ACT Women's Council
Challenge
With 62 % of our workforce female and only 21% of females in Senior Leadership roles, we recognize the need to create a program within the organization that will professionally develop women through mentors, sponsors, and educational opportunities to help advance their careers, prepare for future leadership positions, and strengthen our business and better serve our customers as we grow together.
Actions
Following the recent adoption in November 2018 of the diversity policy by the Board of Directors, the company formed The ACT Women’s Council, the first business resource diversity group that represents our commitment to grow together.
The Women’s Council strives for gender parity at all levels of the organizations, improve turnover and advancement metrics of women at ACT while increasing awareness at all levels of women within the organization.
The council consists of both women and men within all parts of the company from Operations, Marketing, Fuel, Human Resources, and Communications, which represent our diverse geography from Europe, Canada, and across the U.S.
The role of the male sponsors is to help close the gender gap and overcome challenges by offering support as ambassadors, as male leaders, they are in a unique position to influence cultural and organizational change.
With the support of the Executive Council for Diversity & Inclusion, the Women’s Council has successfully rolled an educational pillar, a company-wide initiative on Unconscious Bias Training, which will increase awareness and ensure training occurs to provide employees with the tools and resources to adjust automatic patterns of thinking, and ultimately eliminate discriminatory behaviors. A critical component in developing our people and growing together.
We are confident The Women’s Council will achieve its goals through engaging, educating, and empowering employees. Engaging by going beyond advice through programs and sponsorship increasing involvement and exposure as well as holding leadership accountable for diversity. Educating and providing training along with targeted information about the Council and its learnings. Empowering and investing in the growth and development of women at ACT and highlighting their contributions and achievements.
Outcomes
In 2019, the Women’s Council was named Global Winner in Sustainability and successfully expanded the network within the organization as individual Business Units have created individual Women’s Council Chapters. Today, the ACT Women’s Council has grown throughout the globe. Annually the company recognizes top women within the organization and provides a leadership workshop, which consists of a collaborative discussion of their ideas, passion while sharing experiences through their personal stories.
Contact
Letty George
Quote
I am excited for the entire corporation to join me in this CEO ACTION pledge as I firmly believe that together we will make a difference by creating and maintaining a diverse workforce. Promoting diversity and inclusion is a key component of our culture of growing together and is critical to continuing to be a preferred choice for our diverse customer base.