Outreach is already walking the walk when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Their commitment to DEI is reflected in the makeup of their team. Outreach’s founder and CEO, Manny Medina, is an immigrant from Ecuador, so the company began with intrinsic knowledge of the power of different perspectives. Furthermore, their leadership team comes from a variety of backgrounds, including being 50 percent women.
“We expect all Outreachers to embrace DEI as a business imperative and hold themselves and others accountable for a representative, equitable and inclusive workplace for all,” said Pamela Mattsson, VP of people and organization development, in a conversation with Built In Seattle. “We are specifically committed to ensuring that our company fully reflects the populations in which we operate.”
Outreach’s commitment includes promoting diverse talent from within — which gives the leadership team an opportunity to mentor talent from a variety of backgrounds. This effort was shown in 2021 through Outreach receiving the Washington Technology Industry Association’s (WTIA) DEI award — and the company shows no signs of slowing down.
In her conversation with Built In Seattle, Mattsson laid out several of the steps and metrics they have taken in the past and plan to take in the future — both to hire diverse talent and take care of the talent that already makes up their team. The question of how to support DEI principles in the workplace can feel daunting — but Outreach is setting a great example.
What’s one way you’re committing to improving diversity, equity and inclusion at your company in 2022?
Finding strength in diversity, equity and inclusion is a core value for Outreach.
We define this value as follows: You represent your authentic self and continually seek different perspectives from others. We expect all Outreachers to embrace DEI as a business imperative and hold themselves and others accountable for a representative, equitable and inclusive workplace for all.
It is a part of our DNA to actively challenge homogeneity, disparity and the status quo. Demonstrating leadership at Outreach means seeking diverse perspectives and elevating underrepresented voices. We are specifically committed to work diligently to ensure that our company fully reflects the populations in which we operate. We are breaking down barriers to tech and actively diversifying the sales industry. We grow diverse talent from within and ensure that Outreach is a place where people can be their authentic selves.
It is a part of our DNA to actively challenge homogeneity, disparity and the status quo.”
What do you plan to do to fulfill this commitment?
Last year, we signed the WTIA “Anti-Racism in Tech” pact and won their coveted DEI Award for our efforts — including standing up nine employee resource groups and establishing our DEI working council, where leaders of these ERGs have a safe and powerful seat at the table to influence how we build and maintain an inclusive culture at Outreach. And we are just getting started.
In 2022, we will continue to educate ourselves and our teams on implicit bias, cultural awareness and anti-racism in the workplace, including monthly anti-oppression dialogues hosted by our ERGs and mandated unconscious bias and psychological safety training. We will also exercise best practices to source, recruit, develop and retain a diverse workforce, including leveraging diverse sourcing partnerships, inclusive interview loops and intensive developmental programs for underrepresented employees. Finally we will rate ourselves on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s corporate equality index, the national benchmarking tool on corporate policies, practices and benefits pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees.
Why have you decided to make this commitment a priority this year? And how are you holding yourself accountable to it?
We believe great innovation is rooted in finding strength in DEI and that this has a direct impact on our success. Our founder is an underrepresented minority and immigrant. Our senior leadership is diverse and 50 percent women.
The power of diverse perspectives and the importance of inclusive culture are part of our DNA and how we see ourselves as an organization. Doing DEI differently, making it a part of our rhythm of business and holding each and every Outreacher accountable is how we impact the world for the better. We hold ourselves accountable for a diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we operate and we hold ourselves accountable for DEI through our performance review and promotional processes.
