across WM, while increasing the focus on military recruitment in tandem with talent acquisition and developing external partnerships with veteran organizations. In 2022, we began building our Boots on the Ground Veteran and Military Spouses attraction and assimilation program as we tailor recruitment and retention efforts for this population.