On March 4, AmCham and its Diversity and Inclusion Committee hosted a webinar in honor of International Women’s Day. This year’s theme, active allyship, focused on what individuals can do today to foster an inclusive workplace environment. Experts Dr. Marloes van Engen, Associate Professor at Radboud University, and Chuck Stephens, an experienced leader in D&I, gave their input on a panel moderated by Kimberly Fuqua, EMEA Director Customer Experience at Microsoft.
Active allyship starts with individuals at every level taking personal responsibility. Everyone approaches allyship from a different place, and can set goals for themselves in terms of learning and speaking up. At a personal level, this can look like researching topics, listening to others, and engaging in meaningful dialogue. In the workplace, active allyship can be encouraged through fostering uniqueness, strengthening belonging, showing appreciation, and supporting organizational change. There is no one way to be an ally, but every effort contributes to long-term culture change and acceptance.
