Employee Service Initiative

The Employee Service Initiative (ESI) was proposed in the External Affairs DEI Committee Year-End Report in November 2022 and in the subsequent Nine-Point Plan. ESI embodies the spirit of the DEI Committee’s Statement on Furthering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and the initiative holds the principles and values set forth in the statement.

The ESI was proposed and framed by Sharon Freeman in 2022 while serving as the DEI Committee co-lead. The proposal was accepted and moved forward for implementation by the Learning, Education & Development (LED) subcommittee of the EA DEI Committee in 2023.

Summary

The ESI is a concept derived from the Growth in Leadership Initiative, which states that we should embrace opportunities to learn and grow in self-examination, education, and service. ESI aims to strengthen ties to the community through engagement and making personal connections with the community in which we reside. ESI will build the structure for a diverse, developmental network that serves and shares our talents and various disciplines to help create access and equity for our neighboring community. ESI strives to honor the community with good citizenship, and by cultivating growth and learning for our staff and for the communities that we seek to serve.

The framework for furthering the ESI includes the following:

• Volunteer Time Off (VTO): External Affairs employees receive two paid VTO days annually
• Organized group service days
• Paid summer internships/job offers/mentorship programs for the community
• Collaboration with Government & Community Affairs
• External Affairs employee service recognition
• Sustained, long-term programs with community partners

If you have questions about any of the policies under ESI, please contact Sharon Freeman or Meredith Mann.