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J.E.D.I
Focus: J.E.D.I.
HP’s J.E.D.I. section is designed to highlight the people, companies and organizations that are implementing principles to further justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in their workplaces and communities.
Setting up an IDEA Committee to Encourage Progress
By Margaret McCarthy and Kara Keleher Weston & Sampson, a 700+ employee environmental and engineering consulting firm based in Reading, Mass., has recognized that we have an opportunity to make substantive and meaningful progress when it comes
to societal justice and equity. It was in that light that, in 2020, we created a dedicated Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team that we termed internally the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Council.
We engaged an outside consultant to help us complete a gap analysis on our DEI efforts and develop a strategic plan to help us move forward. Our resulting action plan is a blueprint to further foster a sense of belonging, expand our diverse business development opportunities, enhance our existing relationships with diverse project partners and subconsultants, and seek out projects that will benefit underrepresented populations.
Corporate Commitment
Our leadership team has made a significant commitment to DEI and encourages all w staff to join the IDEA Action Committee or any of several subcommittees to move our action plan forward. Attendees are given the time needed, using a dedicated timesheet code, to learn from these events and celebrate our IDEA program through both formal and informal get togethers, social interactions, and outside events and training.
Developing an Action Plan
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At the onset, several employees gathered with our consultant to discuss developing an action plan. The action items from that session were separated into three phases. Phase I included designing, developing, and updating the committee’s mission and vision statements. Phase II included drafting the action plan, and Phase III included developing external facing messaging.
Specific Instances or Opportunities
Under IDEA, we set up several committees for individuals to contribute to, celebrate, and broaden awareness around DEI, specifically: • Action Committee • Trainings, Activities, and Programming (TAP) Subcommittee • Communications Subcommittee • Steering Subcommittee • Talent Retention & Recruiting
Subcommittee • Culture Subcommittee • Finance Subcommittee • Employee Recruitment and Retention
Efforts
Our employee recruitment efforts include:
• Developing a strategic plan for recruiting and obtaining diverse talent • Conducting interviews with relatable interviewers • Recruiting diverse members for our board of directors
Our employee retention plans include ensuring fully transparent, clearly communicated expectations around promotion policies and practices and conducting exit interviews to identify themes around reasons for departure.
External Efforts
Weston & Sampson empowers our employees to direct project-related spending through disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) and other diverse vendors and partners. We also engage with residents and project stakeholders, including local small businesses, minority populations, and environmental justice communities and gateway cities. We also embrace our expanding network of certified diverse vendors (e.g., MBE, WBE, SDVOBE, LGBTBE firms, etc.).
Accomplishments Thus Far
In 2021, Weston & Sampson published our IDEA Mission and Executive Summary and adopted our IDEA Action Plan. We also conducted four company-wide IDEA training sessions, created a dedicated internal SharePoint page and a monthly IDEA newsletter, started a book club and a movie club, and held several social events, in addition to many employees participating in external DEI conferences on their own.
2022 Goals and Beyond
Our 2022 goals include conducting quarterly training, developing a selfguided curriculum, and continuing to build IDEA awareness throughout the firm. We are also developing a Talent Management Plan and project delivery standard operating procedures (SOPs), establishing DEI-centric financial metrics, and then benchmarking those metrics.
In 2023 and beyond, we have set goals to keep us moving forward. We believe that working toward and achieving our goals of metrics, vendor diversity, internal and external transparency, and incorporating IDEA into the project lifecycle will make us a better employer and member of the communities where we live and work.
Margaret McCarthy, PE is a vice president and principal at Weston & Sampson in the Portsmouth, N.H. office. Kara Keleher, PE, ENV SP is senior team leader in the firm’s Reading, Mass. office.
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Turner to Celebrate Inclusion Week
Developer Increases M/WBE Spending
New York – Turner Construction Company announced that, during Construction Inclusion Week on Oct. 18-21, the firm will connect with 100,000 people from approximately 9,000 companies who work on its projects each day. People will come together to learn from one another and renew commitments to take action to maintain a safe and inclusive work environment.
Turner is a founding partner of Construction Inclusion Week, which brings members of the construction industry together to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. The company will hold site-wide events, toolbox talks, and huddles to discuss leadership commitment and accountability for diversity, equity, and inclusion; cultivating a culture of inclusion and belonging; and the importance of establishing and maintaining a positive workplace environment.
Turner is organizing events during the week to support supplier diversity and reaching out to young people – with particular focus on those who historically have been underrepresented in the construction industry – to invite them to explore rewarding career possibilities within the industry. These actions support ongoing workforce development programs that directly connect with community members to make them aware of opportunities to access handson training and full-time work in the industry.
The company has established a 2030 vision to reflect the diverse communities in which it builds, and to achieve equal representation at all levels of the company. Efforts are focused on creating meaningful partnerships, including committing $15 million by 2030 in support of scholarships, grants, pre-college STEM programs and other initiatives. Turner’s 2021 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Impact Report highlights its’ commitments and progress.
“Active caring is a guiding principle at the heart of everything we do. Participation in Construction Inclusion Week furthers our work to promote the right environment in the workplace and supports efforts to make our projects and company better reflect the communities in which we build as we intentionally reach out to people and companies who historically have been underrepresented in the construction industry,” said Abrar Sheriff, Turner executive vice president. “This industry-wide collaboration celebrates diversity and helps build a stronger foundation for equity and inclusion.” Boston – WinnCompanies recently announced it increased its spending with Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) in Massachusetts by 14% year over year.
The company’s property management arm, WinnResidential, awarded more than $19.2 million to M/WBEs during the fiscal year that ended June 30, to provide goods and services to 48 apartment communities financed by MassHousing, the independent agency responsible for helping to finance affordable housing in Massachusetts. The company’s M/WBE expenditure totaled $18.4 million in the prior fiscal year.
“M/WBE engagement has been a priority and source of pride for the company for decades. Setting a new expenditure record this past year truly illustrates our continued commitment to equity,” said WinnCompanies CEO, Gilbert Winn. “Our minority and women partners are fundamental to our success. We value the expertise, vitality and economic reinvestment they bring to the communities where we work.”
WinnResidential’s fiscal 2022 expenditure on MBEs topped $10.7 million, accounting for 22.3% of its total expenditure on vendors that support property management at the MassHousing communities. Nearly $8.5 million was paid to WBEs during the same period, representing 17.7% of the total spend at the 48 sites.
“Housing is a major economic driver that creates jobs which benefit thousands of families and businesses across Massachusetts,” said MassHousing executive director, Chrystal Kornegay. “The M/WBE program strives to make sure those economic opportunities are shared equitably with minority and women-owned businesses, who in turn foster additional employment and economic openings to underserved residents in communities throughout the Commonwealth. We commend our partners like WinnCompanies, who share our deep commitment to making sure that minority and women-owned businesses have the same ability to provide goods and services at MassHousing-financed rental communities.”
Mystic Place Apartments in Medford, Mass., a 465-unit community where WinnResidential awarded $835,000 in contracts to M/WBEs in FY22.
Opening Doors for Women through the Generations
By Susan McCabe Messier
Women have always played a part in all facets of the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. The ability to be recognized for our competence, commitment and contributions has at times felt like an uphill battle, as we serve as business leaders, owners, and CEOs, and create space for the women that come after us. Making our way in a maledominated industry often still presents its challenges, but real change has begun to cultivate a more supportive atmosphere, allowing women-owned businesses a greater visibility to showcase their work as innovative and influential providers in the industry.
As a female owner and principal of an independent hardware consultancy, I have been fortunate to witness these forward steps while also recognizing how far we still have to go. My father, Robert J. McCabe, AHC, purchased Campbell Hardware, Inc. in the 1950s, later naming it Campbell-McCabe, Inc., focusing services on hardware consulting specifications. Throughout his time as owner of the firm, he was a strong supporter of women in the industry, as he prioritized hiring women and supporting them in their education or as apprentices. As one of my biggest supporters, I distinctly remember him telling me that women have to work twice as hard in the industry to achieve the same roles and recognition as our male counterparts, a sentiment that often rings true today.
When I accepted the role of CEO and owner of Campbell-McCabe in 2013, I immediately began pursuing the Women Business Enterprise (WBE) certification for the state of Massachusetts. I wanted to continue my father’s legacy while purposefully pursuing opportunities to demonstrate our high-quality work and participate as members of diverse project teams. The WBE certification is offered through the State of Massachusetts’ Supplier Diversity Program, and it has made a difference for our firm, as diversity guidelines and requirements are incorporated into more building projects, at all stages of construction. It has given us the opportunity to work alongside some of the most well-respected architecture, design, and construction teams in the business, and to make our brand more visible. As our reputation becomes more well-known in the industry, nearly all of the firm’s present day contracts – both public and private – now result from word of mouth referrals. In addition, close to 40% of our current work now comes from repeat business.
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Another important influence on our company has been the State of Massachusetts’ requirement that a design firm that is awarded a project be obliged to use the consulting team it presented as part of its qualifications. This ensures that the women- and minority-owned businesses (W/MBEs) that were originally presented in the qualifications as part of a diversity requirement will indeed participate in the project. Important steps like this one will continue to lift up the businesses that have been overlooked or who have lacked the visibility or resources to compete with bigger firms on high-profile building projects.
I remain grateful for my father’s advocacy and commitment early on, as he took an active role in lifting up women and providing pathways for their success, including my own. It has been refreshing to see that mentality really taking hold within the industry, and women-owned companies having greater opportunities to exhibit their great work and build a reputation on building projects in all sectors. I look forward to the next decade, as we continue to work to ensure that W/MBEs play a substantial role in the industry and the building projects of tomorrow.
Susan McCabe Messier, DHT is principal and owner of CampbellMcCabe Worldwide, LLC.
New York – Stantec has launched its third annual Stantec Equity & Diversity Scholarship. This scholarship is designed to support future industry leaders and innovators who are from historically underrepresented groups pursuing science, technology, engineer, arts/ architecture, and math (STEAM) fields.
Stantec will award $200,000 in global scholarships for the upcoming annual academic year (2023-24) as well as opportunities for more than 20 paid internships in 2023. The Equity & Diversity Scholarship is part of Stantec’s broader commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion within the company, and is an example of the firm’s initiatives aimed at supporting members of the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, veterans, and first-generation college students who are exploring a STEAM-related education. In 2022, Stantec awarded 41 scholarships and 10 internships to students in locations across the world, that included Canada, the United States, India, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
To be eligible for this award, applicants must be enrolled in a college, university, or post-secondary institution in the 2023-24 academic year. An independent selection committee will evaluate the complete applications and select recipients considering educational goals, community service and leadership through extracurricular activities and overall career ambitions. Scholarships will be awarded in February 2023 and internships will be interviewed in 2022.
The deadline to apply is October 14.
NAA Announces DEI Grant, Scholarship Recipients
Arlington, VA – The National Apartment Association (NAA) has announced the recipients of the 2022 Innovation in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (IDEI) Grant and the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) Alexandra Jackiw Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Scholarship.
The IDEI Grant, sponsored by The Home Depot Pro, is awarded to NAA member associations, property management firms, supplier partners and related groups that have innovative ideas to advance diversity, equity and inclusion within their own organizations. NAA’s total pool of funds for the IDEI grants is $25,000 per fiscal year.
IDEI Grant Recipients
The 2022 IDEI grant funding is broken down as follows, accompanied by project summaries submitted on the recipients’ applications.
The Morgan Group: DE&I Education & Development Program – $5,000 “Morgan embraces and respects differences in age, ethnicity, gender identity, learning styles, national origin, physical ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socio-economic class. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council and Committee members continue to move Morgan’s DEI goals from aspiration to reality. The DEI members strive to demonstrate our commitment through our leadership, curriculum, programs, practices, and in every aspect of our community and culture. Together, we will work to ensure that all employees of Morgan feel a deep sense of belonging. To encourage training and education on DEI for our people to ensure a diverse workforce that is prepared to meet our current and future needs.”
Weller Management: DEI – A Business Strategy, Delivery Workplace Change and Belonging Program – $12,000 “At Weller, diversity, equity, and inclusion are the core of our values. In support of our ever-changing multi-family rental industry, Weller’s continued commitment to positively impacting and representing the communities and lives Weller serves includes developing and launching the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Program (DEI Program). Weller is committed to embracing a culture of belonging by building a framework of initiatives, programs and accountability that are aligned through the entire culture of the company where all people feel respected, accepted, supported and valued. By developing a framework that holds the organization, leaders, and all employees accountable, Weller and employees alike benefit from an inclusive, belonging workplace culture.”
PeakMade Real Estate: Fostering Inclusive Excellence & Belonging Through Microlearning Live Training Program – $8,000 “We have worked hard over the last two years to continue to expand our resources and education as it relates to fostering belonging and cultural competency within our organization and we look forward to partnering with [NAA] to help achieve that goal. The objective of Fostering Inclusive Excellence and Belonging is to give our leadership team – directors, RVPs, regional managers, and more – the ability to reevaluate where they are currently in relation to their ongoing DEI journey and where they have opportunity to close the gap and enhance their understanding of unconscious bias.”
The NAAEI Alexandra Jackiw Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Scholarship is awarded to rental housing industry professionals from diverse backgrounds as they seek to advance their careers through NAAEI credential programs. Established as a scholarship
fund by Alexandra Jackiw, CAPS, CPM, both a past chair of NAA and a past president of NAAEI, this scholarship covers fees for one of two credential programs for recipients: Certified Apartment Manager (CAM) or Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor (CAPS). The 2022 recipients are listed alongside their member company as well as the program for which their scholarship will cover. • Demetri Gantt, RangeWater Real Estate (CAM) • Trey Leotti, Greystar (CAM) • Christine Munda, Berger Rental Communities (CAM) • Kara Lea Elzey, Apartment Management Consultants, LLC (CAM) High-Profile Anniversary Edition • Caleaya Miller, Highmark Residential (CAPS) • Amanda Graham, Olympus Property High-Profile is turning 25, and this year we’ll be publishing (CAPS) a special 25th Anniversary issue and sharing how we have • Selena Curtis, ConAm Management evolved and grown over the years! (CAPS) “Fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive industry is a key priority for We are using this opportunity to highlight the strengths and NAA, and we are proud to lead these longevity of the members of the AEC/RE industry all over important efforts to ensure everyone New England. Celebrate with us by sharing your insights or feels at home within the rental housing the story of your company’s challenges/successes or evolution! industry,” said Bob Pinnegar, NAA president and CEO.
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The content will be timeless. The look will be fresh. Showcase your company in this evergreen issue. HP25 will be in a similar style as High-Profile’s special VISION issue.
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High-Profile Anniversary Edition
High-Profile is turning 25, and this year we’ll be publishing a special 25th Anniversary issue and sharing how we have evolved and grown over the years! We are using this opportunity to highlight the strengths and longevity of the members of the AEC/RE industry all over New England. Celebrate with us by sharing your insights or the story of your company’s challenges/successes or evolution!
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