2021 CADIA Impact Award winners recognized for diversity, equity and inclusion achievements

DETROIT — The Center for Automotive Diversity, Inclusion and Advancement last month held its inaugural CADIA Impact Awards, recognizing companies, organizations and people in the industry for their achievements in diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

The winners were selected from more than 70 nominations, and the awards were presented at a ceremony in suburban Detroit.

"The winners of these are making a significant impact on improving DEI across the auto industry," Cheryl Thompson, CADIA's CEO, said in a statement. "We want to congratulate the winners, as well as all of the nominees, and thank them for their hard work and commitment to support our mission of doubling the number of diverse leaders in auto-mobility by 2030."

Automotive News reached out to the winners to get their thoughts on the honor.

Leadership Commitment Award: Stellantis

Q: Stellantis conducted an Inclusive Leadership Self-Assessment with 2,400 leaders across the company. What did you learn from it?

A: Our experience was very rewarding and will bear positive results for our company for many years to come.

This was not a mandatory assessment, yet we had a tremendous response from our leadership team, clearly indicating their understanding of the important role they play driving the values of diversity and inclusion throughout our company.

Importantly, the results of the assessment correlate strongly with the purpose and direction of our multiyear DE&I strategy, and we will continue to incorporate the results of the assessment into a comprehensive learning plan for our team.

Creating Inclusive Cultures Award: MacKenzie Gibson, Yanfeng

Q: Yanfeng has a DE&I-focused book club and TED Talk-style events. How did those begin, and what advice do you have for companies looking to get their DE&I initiatives rolling?

A: MacKenzie Gibson: Last year, I was trying to understand everything happening in our country. Reading was my way to investigate, and I knew I needed to further my education. By diving into the history and the shared experiences of people who had faced inequity, things became clearer.

My hope was that through this book club and our TED Talk-like discussions, my colleagues and I could become better allies, learning more about diversity, equity and inclusion while also having a new way to connect. As so many of us were and still are working remotely, I felt that this could be a relationship-building tool that's resulted in a community. To others out there looking to get involved or to start something like this at your organization, don't wait for someone else to lead.

If you have the passion or desire, take the first step. If you're a leader and members of your team are expressing their willingness to take action or invest in something like this, empower them. There's a variety of ways to do this work. Be willing to try and encourage others to try, knowing that you can continue to improve over time.

Power of One Award: Comau

Q: This award recognizes an individual or company that exhibited particularly outstanding leadership in DE&I. A Comau employee wanted to recognize the company for how supported it made her feel as she transitioned from presenting as a man to presenting as a woman. What has Comau done to create that inclusive culture?

A: An inclusive culture starts at the leadership level and cascades through the organization. At Comau, we are focused on supporting our employees' differences. To do so, we have been working diligently on creating a diverse work force that includes individuals from a wide range of ages, ethnicities, backgrounds, religions, pronouns and so on.

One way Comau began its journey to becoming more diverse and inclusive is by creating a resource group titled Women in Automation. The different pillars the group focuses on are: culture of care, training and development, competitive work environment, career growth and community. The leaders of each pillar have assembled a team of diverse individuals to create ways to support the business and encourage employee growth and development.

Champion for Diverse Talent Award: Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association

Q: APMA has created a $7 million Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Fund. What is its purpose, and what has it accomplished?

A: Flavio Volpe, APMA president: The challenges of an aging work force in Canada's automotive sector have heightened the importance of attracting, training and retaining new talent to expand a skilled work force. Barriers to labor market access, education and skills training have exacerbated this challenge.

In partnership with the government of Ontario, the APMA's EDI Fund addresses the issue head-on. Our goal is to build attraction and develop a new talent pipeline that will construct pathways to historically underrepresented groups such as youth, women, persons with a disability and racialized communities. The EDI Fund will support employers and community partners in their efforts to access, train and retain meaningful employment for new hires.

To date, the fund has supported over 500 participants, with another 300 starting in the new year. The EDI Fund provides each employer with up to $8,000 to support attraction, retention, training, mentorship and mental health, transportation and health, safety and personal protective equipment. These provide on-the-job experience, upskilling and career development with the goal of each participant gaining a full-time position.