How Conduent’s CAN Employee Impact Group Advances Careers and Social Justice
At Conduent, our Employee Impact Groups continue to be at the forefront of our company’s diversity and inclusion journey. Conduent’s Asian Network (CAN) is helping to lead the charge, exemplified by its programs and initiatives during Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month and many other positive endeavors throughout the year.
From its start, CAN’s mission is building community and belonging while driving Conduent’s initiatives that advance growth, quality and efficiency for our clients. With our seven other Employee Impact Groups progressing along similar lines, it’s easy to see the correlation between our company’s business momentum and our thriving and inclusive culture.
Welcoming the diversity of our CAN membership that spans our global offices, Conduent has embraced the need for cross-cultural and intersectional understanding to increase trust and collaboration. When stakeholders are aware of potential differences and similarities, they are more likely to listen — which leads to greater understanding, which in turn benefits our associates and our company. Bringing together diverse interests and ideas to collaborate helps Conduent deliver positive outcomes for its clients and end users every day.
CAN is celebrating AAPI month with its own theme, “Change, Adaptability and New Beginnings,” which acknowledges the hardships faced these past few years and how everyone can move forward, together, as one company. In keeping with promoting professional development experiences, CAN encourages its members to reflect on pathways for leadership and growth. To meet this objective, CAN organized a speaker series that began in January featuring career development advice from experts as well as open and honest conversations with CAN members.
For AAPI Heritage Month, CAN is continuing these conversations with a discussion about successfully managing change. In keeping with Conduent’s “what gets measured, gets done” belief, CAN sought feedback from members to make certain it will continue meeting the needs of its audience going forward. One topic of interest ties to AAPI’s and CAN’s overall theme for increasing mentorship opportunities. Despite making up a significant portion of the workforce, AAPI are underrepresented in the leadership ranks of many companies and governments. We know that it’s important for people to see themselves in leadership positions. Having role models, mentors and sponsors at executive levels can help companies increase diversity at all levels.
Beyond helping develop and plan careers and build leaders within Conduent, CAN members share stories of AAPIs’ fight for social justice causes. CAN understands how powerful bringing all people together can be when growing a business or fighting for a just cause. Its members see social justice as something that affects everyone — no matter their race, gender, heritage, or personal beliefs. It’s not an “us or them” issue; it’s a “we are all better together” rallying cry.
Two members of CAN penned this inspirational blog that explains how the AAPI community has overcome both past and more recent challenges while making major contributions to society throughout America’s history. As part of the May observance, Conduent will be hosting a global event with our associates where a guest speaker from the California Museum will be sharing her experience as a survivor of a Japanese American internment camp during World War II. CAN’s goal is to increase awareness about an often-forgotten chapter in American history so that we can learn from our past.
Everyone can understand and get behind being part of something bigger. Conduent is fortunate to be building a workplace where people with different experiences can come together to make a difference. As a global company with a diverse workforce, the more we embrace an open and inclusive culture, the better opportunity we all have for advancement and growth.