Listening, Mentoring and Leaning In: Black History Month at Carrier
Black History Month may be coming to a close, but recognizing and acknowledging the contributions of Black people lives on. This year, the Carrier Black Alliance (CBA), an employee resource group dedicated to attracting, retaining, inspiring and reinforcing the value of Black employees at Carrier, organized a full month of activities.
Black History Month kicked off with a live, virtual fireside chat featuring Carrier President & CEO Dave Gitlin and CBA steering committee members as panelists. More than 160 employees participated in the candid conversation, with topics ranging from diversity and inclusion to the Black employee experience at Carrier. During the session, Gitlin shared the number of Black executives at Carrier is growing, but opportunity remains for greater representation across all levels of the organization. Gitlin added Carrier’s “ELEVATE: Blacks in Leadership” development program and CBA's mentorship and sponsorship program are seeing strong engagement and concluded by emphasizing his commitment to a company culture where all employees are valued and feel included.
Next, Carrier employees virtually connected with local elementary schools in Indianapolis, a community where Carrier has a strong presence. The schoolchildren listened as Indiana-based CBA employees read “Mae Among the Stars” and “Have You Thanked an Inventor Today,” books written by Black authors to inspire and inform children. Members of the CBA proudly donated 120 copies of the books to the classrooms.
The month’s programming also included a lively virtual panel discussion called “EMPOWERHer,” on the Black woman’s professional journey. Panelists discussed the importance of bringing authenticity to the workplace. More than 130 employees participated, receiving valuable advice on career advancement.
Black History Month at Carrier concluded with a virtual celebration featuring a keynote address on the significance of Black history. Carrier President & CEO Dave Gitlin provided closing remarks emphasizing the company’s values of Respect, Integrity, Inclusion, Innovation, and Excellence and a reminder that while Black History Month is a time to acknowledge how far the nation has come, it also demonstrates how much work is still needed.
In 2020, Carrier launched a focused, companywide Diversity & Inclusion strategy to create a more inclusive environment. To learn more about Carrier’s commitment to an inclusive workplace, visit https://www.corporate.carrier.com/corporate-responsibility/social-impact/our-employees/.
In Indiana, where Carrier has a strong presence in the community, schoolchildren gathered around to listen as Carrier Black Alliance members virtually read books written by Black authors.