Approach
Bridgestone Americas (BSAM)’s DE&I strategy consists of three key areas: workplace, workforce and marketplace. In each area, it aims to provide an inclusive work environment, educate leaders and employees, and create equitable opportunities. To help achieve these goals, in 2021 BSAM conducted unconscious bias training as an introductory learning program related to DE&I for over 3,600 participants. BSAM is also committed to improving transparency by reporting various initiatives and progress through its DE&I Annual Report.
- Workplace
Ensuring an inclusive environment that focuses on all dimensions of diversity.
- Workforce
Hiring, advancing and retaining employees so that the leadership team at all levels is reflective of the company’s overall employee population.
- Marketplace
Providing financial and other support to organizations that create equitable opportunities for underrepresented groups in BSAM’s community.
BSAM has set a 2030 milestone to ensure that its leadership makes steady progress toward mirroring the employee populations they lead. This long-term goal reflects the understanding that sustainable progress on DE&I often takes five years or longer to achieve. At BSAM, the sustainability of DE&I efforts is critical, and it is committed to making meaningful progress over the short and long-term.
Organization and resources
BSAM has created a dedicated DE&I Center of Excellence with a five-person team focused on enterprise initiatives; creating strategy, tools, and resources for the business; and facilitating training and education to further the DE&I agenda.
A Board subcommittee oversees DE&I progress at the enterprise level and guides the DE&I Center of Excellence along with its strategic framework and accountability measures.
BSAM believes that DE&I is everyone’s responsibility. To that end, in 2021 BSAM launched its “Free to Be” movement that helps employees understand the importance of inclusion and bringing one’s whole self to work. It will continue to promote initiatives to increase racial and gender diversity, embed DE&I into the business, and create an even more equitable and inclusive work environment. These priorities will be accomplished with the direct employee input, including from its employee resource groups (ERGs):
- BBOLD — African American/Black employees
- BWIN — Women employees
- BNEXT — Millennial employees
- BBRAVO — Veteran employees
- BUNIDOS — Latinx/Hispanic employees
- BPROUD — LGBTQ+
The ERGs bring together employees and allies based on shared characteristics, life experiences, and interests and are critical in helping BSAM value employee differences. Each has the autonomy to define its purpose and programming, including community outreach and volunteering, mentoring and development opportunities, and networking.
2021 DE&I Annual Report