Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1346891
W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 13 M A R C H 8 , 2 0 2 1 F O C U S DI VER S I TY / EQU I TY / I NC LU S I ON Twenty-five CEOs signed the ini- tial statement, which was joined by the Maine State Chamber of Commerce's own statement in support of equality. More than 400 companies have since signed the pledge. e Portland Chamber created a 21-day challenge to provide educa- tion on topics such as race, power and privilege and more than 1,500 people went through the training. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion e solidarity statement sparked dif- ferent actions throughout the compa- nies which signed on. MaineHealth added an interim Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) staffer for its sprawl- ing health care system and launched a national search for a permanent person. MEMIC Group, a workers comp insurer, is working to create a formal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion council that includes employees at every level of the company. And grocery store chain Hannaford had its corporate team and other employees complete the Portland Chamber's 21-day challenge and have weekly recaps and debriefings with president Michael Vail. "We didn't want to prom- ise something and not produce. It had to be more than words in an advertisement," says Michael Bourque, MEMIC's president and CEO. "It starts with awareness and training. Everyone's idea of what DEI means is different. We've been rewrit- ing our mission, vision and values." While some companies already had DEI infrastructure and training in place, others were at earlier stages of their diversity efforts and some took the statement as an opportu- nity to pause and reflect on what could be done better. Maine's credit unions are here for you. mainecreditunions.org Maine credit unions focus on people, not profit. Our foundation is our communities. By embracing and encouraging our differences, creating strong relationships, and working together, we strive to give all Mainers their best possible financial future. Maine credit unions — a different way to think about banking. We've Always Been Different C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » F I L E P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Michael Simonds We hope it's not the last time companies and the chamber talk about these issues. We hope it's a continuing conversation. — Gimbala Sankare WEX Inc. F I L E P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Gimbala Sankare We didn't want to promise something and not produce. It had to be more than words in an advertisement. — Michael Bourque MEMIC Group F I L E P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Michael Bourque