Achieving Cadmus’ DEIA mission and vision requires an individual and collective shift in mindset where employees embrace continuous learning, encourage diverse experiences, and value cross-cultural exposure. We empower all employees to challenge the status quo by thinking differently about differences, intentionally dismantling systems of inequity, and redesigning a more inclusive and just work environment to harness innovation for our collective growth and shared success.

DEIA is a collective and continuous journey. Staff "travel" and collect stamps with our DEIA Passport Program, launched in November 2021, to begin listening, learning, and leading with DEIA every day. The program offers a continuous learning and inclusive leadership curriculum integrating formal education, personal and curated experiences, and reflective exploration opportunities that contribute to nurturing radical empathy, closing the gap between our stated intentions and overt actions (impact) while realizing equitable outcomes across differences. Empowering staff to develop cultural awareness, humility, and intelligence, the DEIA Passport Program includes 10 resources to accommodate diverse learning styles. We read, listen to podcasts, watch films, volunteer, and use other educational resources to hold ourselves and others accountable for deconstructing access barriers, dismantling unfair practices, and developing new interventions prioritizing social justice.

Cadmus recognizes staff who "travel" the farthest or reach the most destinations (complete learning resources) within a designated period for their accomplishment. Employees become eligible for special rewards (e.g., certification, gift cards, or bonuses) to further acknowledge their commitment to practicing DEIA every day.

DEIA Passport Program – Learning Resource Example (Everyday Inclusion App)

Using mobile technology, we put the practice of belonging – the human emotional need to be accepted by others – into the hands of all Cadmus staff to help increase cultural competency, staff engagement, and job satisfaction. In addition, the app creates a rhythm of inclusion and provides snackable learning – tips that are roughly 1-3 minutes in length – to embed DEIA into our daily culture.

Metrics:

• 262 downloads, total users (45% individual contributors, 55% staff managers) since launch (October 13, 2021)
• More than 8,300 "daily tips" viewed over the past year
• Nearly 8,000 "streaks" achieved for viewing inclusive content over a period of consecutive days during this past year
• 1,065 total badges earned for content engagement this past year

DEIA Passport Program – Learning Resource Example (Courageous Conversations)

Cadmus encourages candid dialogues and active listening to promote transparency and build trust. For our inaugural Day of Understanding (DOU) event in 2021, the CEO and Vice President of DEIA co-facilitated six 90-minute sessions over two days on Mitigating Biases at Work and How Bias Impacts Belonging. In addition to a 64% participation rate companywide, the response rate to our post-event survey was 39%, 6 points above the industry average. The sessions received a 98% favorable rating, 88% of DOU attendees reported being Extremely Likely or Very Likely to participate in a future event, and 87% would recommend the conversation to a colleague.