June 30, 2020Jack LambA Word From Our CEO on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Aslan Brewing Co. June 30, 2020Jack LambNow, more than ever before, we must be more active with our intentions. No longer can we simply say that social equity is a key element of our ethos and lay satisfied with the status quo. We have to be actively anti-racist. We must ask more questions, do the research, create both short and long term improvements, and take action.
As a company owned by three white males, in an industry that is predominately white and male, we have a long way to go to build real social equity internally and within our community. We won’t be able to solve everything overnight. In fact, we will never truly be able to say we are finished with the work of building and maintaining an inclusive and equitable culture. We have a duty to keep the conversation going. With that, we will commit to taking small, but frequent steps that will continue to move us into a positive direction in regards to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in both the workplace and the community at large.
To begin, we look internally:
- Update Mission Statement – A company’s mission statement establishes the intentions behind the operation as well as the foundation of its ethos. As times change and our focus evolves, I believe our mission statement should follow suit. This is a simple first step that will help point us in the right direction, from the foundation up. We introduced specific language regarding social equity to help establish DEI as a pillar of our organization.
- “Our mission is to produce and distribute world-class organic beer using local resources, low-impact practices, and socially equitable initiatives in order to promote a healthier, happier, and more conscious community.”
- Integrate DEI into Hiring Practices – Another way we can make systemic changes to promote DEI in the workplace is to update our hiring practices. We must explore how we can use various recruitment avenues in our hiring practices to ensure we reach a larger, more diverse demographic, including those in Black and Indigenous communities, People of Color, and other underrepresented demographics. We cannot simply wait for change; we must actively seek it. These recruitment efforts will become a standard practice effective immediately.
- Create a DEI Committee – Probably the most important thing we can do to bolster DEI in the workplace is to ensure this conversation continues indefinitely. It is important to create a platform for employees to provide suggestions and challenges for DEI and ensure action items are consolidated properly and presented to leadership for consideration. To accomplish this, we will create a DEI Committee with representatives from each department within the company. This committee will be tasked with defining concrete and measurable goals for us as a company to track our DEI progress and ensure that our actions produce the necessary results.
We will then look externally:
- Community Outreach and Philanthropy – As a company rooted in giving back to the community, we have massive opportunities to directly impact people and organizations in need. Finding ways to incorporate social equity as one of our pillars of philanthropy will help directly bolster DEI in our community. We will continue to explore how to use our business as a force for good and establish long-term initiatives in giving in this realm. Sustained outreach is the key. We must keep momentum strong.
- To start, we shifted focus for our Fourth of July beer, which was originally going to be a holiday-focused beer release, celebrating our independence. Instead, we took the American Lager we brewed and will be using it to raise funds for Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County. 100% of Aslan’s profits will be donated and we are finding other businesses that will do the same when they sell the beer on draft or over the counter. This is an example of a short term campaign that will contribute to our philanthropic pillar in social equity and raise awareness within our community.
As we move forward and shift our focus, it will also be important for us not to forget about our current workforce and ensure they are being heard and feel included. The DEI Committee will play a crucial role in this, as representatives of the committee will be responsible for gathering feedback from their peers. In addition, we will continue to promote interdepartmental communication and transparency so our staff stays informed and up to date on the happenings within the company.
Indeed, there is a lot we can do. Small, but frequent steps will be our approach, helping us get to where we need to be.
Cheers!
Jack Lamb
CEO // Owner at Aslan Brewing Co.
Jack Lamb
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