Setting a Foundation for Action
Simpleview is dedicated to building upon its culture of belonging throughout the global company and has implemented several employee and leadership development initiatives in recent years:
- We launched a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) task force composed of employee volunteers to drive measurable social change in the organization.
- We joined the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) and were the headline sponsor of the 2021 Think Tank. Our staff members participated in discussions focused on the intersection of LGBTQ+ tourism with overall equity, diversity, and inclusion principles and how we can become a more welcoming industry.
- We support Destinations International’s EDI efforts. Cara Frank, Simpleview’s chief of staff, currently chairs its EDI Industry Partnerships Committee and has completed Destinations International’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Leadership Masterclass.
- We are a principal partner and have invested in Tourism Diversity Matters, a diversity resource that educates, advocates, engages, and empowers the tourism and events industry. Our entire staff was invited to attend one of Gregg DeShields’ workshops earlier this month.
- Personally, I am a member of the Events Industry Council’s Equity Task Force, which is committed to addressing systemic racism in the business events and hospitality industry by developing a meaningful framework for action to accelerate inclusion; I’m also a board member of Tourism Diversity Matters.
These efforts have enriched us personally and professionally. As our knowledge has grown, we’ve been able to plan and take direct action to make Simpleview even more equitable, diverse, and inclusive.
Simpleview’s workforce moved to remote work when the pandemic started. While we had long enjoyed working together in person at our Tucson headquarters, we came to see an unexpected upside to remote work. Namely, we have been able to broaden the pool of potential hires and have consequently been able to consider and offer positions to more diverse populations than found in Tucson alone. We’ll continue offering work-from-home careers as a standard option for most positions.
We’re also conducting a compensation study with an independent third party to give us better insights into the metrics we’ve been tracking for several years now, including white/non-white and those who identify as male/female for both our employee population and in Simpleview leadership.
Such initiatives require our time, talent, and a significant monetary investment, but I can’t imagine anything that will have a greater impact on the business as we step into the future.
The big takeaway here is that what matters is action. Any action is better than no action at all. Simpleview is on a journey — we’re listening, learning, taking concrete steps, and investing in positive change with both our corporate wallet and our hearts. We hope you’ll join us on this journey.
As a CEO, I understand that this thinking can lead to missed opportunities. In contrast, a diverse and inclusive culture that fosters respect and values authenticity creates a work environment where we can fully leverage different ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives. The company does better as people do better.