Welcoming All Since 1887
Our journey of inclusivity
At the heart of our organization lies a timeless commitment that dates back to our founding charter in 1887. From the very beginning, our purpose has been crystal clear: to create a space where everyone, regardless of religion, race, or creed, is not just welcomed but truly valued.
Decades of commitment
More than just words on paper, our values are the lifeblood of our organization. Inclusion isn't a checkbox; it is the foundation of our culture. Every team member is integral to our story, contributing to the vibrant tapestry that makes us who we are. In the last few years, our organization has invested in our inclusion efforts by:
- Engaging with an outside consultant to lead our inclusion efforts
- Evaluating the demographics of our employees and leadership
- Deploying staff surveys to understand the experience of our employees
- Training our leadership team on inclusion at the annual Leadership Summit
- Evaluating and investing in our compensation for employees at all levels of the organization
Inclusion & Engagement Report
What our employees say
Explore Immanuel's FY24 Inclusion and Engagement Report for insights into our workforce composition and employees' experiences.
- Gender & race study
- Age study
- Management & training scores
- Mission & purpose scores
- Feedback & development scores
- Ethnicity & race belonging scores
- Ethnicity & race inclusion scores
- Gender & age benefit alignment scores
Inclusion
Our four current initiatives
Recognizing the importance of deliberate and meaningful progress, we have selected four key initiatives to guide our journey toward a more inclusive future, detailed below. We are committed to building a strong foundation for sustainable change by emphasizing the power of starting with small, actionable steps.
To kickstart this initiative, we began by engaging our senior leaders. We understand that they play a crucial role in driving organizational change. Thus, we equipped them with comprehensive FAQs and resources tailored to initiate conversations about our intentional focus on inclusion within their teams.
Our goal was clear: to cultivate a deep understanding among senior leaders about the importance of inclusion and empower them with the tools necessary to effectively communicate this message throughout the organization. By engaging senior leaders first, we aimed to set a strong foundation for our inclusion journey.
Through open dialogue and collaboration, we sought to identify the specific resources and support needed to roll out inclusion initiatives across the entire organization seamlessly. This proactive approach ensures that every team member feels valued, respected, and included, paving the way for a more vibrant and innovative workplace culture.
In our commitment to cultivating a workplace where inclusion is not just a buzzword but an engrained principle, our second initiative is dedicated to building inclusive leadership capabilities. We understand that leadership sets the tone for organizational culture, and hence, it's pivotal to equip our leaders with the tools and understanding necessary to champion DEI initiatives effectively.
We're embarking on a journey to develop inclusive leadership training programs to achieve this. Whether through internal development or strategic partnerships with inclusion and diversity experts, these programs will be thoughtfully designed to align with our company's management principles and values. We aim to foster a culture where every individual feels valued and supported.
The training curriculum will delve into critical topics such as unconscious bias and intersectionality, providing leaders with the knowledge and strategies to recognize and mitigate these barriers to inclusion. Starting with our chiefs, vice presidents, and directors as a pilot group ensures that our leadership team receives the necessary support to lead by example in promoting inclusion.
Our third initiative centers on the strategic redesign of our inclusion leadership team, aiming to enhance its effectiveness and impact across our communities and centers.
Under this initiative, executive directors will identify individuals who are passionate about and committed to inclusion efforts. These council members will undergo specialized training to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to advocate for inclusion initiatives within their locations.
Furthermore, these council members will serve as advisors to the inclusion leadership team, providing valuable insights and guidance on business needs and priorities within their contexts. They will also play a crucial role in ensuring that inclusion goals are integrated into the annual plans of their respective communities and centers, holding themselves and their executive directors accountable for progress in this area.
Our final initiative revolves around harnessing the power of personal impact storytelling to amplify our commitment to inclusion. In alignment with our ongoing marketing efforts centered on storytelling, we recognize the potency of authentic narratives in conveying our organizational values and fostering connection.
This initiative entails the deliberate collection of perspectives, learnings, and personal stories from our diverse workforce. Rather than relying solely on boilerplate statements, we aim to delve deeper into our employees' lived experiences, showcasing their unique journeys, challenges, and triumphs in navigating issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
By elevating the voices and experiences of our employees, we not only humanize our inclusion efforts but also inspire empathy and understanding among our stakeholders. These personal narratives will serve as powerful communication tools, enabling us to connect with our audience on a deeper level and authentically demonstrate our commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace culture.
