Cascade Environmental聽recently launched an employee-led initiative to address diversity concerns in the traditionally male-dominated field services industry. The Cascade Diverse Workforce Initiative (CDWI) is a group of Cascade employees who lead, advocate for, coordinate, inform, and monitor the strategic diversity management process at Cascade. The objective of the initiative is to provide a diverse workplace where employees thrive personally and professionally. Emphasis is placed on membership, communication, outreach and education.
In 2018, Cascade CEO John Cowdery led the organization in an assessment of the company鈥檚 core values. 鈥淲e believe that diversity is a key component to our company鈥檚 success and sustainability into the future,鈥� explained Cowdery, 鈥渁nd felt it necessary to include diversity as one of our core values. The CDWI is testament to Cascade鈥檚 commitment to diversity throughout our entire organization.鈥�
Members of the CDWI elected seven council officers: Mary Place, Nikole Stone, Jessica Bacon, Shannon Tullos, Jessica Alexander, Andrea Nutt, and Orlin Francis. 鈥淚 am honored to be voted in as the Chair of the Cascade Diverse Workforce Initiative,鈥� said Mary Place. 鈥淚 look forward to supporting the company鈥檚 core values of diversity and growth in everything we do. The energy and excitement surrounding these efforts is bringing diversity to the forefront of our organization. Our efforts benefit the Cascade workforce as well as our clients and supply chain partners.鈥�
The company鈥檚 diversity and inclusion efforts are focused specifically on attracting and retaining ethnic minorities, women, and veterans through recruiting and hiring processes. Additionally, the CDWI is evaluating career progression, employee benefit, and marketing programs to address the needs of a well-balanced workforce.
Workforce diversity is included in Compass™, Cascade鈥檚 Corporate Sustainability Program and includes targets for representation of women, minorities and veterans. 鈥淥ur goal is to increase engagement to become the company of choice for employees and clients,鈥� said Ken Moses, Chief People Officer. 鈥淥ur Diverse Workforce Initiative is working diligently to address this. We are looking for ways to make not just our company but the field services industry attractive to all. Our efforts focus on recruiting and increasing engagement by giving our stakeholders a voice to let us know what we can do to support them.鈥�