ERGs + Community Outreach = Good Business Strategy

by Jose Jimenez

Chief Diversity Officer
CSC

CSC’s global Diversity Council (GDC) supports a global diversity program that promotes an inclusive environment in which employees have an opportunity to contribute, develop and meet their career objectives. One of the GDC’s initiatives is to provide CSC employees with the opportunity to participate in a regional or global Employee Resource Group (ERG). CSC ERGs allow employees with similar professional interests and shared perspectives to meet on a regular basis to advance best practices and network across the company in planned and sponsored activities. Any employee can join any ERG. Our ERGs are not social groups but rather groups that encourage employees to:

• Promote diversity and cultural understanding;
• Share common interests through regular interaction;
• Communicate with other employees within and outside of their business groups and across geographic boundaries;
• Assist each other in a resource or mentor capacity;
• Assume leadership roles in the ERG;
• Interact with CSC leadership;
• Form professional relationships that aid individual development;
• Identify and assist in programs that support business initiatives that align with CSC’s business goals;
• Express ideas and network with other employees; and,
• Participate in community programs and activities.

The ERGs are employee selfmanaged, each with an executive sponsor who demonstrates the corporate commitment to the community itself. This allows us to align the work of the various groups to the business goals of the corporation. CSC currently has seven ERGs and several others being organized:

• CSC Abilities First
• CSC Authentic Leadership
• CSC Black Employee Network
• CSC Gays, Lesbians, and Everyone Else
• CSC Hispanic Network
• CSC Women in Leadership
• CSC Young Professionals Resource Group

The ERGs work with our corporate responsibility committees to broaden community outreach. One example is the mentoring efforts of our Hispanic Network members and the Hispanic College Fund CSC scholarship recipients. In addition to CSC’s funding scholarships to deserving Hispanic students, members of our Hispanic ERG mentor and provide leadership to those students. Another example is our Abilities First ERG working hand in hand with other employees to raise money for our Walk for Epilepsy Team in Washington D.C. As our ERGs mature, we also anticipate they will continue to be instrumental in attracting new talent, help new employees in the on-boarding process, and help us to retain our Best Places to Work rankings.

This article has been sponsored by:
CSC