GWC 4.0 Workshop 3

Green Workplace Challenge Workshop #3: Social Equity and Sustainability

Date

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Time

8:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Location

Robert Morris University, Sewall Center, International Suite

6001 University Boulevard

Moon Township, 15108

Cost

$10.00 for Green Workplace Challenge Participants

$25.00 for Sustainable Pittsburgh Member/GWC Non-Participant

$35.00 for Sustainable Pittsburgh Non-Member/GWC Non-Participant

Overview

A yearlong, friendly competition for businesses, nonprofits, universities, and local governments, the 2016-2017 Pittsburgh Green Workplace Challenge (GWC) engages employees and measures improvements in the areas of energy, water, waste, transportation, social equity and more. Now in its fourth year, the GWC has engaged more than 200 employers across southwestern Pennsylvania in driving the region's environmental transformation.

This year, the GWC is introducing a new action category for competitors: Social Equity. 

In this workshop, participants explored strategies to create an inclusive workplace, increase retention among underrepresented employees and integrate diversity and inclusion into their organizational culture. The program began with an introduction to the tools Sustainable Pittsburgh's GWC team used to create the Green Workplace Challenge’s new Equity actions, including the Global Diversity & Inclusion Benchmarks and International Living Future Institute’s JUST label. Participants learned about the Immigrant Community Blueprint, a tool to help immigrants thrive in Allegheny County, as well as the diversity and inclusion initiatives at Robert Morris University. The program also included presentations from community leaders who are creating inclusive spaces outside the workplace.

Featured Presenters

Daniel Klein, Communication Designer, evolveEA

Courtney Lefebvre, Project Associate, Change Agency, Immigrant Community Blueprint

Sumana Misra-Zets, Civil Rights Compliance Officer and Title IX Coordinator, CCAC

James Myers, Jr., Director of Community Affairs and Business Development, Urban Innovation21

Yasmin Purohit, PhD, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Robert Morris University

Anthony Robins, PhD, Director of Operations and Research, Uzuri Think Tank

William Thompkins, Executive Director, The Pittsburgh Project

Agenda 

8:00 – 8:30 am Registration, Networking and Breakfast

8:30 am Welcome: Autumn Secrest, Sustainable Business Program Manager, Sustainable Pittsburgh

8:35 am Developing a Social Equity GWC Category: The Tools we Used and Why

                Autumn Secrest, Sustainable Business Program Manager, Sustainable Pittsburgh

8:45 am Pursuing the ILFI JUST Label: Social Transparency at evolveEA

                Daniel Klein, Communication Designer, evolveEA

9:00 am Q&A

9:05 am Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives at Robert Morris University

                Yasmin Purohit, PhD, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Robert Morris University

9:20 am Q&A

9:25 am Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives at Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC)

                Sumana Misra-Zets, Civil Rights Compliance Officer and Title IX Coordinator, CCAC

9:40 am Q&A

9:45 am Advancing Immigrant Integration: Immigrant Community Blueprint

                Courtney Lefebvre, Project Associate, Change Agency, Immigrant Community Blueprint

10:00 am Q&A

10:05 am Uzuri Think Tank: Research in Black Male Achievement and Education

Anthony Robins, PhD, Deputy Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity, & Associate Professor of Biology, School of Engineering, Math and Science, Robert Morris University

10:20 am Q&A

10:25 am Should I Remind You!

                William D. Thompkins, Executive Director, The Pittsburgh Project

10:40 am Q&A

10:45 am Equitable Development: a Path to an All-In Pittsburgh

James Myers, Jr., Director of Community Affairs and Business Development, Urban Innovation21

11:00 am Program End

This workshop prepared participants to submit the following GWC 4.0 actions:

EQ2: Adopt a broad and inclusive definition of workforce diversity (2 points)

EQ3: Develop a vision for your diverse and inclusive organization (2 points)

EQ11: Join local diversity networks (1 to 5 points)

EQ22: Develop an internal Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Committee (2 points)

EQ23: Communicate your Diversity & Inclusion policies consistently (1 point)

EQ24: Create and utilize an engaging and robust D&I training program (1 to 3 points)

EQ30: Partner with local non-profits/organizations to engage the broader community in sustainability issues (2 to 8 points)

... and more!