Diversity & Inclusion: Leading Change from the Top
In order to enact meaningful, impactful change in any organization, it must start at the top. This is especially true when increasing diversity and inclusion.
With guidance and support from the Avient Board of Directors, we have been directing actions and programs to change how our organization views, values and creates diversity in the workforce.
“The importance of building diverse and inclusive organizations has never been more important—in business and in our world,” said Bob Patterson, Chairman, President and CEO, Avient. Diverse and inclusive organizations attract and retain better talent, are more innovative, and are also among the best performing. “As the CEO, change of this importance must begin with me—my direction, decisions and actions,” he explained. “D&I at Avient is a shared value and position, but it’s crucial for me to lead by example.”
“Sixty-four percent of my executive leadership team and 42 percent of our Board of Directors are female or racially diverse. I draw upon this diversity to make the most informed and best decisions for our company,” he said. “Yet we have more work to do throughout the company, and our investments in D&I initiatives and Employee Resource Groups will play an increasingly influential role going forward.”
64 %
Female or Minority CEO Direct Reports
42 %
Female or Minority Board of Directors
Management Approach: Diversity & Inclusion
At Avient, we recognize that a diverse and inclusive culture results in better solutions and innovation, which leads to better products and services for our customers. Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) at Avient refers to gender of our global talent pool and U.S. race/ethnicity.
The implementation of our first Diversity & Inclusion Advancement leader, Renita Jefferson, has continued to reinforce our commitment to being a Great Place to Work for all, both internally and externally.
Renita has developed a D&I strategy to attract, develop and retain diverse talent, with the ultimate intent to create a measurable impact in our population. In 2022, diverse hiring and promotions accounted for 40% of our overall hires and promotions. While we celebrate the progress we’ve made in this area, we remain committed to building upon these efforts and their results.
In addition to bi-annual reviews with the leadership team, Avient has guidelines to expand the diversity of our talent pipeline. Our experience has shown that having a better diversity representation in our candidate pool, increases the possibility for the position to be filled by a diverse candidate. Being able to attract and retain diverse talent allows us to expand our reach to a broader market space.
Our commitment to diversity begins at the highest levels of our organization, for example having 42% female or diverse board members.
Initiatives including Avient Mentoring, campus partnerships, and our employee resource groups are vital for progress in our D&I journey. In support of this, we stress equality of opportunity for all qualified individuals in accordance with applicable laws, as outlined in our Equal Employment Opportunity Policy and Code of Conduct. Decisions on hiring, promotion, development, compensation or advancement are based solely on a person’s qualifications, abilities, experience and performance, except where local law requires us to take actions to increase employment opportunities for a specific group. The Avient Ethics Hotline serves as a mechanism for associates to anonymously report any concerns regarding such decisions.
Continuing to build a diverse and inclusive culture is a key element of our People strategy and is crucial to the performance of our organization.
“I’m proud to work for a company whose core values reflect a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. These diversity and inclusion efforts fuel Avient’s innovation, and connect us closer to our customers and the communities we serve. Together, let’s continue to work to cultivate an inclusive workplace that respects differences, encourages, supports, and celebrates the diverse voices at Avient.”
Renita Jefferson, Diversity & Inclusion Advancement Director
The Hand: A Symbol of Diversity & Inclusion at Avient
In 2017, we adopted The Hand as our global symbol for Diversity & Inclusion at Avient. The symbolism is extensive and meaningful, which is why we chose it. As you read the supporting narrative we created, it provides both a call to action for the present, as well as a commitment to ongoing improvements.
The Hand represents Avient’s symbol for Diversity & Inclusion as a means to build an accepting and open culture where everyone is welcomed, safe, included and respected as part of our global organization.
