Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) is a key part of making Allpress an amazing place to work where our people feel safe, engaged and able to bring their full, authentic selves to work every day.
In February, we joined more than 200 workplace DEI practitioners and champions from across New Zealand in Wellington for the Whira Ngā Kaha Workplace Inclusion Aotearoa conference.
This three-day event, organised by Diversity Works New Zealand, presented an exceptional opportunity to investigate the correlation between observed trends in both national and international contexts and their implications for DEI Kaupapa in 2024.
The conference provided an occasion for learning and reflection, as well as a space to address the well-being of DEI practitioners. The importance of the community's health and its impact on the quality of work and the Mahi they do was a central topic of discussion. In addition, participants discussed how they could support each other to thrive.
The agenda covered a wide range of topics, including allyship, authentic engagement, employee experience, the future of work, dealing with DEI fatigue, and integrating te ao Māori in the workplace. Most importantly, the conference provided an opportunity for community connection. It allowed for networking and the strengthening of the DEI ecosystem across the motu.
At Allpress, we are committed to fostering a culture of DEI, and we recently completed a DEI survey to truly understand the diversity of our people, what matters to them, and how we can improve equity and inclusion for everyone.
After the conference, we sat down with Susan Verner, our Global GM People & Culture to discuss building a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace at Allpress.
AP: Susan, DEI is changing the way we work around the world for the better. What are some standout steps for you that has Allpress taken?
Susan: I’m hugely proud that we’ve just launched Paid Parental Leave (12 weeks) and Paid Gender Affirmation Leave (20 days). With these policies, we are supporting our people at critically important times in their lives. We’re also supporting our people to bring their whole selves to work at Allpress, which is very important for wellbeing.
AP: Paid parental leave is invaluable to so many people. You’ve got some personal experience in that area right?
Susan: This is really important to me as a mother of two teenagers. Many years ago, when I was on parental leave with two children under two years of age, I found it pretty stressful. It was unpaid parental leave and I know that, if it had been paid time off, it would have been one less thing to worry about. It would have also been brilliant if my husband had been able to take paid leave too, as we are offering at Allpress, to normalise Dad’s staying home with their children.
AP: You mentioned Paid Gender Affirmation Leave too – this seems few and far between with many companies at the moment?
Susan: I’m delighted that we are offering Paid Gender Affirmation leave for our people who identify as transgender or gender diverse and wish to affirm their gender that is different to their gender assigned at birth. One of my friends has recently transitioned and while it has been an exciting time, there have also been some real physical and mental challenges. I am sure paid leave to be used for appointments and to recuperate would have made this process a little easier for her.
AP: What do the next few years look like with DEI at Allpress?
Susan: There will be more new policies and initiatives as we fully develop our DEI strategy in the coming months. Thanks to the insights from our recent internal survey, combined with upcoming listening sessions where we will seek to really understand the lived experience of our people around the world, we’re striving to make Allpress an amazing place to work.
