In 2017, Cardiovascular Systems Inc. faced an inflection point.  What had started as a single product MedTech startup with 12 employees had grown to over 600 employees poised to embark upon a new chapter which required a look in the mirror to determine the type of company we wanted to be.  As a result, we collectively chartered a cultural journey with our Mission of Saving Limbs. Saving Lives. Every Day as the centerpiece of a culture underpinned by our Values of Accountability, Velocity, Community, Courage, Excellence and Integrity.

In 2020, we find ourselves at a similar inflection point highlighted by the social and environmental unrest.  It serves a pertinent reflection point to which we can only answer…we can and have to do more.  We understand that in order to truly live our Mission, it requires us to respect and value differences, seek to understand others’ perspectives, foster collaboration and teamwork, create connections, and an environment of inclusion.  We recognize this is a journey with no endpoint, and while we have made progress, we have a long way to go.  We must continue to challenge ourselves and each other to be better every day.

As such, with Sr. Leadership Sponsorship, we have formed an employee Diversity and Inclusion Team to develop a multi-year strategy focused on:

1. Creating measurable improvement in the representation of women across Senior Leadership roles, people of color across all professional roles, and both within our Board of Directors;
2. Implementing channels to engage in courageous dialogues to create awareness, embrace differences, and ensure our behaviors match our beliefs measured through frequent pulse surveys;
3. Leading efforts to address the racial disparities in the care of patients with peripheral arterial disease impacting underprivileged, Black American, American Indian and Hispanic populations;
4. Forming a sustainable cultural change through Employee Action Group(s)
5. Sharing in the successes and challenges across industries and companies to foster collaboration not competition.

We look forward to joining this journey with each of the CEO Action Pledge signatories and look forward to making a positive impact.