Vivek M. 

Senior Manager, People Success Partner

Embracing DEI isn't just a buzzword or a trend; it is an ongoing journey that requires continuous commitment from individuals like us and organizations alike. As we engage in experiences that foster awareness and understanding of DEI, it becomes essential to translate these learnings into our day-to-day jobs.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion form the foundation of a progressive and thriving workplace. Diversity celebrates the unique perspectives and backgrounds of individuals, fostering creativity, innovation, and problem-solving. Equity ensures fair treatment, leveling the playing field for all employees, irrespective of their backgrounds. Inclusion, on the other hand, goes beyond mere representation, making everyone feel valued, heard, and respected.

Bringing DEI principles into our daily work starts with acknowledging that learning is a continuous process. By engaging in workshops, training sessions, and open discussions, we gain insights into the experiences and perspectives of others. Through learning, we gain the tools to confront and address biases that may inadvertently influence our judgments and actions.

Recently I had the opportunity to be part of Out&Equal’s APAC Forum: A Day of Transformation in partnership with Pride Circle. It was all about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with passionate people and speakers talking about how we can impact the LGBTQIA+ community. The session fostered empathy and understanding by providing a platform for honest conversations and sharing personal experiences. Hear more about my experience below:

Key Takeaways:

There were many takeaways from many sessions that I could talk about but one of the sessions that impacted me the most was “From Inceptions to Change Agents: ERG Phases of Development.” The abstract of this session was all about the creation of a new Employee Resource Group (ERG) and the challenges one may face. From building a business case to attain buy-in, cultivating active participation and formalizing a budget, the initial phase of creation can be a whirlwind. However, once the ERG is in a stable place, where does it go from there? What initiatives are best suited to achieve the mission? When is the best time to scale geographically? In this interactive workshop, speakers helped us understand how to develop and refine our ERGs’ vision, mission, actions, and relationships with key stakeholders to drive maximum impact and position the ERG as not only a valuable DEIB resource but as a critical asset.

Outcomes from the session:

• Exploring ways to boost impact through strategic and innovative action through stakeholder mapping and internal and external action/ education.
• Understand the different phases of ERG development with the goal of establishing ERGs that foster company wide DEIB, offer spaces of belonging and function as a competitive business advantage.
• Navigate different factors that cultivate leadership to run a successful ERG.
   

What it meant to me to be able to attend Out&Equal’s APAC Forum:

As an individual, having Toast provide an opportunity to attend a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) event holds great significance. It demonstrates that Toast is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace culture and values the personal growth and development of its employees. Such initiatives signify that the company acknowledges the importance of DEI and actively encourages employees to engage in learning experiences that promote understanding and empathy. Attending a DEI event can be a transformative experience in several ways, including: educating, creating awareness, challenging biases, developing skills related to fostering inclusive cultures, and building networks across your organization and beyond. 

I’m proud to work for an inclusive company like Toast, and to be able to share my learnings from the conference with my team. Baking inclusive principles into our company and building cultural competence in our Toasters provides equitable opportunities for all diverse talents and enhances our ability to be first in class in all aspects of our industry.