Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Celebrating Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Comcast
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Celebrating Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Comcast
By Loren Hudson
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Jun 14, 2023
At Comcast, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) are core to who we are. From the people who power our teams, to the products we create, the stories we tell, and the groups we partner with – we work every day to foster a more inclusive workplace and ensure that all our teammates feel supported, embraced, and heard.
As part of this, we make it a point to come together annually across the organization for DE&I Day, a time to pause and reflect as an organization, celebrate our commitment to action, and be intentional about where we want to go.
On April 26, tens of thousands of teammates tuned in to our broadcast, either virtually or in-person at one of over 175 watch parties hosted at locations across the globe.
Our program not only included updates from executive leadership but also featured unique stories of teammates who are leading inclusively and helping to drive our efforts forward. We also engaged in a shared learning focused on helping us better understand social identities and dimensions of diversity.
As I reflect on the incredible day, three powerful messages have really resonated with me:
1. When we’re encouraged to be who we are, we do our best work.
A truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace is one where everyone is welcomed and included as their authentic self. Our inclusive culture centers around empowering all teammates to feel valued and celebrated for their contributions and inspiring them to feel comfortable bringing their whole self to work.
We all bring a set of identities into the workplace, and learning how to understand our differences is key to bringing out the best in everyone. Taking time to understand the many social identities we all bring to the table and connecting through these differing backgrounds and perspectives allows us to collaborate, innovate, and ultimately, help foster a more inclusive workplace.
Here’s what authenticity in the workplace means for some of our teammates:
Colten is going on his third year as co-lead for The Twin Cities APA Chapter and exemplifies the slogan “You do not have to be to belong.” His passion for community involvement and social justice broadly is what brought him to APA, as he searched for the best way to be an ally for the Asian community during an increase of hate crimes. Our story follows how his activism translates into the workplace.
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Michelle is an inspiration. As co-lead of Tech-Women she uses her platform to help advance young girls and women's careers through various mentorship opportunities. Professionally, Michelle ensures our products and offerings are malleable to an international audience. Our story follows Michelle’s passion for investing in others and the importance of growing in community.
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Jose was born with a disability in his right hand and struggled to find a space where he could be himself. At Comcast, he was able to find a supportive community and now strives to provide that same sort of belonging to others. Our story follows Jose’s drive to create and foster spaces where everyone is welcome.
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2. Our inclusive culture inspires teammates to give back to their communities.
While our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion starts at home, we’re deeply invested in the communities we serve and the small businesses that shape them.
From the incredible local businesses that we support through Comcast RISE, to the neighborhoods we help through our WiFi-enabled Lift Zones, and the investments we make to advance digital equity through Project UP, our team members embody our mission to help build a future of unlimited possibilities.
Through Team UP, our always-on volunteerism and employee engagement program, our teammates are giving back and making a meaningful difference in record numbers. This DE&I Day, we asked employees to Team UP by participating in Letters to UP Lift, a companywide volunteer letter writing project aimed to inspire high school students to be their authentic self.
3. Continuous learning is key to ongoing progress.
While we’ve come a long way on our DE&I journey, our work is not done. And it’s so important to take the lessons learned and apply them to our everyday lives. This summer, teammates will participate in a learning challenge that will build on the concepts shared this DE&I Day.
Continuous learning, both as an individual and as an organization, is all about being open-minded, asking questions, and caring for each other. It’s a simple concept of listening, valuing feedback and insights, and acting on them – there is always more to learn.
We are one team, and with a shared growth mindset and commitment to continuous learning – we can do amazing things together!
Take a look at some of my favorite moments from DE&I Day 2023:
President of Comcast’s Northeast Division, Amy Lynch and Lisa Williams, Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Northeast Division, kick off the DE&I Day Watch Party in Manchester, NH.
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President of Comcast’s West Division, Rich Jennings, and West Division teammates celebrate DE&I Day in Denver, CO.
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Kim Kleinhans, Central Division Senior Vice President of Finance and Accounting, joins Jason Gumbs, Big South Region Senior Vice President, to host the Central Division Watch Party at the Battery in Atlanta, GA.
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Loren Hudson, Chief Diversity Officer for Comcast Cable, stands in front of the Watch Party crowd of more than 800 employees celebrating Comcast’s fourth annual DE&I Day in the Ralph J. Roberts Forum in the Comcast Technology Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Employees contributed to a community mural by selecting flowers that represented Employee Resource Groups during the DE&I Day Watch Party event at Comcast Headquarters in Philadelphia, PA.
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The Comcast India Engineering Center team created a unique DE&I Day experience for more than 500 Watch Party attendees which included teammates performing eight classical dance forms of India.
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I’m looking forward to seeing the lasting impact of this year’s DE&I Day throughout our organization and how inspiring authenticity in the workplace will shape Comcast for years to come.
Loren Hudson is Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer for Comcast Cable.
