I took on this role of Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer in January. “Always take a new job that no one’s ever held at your company” I thought to myself jokingly — there’s no one to compare me to. The white space and ambiguity — while intimidating at times — was energizing. It allowed me to create a vision and quickly begin executing against that vision. What should DEI at ����Vloglook like now and five years from now? Where do we start? What are the early opportunities that build credibility? What are the larger boulders that we want to move over the longer term?

As we approach the end of this year, I am incredibly proud of what has been achieved by the team and the organization.�� This all started with listening — across levels, functions, geographies, and tenure — to create an approach that would be authentic to WEX. Some of this year’s accomplishments include:

• Introduced our 2025 DEI Aspirational Goals to achieve (i) gender parity globally in leadership roles and (i) increase the percentage of U.S. leaders of color by 50%.
• Introduced new professional development opportunities to help cultivate diverse internal talent
• Increased accountability for DEI with executive leadership’s annual goals tied to progress on DEI aspirational goals and DEI-specific training for the leadership team
• Showed up in new places and spaces. Attended the National Black MBA Conference, Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities, Afrotech, Women in Payments Conference, and Go Girl, Go for IT
• Embedded DEI across HR and the business functions. Examples of new DEI initiatives included: Signed the Parity Pledge, hired our first cohort of YearUp apprentices, added Pronouns to WorkDay/Google, new parent initiative, and significant progress on our Supplier Diversity program.

Core to our DEI strategy is our Employee Resources Groups (ERGs). This year, we hosted the for ERG chairs to formally support the growth and professional development of these leaders. This time spent as a cohort was invaluable, the conversations were profound, and it provided an opportunity for everyone to be in-person to connect and be present with one another.

Samira Burris, who joined my team in May, explained that the DEI Leadership Summit was one of the highlights from her time here thus far. She manages ERGs, which have grown in membership since the start of 2022. “Through things like ����Vlogblog posts, inclusion in company-wide messaging, and event placement, we’ve given these groups more face-time with the organization at large, and more external exposure to our customers and prospective applicants. The engagement shown by employee leaders in the DEI space makes ����Vloga better place to work and a more productive organization – where people feel like they can bring their whole-selves to work.” The ����VlogERGs organized and held 30+ internal corporate events with over 5,000 attendees across those events.

Samira is looking forward to many things in the new year, especially the formal launch of a new ERG, the Asian Alliance, which will be the 10th ����VlogERG. “In addition, we look forward to continuing to think differently about talent and show up in new places and spaces. Attending new conferences allowed us to broaden our aperture and key learnings and industry best practices. We look forward to continued partnership with our talent acquisition team.”

I’m looking forward to continuing to empower managers and leaders within the organization to create inclusive and authentic environments. Gartner research indicates that 60% of employees view managers as a top influencer of company culture. Therefore, it is critical to train and equip frontline managers. A focus on DEI allows us to create opportunities for growth and learning, and an opportunity as well to have challenging conversations that increase our capacity for empathy and inclusivity.

This is a journey. There’s still significant work for us to do in the months, quarters, and years ahead – and the bar continues to rise. But, I am excited about the momentum we’re building and the organization’s embrace and investment in our aspirations.

Watch the video below to get a glimpse into our inaugural DEI Leadership Summit:

To learn more about WEX, a dynamic and nimble global organization, please visit our About ����Vlogpage.

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In the first of a two-part blog and podcast series, I joined Tim Bergeron, who is our associate general counsel of corporate governance, to introduce the topic of ESG and share why it has become a business-critical topic.��

Watch our Benefits episode below.��

What is ESG reporting?

ESG reporting is the disclosure of environmental, social, and corporate governance data. Its purpose is to shed light on an organization’s ESG activities while improving transparency and inspiring other organizations to do the same.��

Reporting is an effective way to demonstrate that you are meeting your goals and that your ESG projects are genuine. This allows investors, employees, and consumers to screen investments, align their investments to their values, and avoid companies that may contribute to environmental and social risk.

ESG reports can help organizations expand their narrative. For example, at WEX, the narrative we aim to create and the impact we look to have on the environment around us is important, whether that be the physical environment or the communities we are a part of. How do we take care of business? How do we take care of our people? And, what does it mean to be a WEXer? An ESG report is an intersectional process that helps create transparency around your organization’s narrative.��

Why are ESG reports trending?

There are many different reasons why this space is expanding and continues to do so. The market is putting pressure on companies to release ESG reports and related disclosures. A lot of this pressure is being driven by investors. Information from ESG reports allows investors to analyze a business from a strategic and risk perspective.��

There is increased interest for businesses to be transparent on how they treat their employees, the environment, and their community involvement. These reports are a great way to discuss and celebrate the kind of work that is happening.

It can be intimidating to get started on your organization’s ESG journey. Authenticity around ESG reporting is important for organizations to understand. As you start your journey, look at your business from an ESG lens. What are the extent of its activities? And, what does ESG mean to your organization? Other ESG reports can be great inspiration for what metrics are out there, but authenticity is important, otherwise the ESG report is just a series of boxes to check.

WEX’s ESG journey

In 2021, ����Vlogconducted our first comprehensive ESG assessment and established an internal ESG committee to further the development and implementation of our ESG strategy. In order to highlight WEX’s people, culture, social impact, and environmental innovation and stewardship, our ESG committee is made up of people from varying departments. Members range from our legal team to our HR team to IT in order to gain a full perspective of the ways and means of our organization.��

The exciting part is, it’s not just HR, it’s not just legal, it’s many people collaborating to gain a full scope of the organization and how our products are impacting and benefiting consumers and businesses. This committee dove into WEX’s aspirations as an organization to decipher our ESG frameworks and what we want to be able to measure in the future.��

Having now published a second version of our ESG report, ����Vloghas received positive feedback and engagement both internally and externally. Laura explained that “����Vlogemployees have pointed to the report to say this is how ����Vlogdoes business and this is what it means to be a WEXer.” Externally, it allows us to be transparent to those who might be looking at ����Vlogfrom differing standpoints including angles from recruitment, potential customers, and partners.��

Discover how ����Vlogis committed to building a diverse talent base, driving environmental innovation, minimizing environmental impact, and enhancing the health and wellbeing of communities, customers, and employees.��

Download WEX’s 2021 ESG Report.

The information in this blog post is for educational purposes only. It is not legal or tax advice. For legal or tax advice, you should consult your own counsel.��

����Vlogreceives compensation from some of the merchants identified in its blog posts. By linking to these products, ����Vlogis not endorsing these products.

The post What is ESG? And what could be missing from your reporting? appeared first on ����Vlog..

The best way to cultivate innovative and transformative solutions is by fostering a fully engaged workforce and ensuring they feel valued. When our employees know we’re invested in them, they invest in us. We’re committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture at WEX.

As we continue our efforts on diversity, today we are proud to publish our inaugural Diversity, Equity & Inclusion report, where we review our current state and outline our future plans.

WEX’s mission statement lays the groundwork for DE&I

Our mission statement is to ensure that:

• ����Vlogis a place where everyone feels like they belong and can bring their whole self to work
• ����Vlogtreats everyone equally and with respect
• ����Vlogcelebrates differences

Elevating employee resource groups to increase a culture of diversity

����VlogBlack Growth Council’s Virtual Juneteenth Celebration

We strive to create a culture where everyone sees a long-term future for themselves at WEX. As part of that, they need to see opportunities and support systems for growth. They have to believe in our mission and see their unique contributions and strengths as vital to that effort. As we seek to create an engaging and inclusive culture, employee resource groups (ERGs) are key to our strategy for attracting and retaining diverse talent.

Parents@����Vlog“Raising THRIVERS” Virtual Event

In 2019, ����Vloghad one ERG, Women of WEX. Today, we have nine, each supported by an executive sponsor, employee chair, leadership board, and members. Through our ERGs, ����Vlogis committed to helping every one of our employees find community and opportunities to grow personally and professionally. Among the many changes ERGs have helped advance at WEX, in 2021, we added Juneteenth as an observed company holiday and amended our company-wide email signature template to offer a personal gender pronoun option. Our ERGs are part of the fabric of WEX. More than just providing engaging programming and places for meaningful dialogue, ����VlogERGs are critical to our DEI strategy and play a vital role in influencing the direction of the company.

I am a member of the Black Growth Council, LatinX, and Women of ����Vloggroups. Through these experiences, I have learned more than I could ever have imagined—even within my own community. I appreciate the inclusiveness and the openness each group offers. I love that I am being forced out of my comfort zone, which is something I needed in order to grow.
— Sondra Mellion, Project Manager

As we formed the Women in Tech ERG, we were supported every step of the way. Everyone at WEX, regardless of their gender identity, has been extremely supportive of our mission and has encouraged us to grow. Serving in a leadership role for Women in Tech has helped me hone my professional leadership skills and helped me grow and develop in my career.
— Rachel Carpenter, Data Scientist, Risk

����VlogERGs

Black Growth Council

The Black Growth Council at ����Vlogfosters an empowering atmosphere that encourages relationship building, collaboration, and advancement opportunities for Black employees and others.

LatinX

Latin X embraces members’ cultura and Latin heritage as the group aims to achieve social change through education, mentorship, and cultural understanding.

NexGen

NexGen is a community of early career professionals at ����Vlogfocused on connecting and empowering leadership skills through programming that enables personal and professional growth.

����VlogPride

����VlogPride provides an open and safe network of peers for the LGBTQIA+ community at WEX, while supporting all employees in fostering an environment where diversity and inclusion thrive.

Parents@WEX

Parents@����Vlogoffers moms and dads support, resources, and education, recognizing that family is a top priority for many of our employees who want both professional and parental success for themselves.

WEXccessibility

WEXccessibility gives employees with disabilities, and anyone who joins in support of their colleagues with disabilities, a sense of community and commonality as they partake in education, advocacy, and awareness-building.

Women in Tech

Women in Tech realizes the strength that’s built through diversity in tech, helping women—and everyone—pave meaningful career paths at WEX.

Women of WEX

Women of ����Vlogis a community of female-identifying employees and allies fostering the continued success of women at ����Vlogthrough enriching programs and events.

����VlogVets

����VlogVets convenes the ����Vlogcommunity of veteran professionals and military family members to engage, mentor, and empower one another through interactions with leaders, through recruitment, and through social and professional development programming.

Diversity snapshot at WEX

Women in Tech + Girls Who Code International Women’s Day Virtual Event

Our DE&I report includes data from January 2021 to March 2022 which covers movement toward achieving an inclusive culture. We measured progress through employee surveys, annual pay equity analysis, recruitment, and development of diverse and underrepresented talent. We tracked training completions, measured outcomes from our DEI programs and evaluated the impact of our inclusive culture on our business results and corporate brand.

Leading together for a stronger culture of DE&I at WEX

WEXcessibility’s Australia National Disability Employment Awareness

����Vlogis a growth-minded company where innovation and deep collaboration are inseparable from our success. As we look to the future, we recognize that the most important condition for accelerating the positive impact we can have in the world is by ensuring that our workforce has a diversity of cultures, backgrounds, identities, thoughts, and experiences that are equally valued.

In my new role as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, I’m responsible for the articulation and execution of WEX’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy. My goal is to strengthen the diversity of our workforce while also making sure every ����Vlogemployee feels a sense of belonging and support. Initiatives that are underway include increasing transparency to diversity metrics, tying Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion actions to performance objectives, elevating the impact of WEX’s nine employee resource groups, and embedding diversity and inclusion into WEX’s Ways of Working.

NexGen at a local Greendrinks event in Portland, Maine

The work ahead of us is about more than the leadership of one person. We believe that everyone is a leader at WEX, and that there’s a significant role for all of us to play. In order to nurture a core set of shared beliefs and desired behaviors, we established a Leadership Expectations Program to drive consistency across our organization. At WEX, it’s not just about what our employees do and achieve in their respective roles, but also about how they go about their work.

I feel that managers, team leads and executives have spent time to get to know me, which makes me feel more comfortable being myself in the workplace. I have been asked for my opinion and have seen some of my ideas implemented, which shows mutual trust and respect.
— N. Ramone Jones, Account Executive, ����VlogFleet

Our Diversity & Inclusion team and the employee resource groups at ����Vlogdrive important conversations, education, and connections. We’re elevating crucial voices within the ����Vlogcommunity, and I feel like I’m really learning from other WEXers.
— Kate Odden, Manager of Tech Strategy and Operations

I have been fortunate in having thoughtful, open-minded managers throughout my time here at ����Vlogthat have been extremely supportive of me from an inclusion and diversity standpoint. They have taken an interest in national/world events that could impact me and asked for feedback on what they can do to better align with me as a diverse person.”
— Gene Bell, Senior Director, Client Services

Recruiting and developing a diverse and inclusive workforce

WEXVet’s Hybrid Murph Challenge

Reaching further with recruitment to cultivate a more diverse workforce

As we continue to grow and employ a more distributed workforce, we aim to create a global team that is representative of our communities and the customers and partners we serve. Inclusive hiring practices have been introduced in the past few years. Our talent acquisition team and hiring managers continue to increase our aperture for talent.

WEXers volunteering at Feed My Starving Children in Chanhassen, Minnesota

WEX’s recruitment outreach extended to 1,076 colleges and universities in 2021, up 62% from 2019. We recruit from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and we sponsor internships and early career programs focused on giving people of color equitable opportunities. In 2021, ����Vlogwas a founding member of the Maine Diversity Summer Associate (D1L) Program, a competitive 10-week program for first-year law students who have a demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion and strong academic performance. In 2021, our summer internship program was recognized by Vault.com’s “100 Best Internships of 2021” and “Best Tech & Engineering Internship” lists. ����Vlogwas also named to WayUp’s list of “Top 100 Internship Programs in the U.S.” in 2021 for the third year in a row.

Extending DE&I training to all employees, board members, contractors, and vendors

In 2021, ����Vloginvested in required unconscious bias training for all full-time employees, board members, contractors, and third-party vendors. Nearly all employees (99%+) have participated in this training, which includes education and resources on building an inclusive workplace, understanding biases, workplace impacts, and tactics to disrupt these biases.

Creating space for conversation about what it means to be an inclusive workplace

WEXers volunteering at a Houston Food Bank

WEX, in close partnership with our ERGs, hosts all-company speaker series and educational sessions that highlight internal DEI initiatives and celebrate cultural moments. Examples from 2021 include:

• “A Celebration of International Women’s Day” with Dr. Christine Izuakor, sponsored by Women of ����Vlogand Women in Tech
• “Juneteenth: A Virtual Celebration” with WEX’s Black Growth Council
• “Leading in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” featuring ����Vlogboard member Derrick Roman and MFS Investment Management Chief DEI Officer Michelle Thompson-Dolberry
• “Latin Heritage Month: DEI in the Workplace” with Ramon Escobar, SVP of talent recruitment and development at CNN Worldwide

Prioritizing more inclusive philanthropy to further a culture of inclusion

WEXers volunteering with Partners for World Health in Portland, Maine

In 2021, ����Vloggave more than $1.1 million in philanthropic gifts, with the aim of supporting organizations that are empowering diverse and underserved communities through education, the arts, health and well-being programs, and more. We believe in supporting communities where social equality is a priority and have aligned our giving with organizations that uphold those values. Among our many corporate gift recipients, ����Vlogwas proud to support United Way of Southern Maine’s racial equity fund. The fund strengthens organizations led by and serving people of color who are seeking to better their communities. Recipients of the money from the fund serve at least 50% people of color. ����Vlogis also proud to support the Indigo Arts Alliance, an artist collaborative focused on cultivating the artistic development of people of African descent through mentorships and partnerships. ����Vloghas also been a longtime partner of EqualityMaine, where our funds help sustain programming that benefits the LGBTQIA+ community in Maine.

Driving inclusion with comprehensive benefits

WEXers supporting the local homeless community efforts at The Beacon in Houston, Texas

We believe in designing and offering a comprehensive benefits program that supports our employees’ individual needs throughout their personal journeys. From a compensation perspective, ����Vlogis committed to pay equity and conducts global pay equity analyses annually. We strive to ensure that, regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity, employees earn the same pay for the same work. Pay is just one aspect of supporting equality in the workplace, though, and we are committed to dismantling barriers and eliminating disparities with comprehensive benefit offerings. Our inclusive benefits and well-being programs are designed to support our workforce today and into the future. Highlights of our benefits program include:

• Conception benefits that allow employees to build their families
• Paid parental leave, adoption assistance, and child and elder care support
• Coverage for gender dysphoria and related services
• Alignment of domestic partner coverage for all available benefits, including health and life insurance
• Tuition reimbursement
• Flexible work arrangements
• Focus on career, talent, and leadership development
• Investment for financial security through our retirement match and company stock offerings
• Volunteer time off

We are committed to integrating our DEI strategy into our benefits program in order to be reflective in our culture and values, allowing all employees to contribute and thrive at WEX.

Staying focused on progress on DE&I, the ����Vlogway

����Vlogis a global commerce platform operating in large, growing markets. Our unifying purpose of simplifying the business of running a business is at the center of everything we do, and it’s the north star that guides our success. Our commitment to putting diversity, equity, and inclusion at the core of our culture is about more than just the experience of ����Vlogemployees. It’s about how ����Vlogpositively impacts all our stakeholders.

When we lead with diverse perspectives, we unlock limitless potential for the future of our company and, by extension, the companies we count as valued customers. We are moving in the right direction, but we have plenty of progress yet to realize.

Our inaugural DE&I report emphasizes our commitment to embracing and holding ourselves accountable for the DEI vision that we know will transform ����Vlogfor the better. As we help make the business of doing business better for our customers, we must first make it better for ourselves. Our culture has and will always be at the core of what makes ����Vlogstand out. We are devoted to strengthening that legacy in the years to come, and we look forward to sharing another update on our progress later in 2022 as part of our ESG Report.

I’ve been at ����Vlog28 years and counting. I’ve seen a lot of change for the better when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are a company built to solve problems, and that requires people of all identities and backgrounds to participate and help grow our business. It’s up to us to remove the blinders and invest in the leadership, values, and skills provided by every single person here at WEX.
— Carlos Escobar, National Account Manager, Large Fleet

To learn more about WEX, a growing and global organization, please visit wexinc.com.

Read WEX’s inaugural Diversity, Equity & Inclusion report.

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