At Applegrove, our goal is to build an organization where every team member feels like they belong. We are committed to building a diverse team, equitable systems, and fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging for all. As an organization, we strive to approach this work with open minds, open hearts and a willingness to learn and change. It is a shared and ongoing journey in which there are no quick fixes, that takes time, and that relies on commitment and buy-in at all levels of the organization, especially among leadership.
In 2021 Applegrove examined its operations, culture, policies and practices from the perspective of diversity, equity and inclusion. An organizational audit was done with Lunaria Solutions to better understand the perceptions, behaviours, and culture that shaped the state of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at Applegrove. It resulted in the creation of a DEI Plan in 2022, focused on the priorities of communication, culture, inclusive leadership, talent recruitment and development and sustainability.
The Staff-Board DEIB Committee was set up in 2023 to guide DEI work at Applegrove. Among it’s first moves was to add a “B” in order to emphasize how important it is that people feel that they belong, are accepted and can authentically be themselves at Applegrove. Check out our first annual Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Report to provide a summary of what has been done to date. DEIB is not a project that ends – it is a way of thinking, being and working that is ongoing. We are all committed to continuing to learn, grow and do what we can as we move forward on this important journey.