At Westfield, we've made a commitment to advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in our workplace. It's not something we can do alone or in a vacuum, and we have several partners that help us advance by providing best practices, direction and benchmarking comparisons. 

This year, we are proud that one of those organizations - Seramount - recognized Westfield as one of only 54 companies named to the 2022 Inclusion Index. A competitive process, the results were based on 2021 activity and contemplate three key areas: 

• Recruitment, retention, and advancement of people from underrepresented groups—women, racial/ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ people
• Inclusive corporate culture, including leadership accountability; and 
• Demographic diversity for women and racial/ethnic minorities.

“Our participation in Seramount and other benchmarking isn't about making a list, but about driving progress and holding ourselves accountable," says Ed Largent. “Yet, it feels good to take a moment to reflect on the progress we've made over the last few years. This recognition is something we are extremely proud of and is a result of elevating DEI as a strategic imperative, our commitment to progress and driving accountability."

This recognition doesn't mean that we're done; in fact, it is a driver and a motivator to do more and further our strong culture. Jennifer Palmieri says, "The Inclusion Index helps to celebrate our progress and understand opportunity areas while benchmarking against other best-in-class organizations. This supports our organizational progress and provides us with a roadmap as we continue to build a culture that accepts, appreciates, and celebrates the unique perspectives that each of our colleagues brings."

Congratulations to the Westfield team! This achievement took advancements from all areas of the company including how we work with agents, suppliers, and customers as well as our internal growth.