News

NH Governor Chris Sununu has designated the month of June to celebrate the state’s immigrants, who continue to grow businesses, strengthen our economy, provide unique social and cultural influence, and who deserved to be recognized and valued.  Read more about the proclamation, as well as other related stories in Welcoming New Hampshire’s Summer 2019 Newsletter.

About Welcoming New Hampshire

Welcoming New Hampshire is an initiative launched by the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition in 2012.  It works to bring the foreign born and native born together to achieve a positive integration of immigrants and refugees into the social fabric of their receiving communities. Through education and cultural activities that both engage non-immigrant audiences and empower immigrants to claim their own voices, Welcoming New Hampshire strives to build an understanding of the impact and contributions of immigrants that will lead to stronger and more inclusive communities and fight back against the anti-immigrant sentiment that has divided so many.  To learn more, visit: https://welcomingnh.org/

Vapotherm recognized for its outstanding efforts in promoting and implementing workplace diversity and inclusion

Manchester, NH – The Diversity Workforce Coalition (DWC) and NH Health & Equity Partnership announced that Vapotherm of Exeter, NH, is the winner of the 2019 Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Award.  The City of Nashua and Comfort Inn of Concord were finalists.  The award was presented at DWC’s annual diversity conference, Building and Sustaining a Diverse Workforce, March 14 at the Puritan Conference Center in Manchester.

“All three finalists demonstrated a commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion,” said DWC Board President Tina Sharby.  “They understand the importance of acquiring and maintaining a diverse workforce.  The Selection Committee felt Vapotherm took it to the next level.”

Vapotherm is a medical device manufacturer that employs 300 people.  It has been recognized as one of the Best Companies to Work For by NH Business Magazine for the past four years. 

“Increasing diversity in the workplace is critical to our success,” said Vapotherm Corporate Human Resources Coordinator Elizabeth Chick, who accepted the D&I Award on her company’s behalf.  “We’ve worked hard to build and uphold a culture of trust where diversity and inclusivity drive excellence in performance at every level.”

Vapotherm’s accomplishments include its Diversity & Inclusion Roundtable series, which brings together teammates to discuss challenging topics such as bias, the inherent danger of a single story, gender in the media, and transgender issues in the workplace.  Vapotherm has also launched a Women’s Leadership Group to encourage and support future female leaders of the company.  In addition, it has implemented an ESL training course that is further bolstered by an ESL Conversation Partners program designed to help participants practice their language skills while getting to know other colleagues.  The firm’s Professional Conduct Principles encompass respectfulness and inclusion, and all programs and benefits are offered to all team members.

The City of Nashua was recognized for its My Brother’s Keeper initiative, as well as its broad-based Diversity and Cultural Competency training program, which has been implemented across multiple community partners.  Comfort Inn of Concord was lauded for its ability to hire people with disabilities that have been largely overlooked, such as the hearing-impaired and those from the New American community.

Prior to the awards ceremony, the three finalists participated on a panel with last year’s inaugural winner, Hutchinson Sealing Systems.  Panelists included Vapotherm’s Elizabeth Chick, City of Nashua’s Kim Kleiner, Comfort Inn’s Joyce McCabe, and Hutchinson’s Shelley Lake.

The formal portion of the program concluded with the D&I Award presentation by Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig.  A networking event, sponsored by Economic Vitality New Hampshire, followed.

From left to right:  Kim Kleiner - City of Nashua, Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, DWC Board President Tina Sharby, Joyce McCabe - Comfort Inn, Elizabeth Chick - Vapotherm

The Diversity Workforce Coalition comprises employers and other community members whose purpose is to promote diversity in the workplace through education, training, enhanced networking opportunities, and to identify and connect resources to its members and the public. To learn more, please visit diversityworkforce.org

The New Hampshire Health & Equity Partnership is a public-private collaborative effort of philanthropic organizations, public health agencies, community based organizations, advocates and others concerned with health equity.

  By KIMBERLY HOUGHTON Union Leader Correspondent

 Mar 20, 2019 

NASHUA — The Gate City is being honored for its efforts to promote diversity and inclusion.

Nearly three years ago, Nashua became the first city in New Hampshire to accept a challenge from the White House to ensure that youth of all color would have the opportunity to overcome barriers to success.

By participating in the My Brother’s Keeper initiative, the city also formed the Nashua MBK Diversity and Cultural Competency training program.

This week, the Diversity Workforce Coalition and the New Hampshire Health and Equity Partnership recognized Nashua’s training program for its excellence in diversity and inclusion.

“I’d like to congratulate the 15 cultural competency trainers on their recognition — a well deserved award,” Mayor Jim Donchess said in a statement. “Nashua MBK continues its strong commitment to promote diversity and inclusion and to maintain the mission of the MBK Community Challenge. I’m so proud of the work the trainers circle has done to cultivate such a valuable training program.”

According to a release, the training program is designed to enhance cultural competency initiatives in Nashua organizations, while also facilitating skills for potentially difficult conversations.

The program helps participants explore the concepts of diversity and culture by recognizing personal values, beliefs and biases, says the release.

With children in the city school system who speak more than 30 languages, in addition to a large percentage of students who are minorities and a large number of children facing economic disadvantages, Nashua is full of diversity, Donchess said earlier.

By accepting the MBK Challenge, Nashua committed to a full and extensive review of its policies and resources associated with early childhood education, third-grade reading and math levels and violent crime involving children: A local action summit was held to launch a plan of action for reassuring that children enter school cognitively, physically, socially and emotionally ready to learn; that they can read and compute at the third-grade level when they are actually in third grade; and that they remain safe from violent crime.

“MBK has challenged me to be a better leader and a more intersectional advocate for the issues many young people in my community face today,” said Jordan Thompson of Nashua, one of 22 men chosen for the 2019 “MBK Rising!” summit last month in California.

Thompson is one of several MBK participants working to enrich the lives of marginalized residents in the Gate City.

NashuaNews@unionleader.com

Diversity Workforce Coalition presents When Work Works Award to The Autumn Group

Manchester, NH, December 26, 2018 – The Diversity Workforce Coalition (DWC) announced that staffing and solutions provider The Autumn Group has been named the New Hampshire winner of the 2018 When Work Works Award for exemplary workplace practices.

The prestigious When Work Works Award is part of the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM’s) When Work Works project, a national initiative that helps employers become more successful by transforming the way they view and adopt effective and flexible workplaces.

The award is earned after a rigorous assessment that emphasizes the real-life experiences of employees and incorporates national benchmarks of employer practices from the National Study of Employers and the employee experiences from the National Study of the Changing Workforce. Two-thirds of an organization’s winning score is based on a survey of its employees.

Applicants are scored on six research-based ingredients of an effective workplace: opportunities for learning; a culture of trust; work-life fit; supervisor support for work success; autonomy; and satisfaction with earnings, benefits and opportunities for advancement — all factors associated with employee health, well-being, and engagement.

The DWC is the official host of the awards in New Hampshire.

“Studies show that when employees have options to balance their work and home needs they are happier and more productive. The Autumn Group has a culture that supports workplace flexibility. In talking to staff you can feel their excitement, energy and appreciation for their work flexibility,” said DWC Board President Tina Sharby.

“Congratulations to the NH winner of the When Work Works Award,” said Lisa Horn, SHRM vice president, Congressional Affairs. “The Autumn Group found that cultivating a positive, caring workplace culture was ground zero for building a dynamic, engaged, and committed workforce.”

The DWC presented the Award to Autumn Group COO Bryan Cedorchuk and Vice President Chuck Rice at the company’s Windham offices on December 19.

To learn more about the award, visit an interactive map that lists winning organizations by state. Additional information about the When Work Works Award and the When Work Works initiative also is online.

For more information about the When Work Works initiative and the When Work Works Award, contact Sundra Hominik of SHRM media relations at 703-535-6273 and Sundra.Hominik@shrm.org.

About Diversity Workforce Coalition
The Diversity Workforce Coalition is comprised of employers and other community members whose purpose is to promote diversity in the workplace through education, training, enhanced networking opportunities, and to identify and connect resources to its members and the public.  To learn more, please visit www.diversityworkforce.org

About When Work Works
When Work Works is a national initiative led by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) to help businesses of all sizes and types become more successful by transforming the way they view and adopt effective and flexible workplaces. When Work Works is one of the foremost providers of resources, rigorous research and best practices on workplace effectiveness and flexibility in the nation. The initiative administers the prestigious annual When Work Works Award, which recognizes exemplary employers for creating effective workplaces to increase business and employee success. Visit www.whenworkworks.org and follow us on Twitter @WhenWorkWorks.

DWC Board President Tina Sharby and Past President John Wilson present the When Work Works Award to Autumn Group Chief Operating Officer Bryan Cedorchuk and Vice President Chuck Rice.

The Autumn Group celebrates its Award at the firm's holiday gathering at its Windham headquarters.

Contact:

Tina Sharby
Diversity Workforce Coalition
603-621-3417
tsharby@eastersealsnh.org

Sundra Hominik
Society for Human Resource Management
703-535-6273
Sundra.Hominik@shrm.org

Workforce Diversity & Inclusion Award Nominations Now Open
Award to recognize outstanding efforts in promoting and implementing workplace diversity and inclusion initiatives

Manchester, NH, December 14, 2018 – The Diversity Workforce Coalition (DWC) and the NH Health & Equity Partnership are accepting applications for the Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Award.  The award will recognize organizations that have engaged in activities to recruit, train, and retain individuals who increase their institution’s diversity.  Entry to this award is open to all organizations across the corporate, government, community, and not-for-profit sectors. 

“This award program is a wonderful way to recognize and celebrate organizations that have demonstrated their commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion and understand the importance of acquiring and maintaining a vibrant and diverse workforce,” said DWC Board President Tina Sharby.

Last year’s inaugural winner was Hutchinson Sealing Systems, which was recognized for its impressive efforts to create a diverse workforce and provide opportunities for employees at every level of the company.  The runners-up were Eastern Bank and Manchester Community Health Center.

Nominations for this year’s award program will be accepted from December 10, 2018 to February 1, 2019.  Candidates will be selected for a site visit, conducted by Selection Committee representatives, with the final winner announced March 14, 2019.   For more information, please visit: https://www.diversityworkforce.org/Award/Nominations

The Diversity Workforce Coalition is comprised of employers and other community members whose purpose is to promote diversity in the workplace through education, training, enhanced networking opportunities, and to identify and connect resources to its members and the public.

The New Hampshire Health & Equity Partnership is a public-private collaborative effort of philanthropic organizations, public health agencies, community based organizations, advocates and others concerned with health equity. 

Media contact:
Tina Sharby
603-621-3417
tsharby@eastersealsnh.org

Roughly 100 people attended the fifth annual Women in Technology event on October 9th at the 3S Artspace in Portsmouth, NH.  This year’s theme—Seeing Herself There—reinforced the importance of increasing the number of role models and mentors to young women entering the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Keynote speaker Gaynelle Swann is a lifetime STEM and diversity advocate who captured the audience’s interest with her compelling journey.  She acknowledged that while STEM fields are male-dominated, they are not male-oriented and opportunities for women abound.  Ms. Swann was introduced by Dr. Loretta Brady, professor of psychology at Saint Anselm College and the architect of BDS Insight’s “Bad Ass & Bold”—designed for leaders seeking a transformational approach to planning with their loves, dreams, and realities in mind.

The evening culminated in lively roundtable discussions that explored ways to value women in STEM fields and identify supports and strategies that help women flourish in these careers. In addition to Diversity Workforce Coalition, Market Street Talent of Portsmouth and Bad Ass & Bold were sponsors of this year’s event.

Keynote speaker and lifelong diversity advocate Gaynelle Swan shares her incredible STEM story. 

Roughly 100 participants turned out for WIT 2018 at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth.

On July 26, 2018, approximately 90 individuals from across the state of New Hampshire gathered at the offices of Eversource in Manchester to begin a statewide discussion on diversity and inclusion.  

NH is facing a serious economic problem that requires navigating across the government, business, and nonprofit sectors.  Working together toward a common purpose is why this group was brought together.

Panel presenters included:

• Rogers Johnson, President of Seacoast NAACP and Chair of the Governor’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion
  
• Loretta Brady, Chair, Manchester Chamber Joint Task Force and Founder, Organizational Consultant at BDS Insight
  
• Tye Graham, Eastern Bank, SVP Director HR Business Partnership, Talent Acquisition, Diversity & Inclusion
  

The attendees broke out into small groups to brainstorm  about state-wide approaches needed to support diversity and inclusion, how to engage business leaders, and to identify business challenges and gaps.  Will Arvelo, Division of Economic Development Business and Economic Affairs for the State of NH, led the discussion.

Will Arvelo, Division of Economic Development Business and Economic Affairs for the State of NH, takes to the podium to open the discussion.

Tina M. Sharby is president of the Board of Directors for the Diversity Workforce Coalition.

Don Byrne and Andrea O'Brien speak with two representatives from the Diversity Workforce Coalition. This program originally aired November 12, 2016.

Link: http://wbnh1051.podbean.com/e/business-iq-with-don-byrne-andrea-o%E2%80%99brien-show-27-diversity-workforce-coalition/

A gathering in the city earlier this week gave women the chance to talk about the challenges and opportunities of working and succeeding in what has been male-dominated technology fields.

Link: http://www.seacoastonline.com/article/20141026/NEWS/141029575

Mike Cote's Business Editor's Notebook: Why don't you speak English or wear pants?

Link: http://www.diversityworkforce.org/pdfs/MUL-june282014cote.pdf