ESCO Engages Blog

Chris Carpenter

What Makes This Year’s Pride Month So Significant

Chris Carpenter – Vice President of Innovation and Technology, Weir ESCO & Executive Sponsor of Weir Pride Alliance

Portland, Oregon. The Progress Pride flag makes its special debut at Weir ESCO’s Portland location to mark Pride Month 2021.

Among the many worthwhile strategic initiatives underway at Weir, I am particularly proud to support our commitment to inclusion and diversity (I&D). Our global workforce is a rich tapestry of different cultures, backgrounds and experiences. We are working to make Weir a uniquely welcoming and inclusive place that thrives because of these differences, where every employee is recognized and can be themselves.

Although still early in our I&D journey, we are making meaningful strides. One example is the expansion of affinity groups within Weir. These are voluntary, employee-led groups that come together in the workplace based on shared characteristics, life experiences, common interests, or shared needs. At Weir, we recognize that affinity groups can play a critical role in enabling a sense of belonging by giving their members a platform to express themselves and feel included, encouraging everyone at Weir to support and respect each other and celebrate the differences we each bring. They also help our company to better include diverse insights and perspectives in what we do as a business.

The Weir Pride Alliance affinity group facilitates opportunities to network, educate and advocate for our LGBTQ+ community and its allies. The group is dedicated to raising awareness and fostering a safe, supportive and welcoming environment that enables LGBTQ+ employees to be their authentic selves at work. The Weir Pride Alliance launched last month in North America and we know there is interest in other regions, so we are growing the Weir Pride Alliance over time. As its executive sponsor, I’m delighted to celebrate this group during this year’s Pride Month.

To do our best work, each of us needs to feel that we can fully draw on our talents and participate in opportunities to grow professionally. It’s gratifying to be part of an organization that is actively building a companywide culture in which every voice is heard and every person is respected.

I’m proud to support the success of the Weir Pride Alliance and am excited about how it and our other affinity groups can enable opportunities for everyone at Weir to listen, learn and support an increasingly more inclusive workplace.

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