At Haworth, we value the richness that diversity brings to our workforce. It makes our company better and the communities we serve stronger. We want to create a sense of belonging where everyone can bring their authentic self to work.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are the building blocks we use to create an environment where we all belong. Our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) efforts reflect the communities we serve, and we adjust our priorities based on the unique needs of each community.
Haworth is focusing on some global dimensions, such as improving female representation in leadership. We also gave each region the flexibility to identify additional dimensions—North America, for example, is concentrating on improving racial and age diversity.
Our DEIB program incorporates input from our employees, who we call members, in each of their respective countries, helping ensure that we customize our approach to local customs and traditions. Haworth strives to create an equitable, inclusive, and customized program for member, market, and community DEIB strategies worldwide.
Here’s an overview of the progress we’ve made on our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging initiatives, as well as what’s in store:
Representation on the DEIB Global Council comes from our Commercial Interiors sector (both North America and International) and our Lifestyle Design sector. The council is comprised of:
At each quarterly meeting, the Global Council gives members an opportunity to be a voice for their respective segments. Our council system is effective because members can be open, talk freely, and share best practices with each other. The DEIB Global Council also collaborates with sustainability teams to support reporting requirements in those areas.
In addition to the Global Council, each segment has its own DEIB council. All councils listen and engage with members who have unique perspectives. Diverse thoughts and ideas help us learn and improve as a company—our DEIB councils have helped inform our training for growth and development programs.
In 2022, we established DEIB baselines for our population of members. Within Haworth, we’re measuring progress for demographic representation, internal promotions, member engagement, and retention—business dynamics that intersect with diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We’re developing meaningful metrics for our entire marketplace, including dealers, designers, and suppliers.
One of our benchmarks is to bring female representation above 40% at 3 levels of leadership by 2030: officers, directors and vice presidents, and managers and supervisors. We also have specific goals in the countries where we operate to achieve cultural representation that reflects the composition of those communities.
What’s in store for the future of DEIB at Haworth?
One thing that is exciting is the engagement from the organization to continue to support the journey!” said Frances Hogsten, Haworth Vice President of Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion & North American Talent Attraction. “There are a lot of people raising their hands to be involved. [We also have] the commitment from Chairman Matthew Haworth, CEO Franco Bianchi, and our global Executive Leadership Team to continue to hold ourselves accountable.”
Our organization-wide commitment to transparency and accountability on our DEIB initiatives fosters a culture of belonging for all. Haworth leaders now have metrics to assess progress on movement toward our DEIB goals. One of those metrics tracks promotions, as promoting from within leverages the talent within our organization and can help create a diverse and inclusive ecosystem.
We also will be providing member training on a global scale to promote all aspects of DEIB. That training will help educate and inform the entire company on DEIB best practices, as well as our goals.
Dick Haworth
Haworth Chairman Emeritus
People’s needs and expectations are changing—fast-paced change that affects the economy, geopolitics, and social movements. We are on a journey where some changes may not necessarily be immediate ones. Because we value diversity, we work with many different priorities and perspectives. It’s important to balance expectations for our timeline as we make progress on our DEIB advances.
“We’re at a juncture as an organization where we need to be more outward, or verbal, in celebrating and sharing our wins,” said Frances. Culture is not a destination—it’s a reflection of how we behave and demonstrate our company values. Organizations can convey their culture best when their people have a sense of belonging.
“We’re seeking more opportunities to build even more awareness and participation in our DEIB initiatives, metrics, and successes.”
Find out more about Haworth’s commitment to DEIB, sustainability, and a circular economy in our latest Corporate Social Responsibility report.
We’re Working to Make the World Better
Haworth’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging helps create a welcoming environment for all—from our members to our clients.
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