The Lehigh Carbon Community College Foundation, the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center and the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley were just some of the recipients of $185,000 grants recently announced by the PPL Foundation.
The Allentown-based foundation made a total of 24 grants to nonprofits in its coverage area, all aimed at building stronger communities.
In all, the PPL Foundation said it expects to award nearly $1 million in grants this year to support its focus areas: education; diversity, equity and inclusion; and sustainable communities.
Funds from the first round of grants will be used to facilitate community conversations on diversity and inclusion, improve equity in access to higher education, and support innovation and entrepreneurship among underrepresented residents in our communities.
“Through its grants, the PPL Foundation invests in innovative approaches to address critical social challenges and help build stronger, more sustainable communities,” said Ryan Hill, president of the PPL Foundation. “We’re proud to support nonprofit organizations working to improve lives and promote greater equity and inclusion in the communities we serve.”
The most recent round, Powering Equity grants were made in amounts ranging from $2,500 to $15,000.
The Foundation’s next round of grants will beEmpowering Communities grants and will be focused on enriching the vitality of the community through programs that support environmental stewardship and education, economic development and workforce development.
Applications for Empowering Communities grants are being accepted through June 15. More information can be found at www.pplcares.com.
Stating a commitment to making banking and financing products more accessible to groups that historically have been underserved, Lancaster-based Fulton Bank has launched its new Diverse Business Banking Program.
The program is designed to meet the needs of minority, women, veteran, and LGBTQ business owners.
“This program advances our purpose to change lives for the better,” Fulton Financial Chairman, President and CEO Curtis J. Myers said in a statement.
Myers said on the company’s website that Fulton Bank is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The basis of the program is Fulton Bank’s Diverse Business Advocates, bankers who have earned a special certification and can provide individualized mentorship, educational resources, and custom solutions to meet the needs of diverse business owners.
The program’s products and services include the following:
Business banking product bundles.
Flexible approval criteria for loans and lines of credit.
Merchant services.
Payroll and cash management services.
SBA (Small Business Administration) products.
“We’re building on the work Fulton Bank has long done as a trusted advisor for our customers,” said Joel Barnett, director of Commercial Affinity Banking. “In addition to serving diverse businesses, we want to strength relationships with community organizations so we can connect diverse businesses with the network and resources they need to succeed.”
The company’s website also promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion among its team members. Chief Diversity Officer Quianna Agent-Phillips said Fulton Bank’s inclusion efforts help forge connections throughout its workforce and foster collaboration among team members.
Fulton Bank, which has offices in the Lehigh Valley, is a subsidiary of the Fulton Financial Corporation.
CPBJ and LVB Contributing Editor, Sloane Brown, speaks with Tyrone Russell, Joy Houck and Lynette Chappel-Williams during a panel titled Building Inclusive Work Environments during the 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit.
Keynote speaker Todd Snovel brought a “Star Wars” theme to his talk Wednesday at the third annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit, hosted online by Central Penn Business Journal and Lehigh Valley Business.
Snovel, chief leadership and engagement officer for the County Commissioners Association, focused on how participants can become trained JEDI – promoting Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – in their workplaces.
He was followed by two panel discussions, “Building Inclusive Work Environments” and “Power, Privilege and Allyship,” with representatives from health care, engineering and other fields giving their tips and expertise on DEI (or JEDI).
When he went off to college, Snovel said, his worldview was very limited.
“I had been pretty much only exposed to people who looked like me, who sounded like me, who had similar beliefs and values as I. And it was only through those expanded opportunities in education that I started to realize, one, how big the world was, but two, really … understand how inequity (wasn’t just something in history books but was affecting people today) and not just other places, but in our own communities.”
DEI work is a challenge, Snovel said. “It can bring up some difficult conversations, and so there is sometimes a feeling of discomfort right around these JEDI ideas.”
Often, he’ll get asked if an employee should feel guilty belonging to a group that has discriminated.
“Am I supposed to feel bad about myself, especially if I hold some majority identities in the space, and I would tell you, please do not feel bad about yourselves, but let’s also be committed to a real understanding of knowledge because it is from that knowledge that we can then put that energy into action.”
Snovel explained the difference between equality and equity.
“It is when we do things that we then get to the ability to look beyond equality, to look beyond just let’s treat everybody the same way and give them all the same things. But to look to equity, which is, how are we equipping people to be successful, based on what they need?”
When thinking about launching a DEI initiative, companies should ask questions. And employee feedback is crucial.
Are they able to be fully themselves in the workplace? he queried. “So when I open that office door, do I believe that my full ideas and personalities and backgrounds and opinions are going to be welcomed and embraced? Or are there parts of me that I’m sort of shelving, checking, holding at bay because I’m just not sure how I’m going to be welcomed into that space?”
In the first panel, Lynette Chappell-Williams, vice president and diversity officer at Penn State Health, talked about changing circumstances.
“I would have said five years ago how we approach DEI … was radically different from where it is now. We’re dealing with severe … staffing shortages that reduce people’s ability to focus on anything that isn’t getting them through the day-to-day work that they need.”
“We’re dealing with financial challenges,” she said. “Organizations weren’t where they are … in terms of having a lot of additional funds … so you have to be far more strategic … .”
Tyrone J. Russell, CEO of Faces International Marketing and Development LLC, told summit attendees, “I always say this is really therapy. … I say, I’m a DEI therapist before I’m a practitioner, because I know that even if people pretend like it’s never ever personal that there’s deep-rooted stuff that they’re dealing with that’s not allowing them to understand what it is we’re trying to create.”
Productivity also comes into play, said Joy Houck, vice president of organizational development and chief learning officer at WellSpan Health. “… So if I don’t feel included on a team, if I don’t feel like I belong, my team may not be productive, and so if we’re not productive, we’re probably not meeting the business’ goals.”
In the second panel, George Fernandez, president and CEO of Color & Culture, spoke about the Latino population, health care and DEI.
“We understand that Hispanic demographic, and the Hispanic community are typically the No. 1s leading (where) we don’t want to be No. 1 in, whether it’s diabetes and obesity and cancer … . So I’m helping them connect to the resources that they ultimately need in order to allow them to live healthier, more active, engaged lives.”
Aaysha Noor, head of diversity, equity and inclusion at The Giant Co., is a Muslim immigrant to the U.S.
“I’m a strong believer that your personal experiences bring in a strong passion to what you do … But when you actually lived those experiences, and when you work with those communities, when you are on the street, when you have marched with them, and you have shed tears with them …it’s a very different feeling, and it gives you that deeper empathy and compassion and drive to do that work, and it also helps you … to bring other people along to tell that story … .”
Masai Lawson, senior manager of talent acquisition and inclusion, Gannett Fleming, had her definition of equity, too.
“… It’s not about quotas. It’s not about compliance; frankly, defining equity in terms of quantifiable results is again, in my opinion, too narrow, and ultimately counterproductive because it encourages a focus around outcomes only rather than how equitable environments are really built and sustained … So … I think equity is more of a state, and it’s hard to strictly define what it looks like, since it’ll show up differently in every organization.”
The summit was presented by Giant, with presenting sponsor WellSpan Health. Supporting sponsors were First National Bank, Reading Hospital/Tower Health and UPMC and patron sponsors were Capital BlueCross, Highmark, Members First Federal Credit Union, Penn State Harrisburg and Penn State Health.
Erie Insurance, with offices throughout Central Pennsylvania and Lehigh Valley, has named Lance Hyde vice president of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), effective August 22.
Lance Hyde –
Hyde will lead the company’s DEI team and related enterprise initiatives, the company said.
Hyde brings more than 15 years of experience in diversity and inclusion practices, including significant supplier diversity and sustainability expertise, to the leadership role at Erie. He joins the company after serving as director of Global Inclusion and Diversity at Pittsburgh-based Koppers International.
“I am excited to welcome Lance to the ERIE Family and the Erie community,” said Chief Diversity and Community Development Officer Chris Marsh. “With his demonstrated collaborative work style and results-driven approach, I’m confident Lance is well-equipped to help lead ERIE through our next evolution of DEI.”
At Koppers, Hyde helped develop the company’s global inclusion and diversity strategy while partnering with business unit leaders to create a robust supplier diversity program.
Prior to joining Koppers, Hyde served in various leadership positions at EQT Corp., including diversity manager and director of supplier diversity.
Recognized nationally for his DEI thought leadership and supplier diversity expertise, Hyde has participated in more than 50 panel discussions on a variety of topics throughout his career and has been featured in national and regional media.
Hyde earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from California State University, East Bay in Hayward, Calif. and a master’s in Business Administration from Waynesburg University in Waynesburg. He received the Timothy and Caroline Thyreen Service Leadership Award from Waynesburg University in 2021 and the Supplier Diversity Professional of the Year Award from the National Minority Supplier Development Council in 2019 for his accomplishments in supplier diversity initiatives with EQT.
Celebrating Small Business Week, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Acting Secretary Neil Weaver toured downtown Reading today to highlight the importance of small businesses in the commonwealth.
Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Acting Secretary Neil Weaver PHOTO/PROVIDED –
The celebration is taking place May 1-7, as proclaimed by Governor Tom Wolf and Weaver encouraged Pennsylvanians to support their favorite local shops.
“The commonwealth is home to more than one million small businesses that employ about 2.5 million workers, and we are celebrating them during this special week,” Weaver said.
“I encourage every Pennsylvanian to take Small Business Week as an opportunity to support their favorite local businesses by visiting, shopping online, providing positive online reviews and recommendations, and tagging them on social media,” he said. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, so let’s do all that we can to support them this week, and every week.”
The tour celebrated the diversity and impact of small businesses on Pennsylvania’s economy and communities. Weaver outlined them as:
39.4 percent of small business owners are women
16.6 percent are racial minorities
4.2 percent are Hispanic/Latino
6.3 percent are veterans
13,690, or 88.2 percent, of Pennsylvania firms that exported goods in 2019 were small businesses – and small firms exported goods worth $12.5 billion
For every $100 spent at a small business, $48 goes back into the local economy in which the business is located
Weaver was joined by Mayor Eddie Moran and others on the walking tour that highlighted:
New Heightz Grocery Store – a bodega
The Great American Creamery – a micro creamery that makes soft serve and hand-dipped ice cream cones, sundaes, milkshakes and specialty frozen desserts
La Casa Del Chimi Restaurant – a Latin American restaurant
Juice Bar – a maker of healthy juices, smoothies, and bowls
American Barber and Beauty Academy – a beauty school that develops leading industry professionals
“Undoubtedly, we have a history of entrepreneurial excellence that has long lived in our city for decades. Small businesses allow our economy to progress — they are the heart and soul of our community,” Moran said, adding he is proud of the city’s small businesses. Their diversity, creativity, and resilience are remarkable, he said.
Moises Abreu, owner of New Heightz Grocery Store said being a business owner for the last nine years in the City of Reading has taught him a lot about himself. “It has developed a hidden gift from within me, which has been the compassion of the community. The success in my business is due to the community. So, when the question comes up of why I chose Reading to open up my business, I say Reading chose me!”
“We live here, work here, and play here,” said Lucine Sihelnik, owner, Great American Creamery. “We know that Reading is Ready – Reading is ready for entrepreneurs & investors; Reading is ready to host visitors for world-class entertainment; Reading is ready for a larger, more diverse workforce and industry; Reading is ready to grow into its role as the fourth largest city in the commonwealth.”
In addition to Reading, DCED will be visiting local businesses in several cities across the commonwealth as part of Small Business Week: Philadelphia (May 2); Bedford (May 3); Scranton (May 4); Erie (May 5); and Zelienople (May 6).
Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) hospitals received national recognition for demonstrating a commitment to advancing health equity in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ) community.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) designated Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Cedar Crest, which includes LVH–17th Street and LVHN–Tilghman, LVH–Muhlenberg and LVH–Pocono as Leaders in its LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Index (HEI).
“This designation highlights LVHN’s dedication to creating an inclusive environment for our patients and colleagues,” said Judith Sabino, chief diversity, equity and inclusion liaison, LVHN. “We are proud to be recognized as national leaders who show our commitment to the LGBTQ community by providing equitable, high-quality health care and a workplace where everyone feels respected.”
HEI is a national benchmarking tool that evaluates health care facilities’ commitment to inclusion and equity of their LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees. This is the third time LVHN submitted evidence to be considered for this HEI designation.
HEI evaluates and scores health care facilities on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars:
Foundational Policies and Training in LGBTQ Patient-Centered Care
LGBTQ Patient Services and Support
Employee Benefits and Policies
Patient and Community Engagement
“Lehigh Valley Health Network shows continuous commitment to LGBTQ+ community members in our area,” said Kimberly Levitt, health programs manager, Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center.
“Through our partnership, we have the ability to implement public health initiatives throughout the year,” she said. “LVHN is truly a fundamental health leader, and Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center is proud to see this recognition from the Human Rights Campaign.”
In the 2022 report, 496 facilities earned HRC’s LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Index Leader designation. These facilities received the maximum score in each section, with an overall score of 100.
Another 251 facilities earned the “Top Performer” designation with scores between 80 and 95 points and at least partial credit in each section.
With 82% of participating facilities scoring 80 points or more, health care facilities are demonstrating concretely that they are going beyond the basics when it comes to adopting policies and practices in LGBTQ+ care, HEI said.
An Allentown firm is bridging the gap to bring neurodivergent people into mainstream jobs, lifting their ability to make a living and offering companies a whole new pool of workers.
Anthony Pacilio, vice president, CAI Neurodiverse Solutions, PHOTO/PROVIDED –
CAI Neurodiverse Solutions, 1390 Ridgeview Drive, Allentown, places neurodivergent people with companies looking to diversify their workforce.
Neurodivergent people include those with autism, dyslexia, ADHD and other neurological differences, explained Anthony Pacilio, vice president of CAI Neurodiverse Solutions.
Pacilio, who worked for JP Morgan Chase when the company created the Global Autism at Work Initiative, found that he could fulfill something he had promised to do after making a friend on the autism spectrum years ago.
“When I saw that [this person] was bullied by his peers and others, I promised I would do something in my life that would make things better,” Pacilio said. “He was talented in graphic design and art, but it was hard for him to get through school.”
While at JP Morgan Chase in 2014, Pacilio jumped at the opportunity to work with companies to employ neurodivergent people.
“I mean, why couldn’t we have done this 20 years ago?” he asked.
It is estimated that over 1 billion individuals identify as being neurodivergent.
It’s also estimated that unemployment for neurodivergent adults runs at least as high as 30 – 40%, which is three times the rate for people with physical disabilities, and eight times the rate for people without disabilities, according to The Center for Neurodiversity & Employment Innovation, University of Connecticut.
Pacilio joined CAI, a global technology services firm, when they started CAI Neurodiverse Solutions, which is designed to bring the untapped talent pool of individuals with neurological differences into the workforce.
“Several years ago, companies started looking for people who were different than [the norm],” he said. “They wanted people who look at things differently and get different solutions.”
The companies will tell Pacilio what their needs are, and he will match clients to the position. But that’s just the start.
Part of his job is to educate the companies about interviewing techniques, integrating the clients into the mainstream workforce and building the employee’s confidence.
He also works with potential employees on how to interview and interact with the company they will potentially work for.
“We have Talent Discovery Sessions where we teach soft skills, time management, and what employer expectations are,” he said. “These are entry level jobs, but they often lead to greater things.”
Pacilio said that, over the past year-and-a-half, the demand for neurodivergent workers has increased 38%.
Melissa Stafanyszya, IT director at Highmark’s Pittsburgh office, works with 66 neurodivergent employees throughout Highmark’s network. Seven of those are located in Lehigh Valley.
“We started the program in 2018,” she said. “We use CAI for staff augmentation and employ many of them permanently.”
That’s because they become such a vital part of the teams they work with, she said.
Stafanyszya said research shows that people on the autism spectrum are indeed underemployed.
“We have some with master’s degrees that couldn’t find work and ended up working in movie theaters or grocery stores,” she said.
One of the problems neurodivergent people face is the interview process.
“It can be really hard, especially if it’s a panel interview,” she said.
With the help of CAI, Highmark will do on-the-job interviewing to see how they do in an office setting, or in the case recently [the past two years], remotely.
“I’m a sponsor of the work program,” Stafanyszya said. “The first group was under me, and we learned a lot from them.”
Many of those first employees would be tasked with putting information into the system. As their confidence grew, so did their ability to move into other jobs.
CAI does all the screening and recommends people for the positions Highmark has. They are contracted for a year, but the experience has been so positive, Stafanyszya said she tries to keep them on as full Highmark employees.
“We’ve had a few that came in very shy,” she said. “They wouldn’t be customer facing at first, but over time, they wanted to be. We have one gentleman who didn’t want any interaction at first. Now, he is running meetings alone. He loves being in front of people.
“It took about a year. He started doing small parts of meetings like taking notes or reviewing notes. I’m so proud of him.”
While many neurodivergent people are attracted to math related fields, Stafanyszya said the list of jobs they hold within Highmark is “impressive.”
“I love being able to watch them accomplish what they thought they couldn’t,” she said. “We mentor them and they become mentors. They are very loyal and so dedicated to doing a good job.”
As they learn, they are able to chase higher salaries and build resumes to get better jobs, Stafanyszya said.
“They find a team and love the people on it,” she said. “Then they grow their skill set so the retention rate is really high.”
Pacilio loves hearing this.
“This is a big thing,” he said. “Parents of neurodivergent kids are always asking what they are going to do with then when they get out of school. Neurdivergent kids have 504s and IEPs, [learning disability documents]. Colleges didn’t used to have them, but most do now.”
The company has researched and set up training to overcome the obstacles that used to stand in the way.
“I have depression and social anxiety myself,” Pacilio said. “The best part of my job is I can relate.”
The program teaches people what opportunities they have and shows companies the talents they have, he said.
“It allows people to be independent. Productivity aside, that is what makes me get up every day.”
Marci Martinez-Howey, Marco Calderon Photography –
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley (UWGLV) has named Marci Martinez-Howey as the first ever associate vice president, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).
“This is an exciting next step for our United Way, advancing our bold goals and building on the foundation of our work in collective impact, addressing complex social issues at scale,” said Marci Lesko, executive vice president, UWGLV. “Appointing Marci Martinez-Howey as a DEI leader within our organization ensures that we cultivate an inclusive environment that delivers equitable opportunities for those we employ and those we serve.”
In her new role, Martinez-Howey will lead UWGLV’s DEI strategy. She will ensure that UWGLV is accountable to its DEI statement and operationalize the organization’s vision that everyone belongs, and everyone thrives in the Greater Lehigh Valley.
“The changes I have seen over the last couple of years in my engagements with UWGLV have been amazing – a true commitment to the work of inclusivity. You have hired and retained a very diverse workforce and now with the appointment of Marci Martinez-Howey, the organization has truly focused on diversity in its infrastructure. There is always more to do, but you are walking the walk and doing so courageously in challenging times,” said Scott Blair, associate vice president for DEI at DeSales University
“DEI work touches so many – different races, ethnicities, gender identities and expressions, veterans, people with disabilities and diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Very simply, I will work to ensure that everyone has the tools they need to succeed and feels welcomed and respected. It is a privilege to lead this effort for such a pivotal organization,” Martinez-Howey said.
Martinez-Howey previously served as the organization’s senior director, Finance. She has supported significant initiatives related to DEI work as member of the Strategic Response Team, DEI strategy group, and as the internal DEI committee co-chair.
She co-created curriculum and co-facilitated sessions around equitable interviewing and hiring practices, conducted organization-wide climate surveys, worked to develop an equity-based RFP/Qualification process for funded agencies and non-funded partners, and is the organization’s Bank On Allentown representative.
Martinez-Howey also serves on boards and committees for Financial Literacy Center of the Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce, Latino Leadership Alliance of Lehigh Valley, and Bethlehem YWCA.
She is a 2021 Bethlehem YWCA Woman of the Year award recipient. Martinez-Howey expects to graduate in May 2022 from Cedar Crest College with a BA in Applied Psychology focusing on Industrial/Organizational Psychology. She resides in Catasauqua with her husband, Edward, and three of their five children.
In an effort to expand services to communities with high concentrations of ethnic and racial diversity, M&T Bank announced that it’s designating six of its central and southeast Pennsylvania branches as multicultural banking centers.
The centers will offer banking and other financial services in languages customers prefer and employ bankers from the local neighborhoods.
The company’s mission is “to be culturally fluent for all communities, especially as the region becomes more diverse,” a release noted.
These branches are among the 118 multicultural banking centers the bank maintains throughout the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions.
The new multicultural banking centers are:
· Berks County: Shillington branch.
· York County: 21 East Market Street branch and West York branch.
· Dauphin County: Harrisburg Main branch.
· Schuylkill County: Shenandoah branch.
· Lehigh County: Broad Street branch.
The bank recently launched a Spanish-language website – mtb.com/es – as well and has updated its ATM network to provide services in Chinese and Korean. M&T offers phone assistance in 240 languages.
“Our community model has always enabled us to develop a deep local understanding of the people and places we serve,” Tom Koppmann, M&T’s regional president for southeast Pennsylvania, said in the release. “With our multicultural banking centers, we’re taking the natural next step – providing a distinctive M&T experience shaped by the preferences and perspectives of the diverse customers who rely on us.”
CHG Healthcare, the nation’s largest privately-held healthcare staffing company, announced the results of a nationwide study of more than 800 U.S. workers, revealing attitudes and sentiments toward workplace culture, working from home, mental health, and diversity, equity and inclusion.
“In a year that has thrown curveball after curveball, it is more important than ever for companies to make sure they are taking care of their employees and that their company culture remains a priority,” said Kevin Ricklefs, chief culture officer at CHG Healthcare. “This survey offers valuable insights into the mind of the current workforce, including how they define culture, what is important to them and how the current pandemic has impacted it. The results can serve as a roadmap for companies at any stage along their culture building journey.”
The survey sought insights on what culture really means to employees, as well as key factors affecting culture such as COVID-19 and long-term remote work, mental health, and diversity and inclusion within a company.
Key findings from the study include:
Many have left a job due to bad company culture
With 84% of women and 75% of men (79% of employees overall) stating they have left a company due to bad company culture, companies need to evaluate what they are offering their employees, as well as who is maintaining the culture. Over half of employees (68%) said they would rather have a good work environment or fair treatment over tangible perks (.5%). Employees also expect managers to play the biggest role in enforcing a good company culture, and when it comes down to characteristics of a manager, employees would rather have a trustworthy leader and mentor than a friend.
Culture can still stay strong during a pandemic, but check in on your employees’ mental health
Nearly three quarters of respondents (74%) began working from home due to COVID-19, and despite the disruption that the pandemic has caused in their lives, 54% stated that their culture remained the same and 20% said that the culture actually improved. However, it is still important to check in on the mental health of employees, as nearly half (48%) said their work had a greater impact on their mental well-being during the pandemic
Companies need to prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has emerged as one of the greatest challenges facing businesses today. Seventy percent of respondents said diversity is very or extremely important to them when it comes to a successful workplace culture, and over half of respondents (52%) indicated a company’s focus on DEI is important to them when looking for a prospective employer. However, only 50% said their company’s leadership is diverse and 82% felt diversity within leadership is key to having a greater impact on the company culture. This proves that companies still have work to do on the DEI front, and having a diverse workforce is beneficial for everyone within a company — from management all the way to the frontline workers.
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission plans to require diversity reporting from all major electric gas, water, wastewater and telecommunications public utilities.
The commission voted 4-0 Thursday to begin the rulemaking process.
In February of this year, PUC Chair Gladys Brown Dutrieuille began an effort to reinvigorate the commission’s efforts to promote and implement effective diversity programs at utilities.
The rulemaking will build on the recommendations of the PUC’s recently revised policy statement on diversity.
It would look to require utilities under its jurisdiction to file an annual report using a standardized form to account for the number of diverse employees as well as the utility’s diversity recruitment efforts.
The new policy statement revises the definition of diversity to include minorities, women, veterans, LGBTQ and the disabled.
The commission said that the visibility given to the topic of diversity at utilities will serve to strengthen their community ties and expand utility workforce talent pools in a time of increased employee retirements.
The commission’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking will be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and interested parties can submit comments within 45 days of that publication. Comments should be filed through the PUC’s eFiling System.
Copies of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking are also being served on all major jurisdictional utilities in the Commonwealth, as well as the parties involved in earlier discussions about updates to the PUC’s policy statement on diversity.
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