DEI Statement | Updates | Message from the General Manager | DEI Strategic Goals & Objectives | Timeline | Our Process | Get Involved | DEI Dashboard
DEI STATEMENT
The Eight Cooperative Principles that guide our daily work are deeply grounded in equity and inclusion, underscoring our commitment to a fair and just world. Principle One, “Voluntary, Open Ownership,” affirms our openness to all—embracing people of all genders, social backgrounds, races, political beliefs, and religions. This principle is a promise to break down barriers and create a truly welcoming space for everyone. Principle Seven, “Concern for the Community,” drives us to actively support the sustainable development of the communities we serve.
Principle Eight, “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” is a guiding light, urging us to mirror the rich diversity of our community in our staff, customers, partners, and suppliers. By prioritizing equity and inclusion, we are building a culture where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, contribute, and feel valued. Through these principles, we are creating a cooperative where every individual’s uniqueness enriches our collective success.
UPDATES
Last updated: 11.4.24
Work Group Project Updates
In the third quarter of 2024, the Owner & Community Engagement workgroup completed the following projects:
- Completed review of promotional materials (major printed materials, major webpages, and social media) through a DEI lens. Made some changes in content, updated webpages, and are on track to have updated versions of all printed materials in October.
- Greatly increased frequency of customer experience surveys (printed out for randomly selected customers) at Willy North to get richer feedback from customers.
- Continued to develop relationships with northside organizations in pursuit of the strategic goal to “ensure a successful Willy North.”
Here’s what the Retail & Supply Chain Strategy Workgroup has been focused on through quarter 4 of 2024:
Continued Development and Implementation of Inclusive Trade:
- Planning for Inclusive Trade Event in February of 2025
- Ongoing work to determine next steps to continue to expand impact and recognition of Inclusive Trade
The Employee Engagement and Development Workgroup is tasked with two goals. Our employees reflect the demographics of the communities we serve and that we become an employer of choice through a culture of acceptance, inclusion, and respect.
In 2024 we held several workgroup meetings focused on re-defining how this workgroup could best help engage and develop employees. Our previous efforts focused on creating events for employees to meet at and creating workplace opportunities for cross departmental social interaction. While we are satisfied with our efforts, we sought to better align our work with the Co-op’s strategic plan initiatives.
To support the strategic plan initiatives, the workgroup will focus on supporting the Co-op’s DEI focus, core organizational training, and career development efforts. We are working to identify ways to partner with the UE 1186 on employee engagement and retention efforts.
On a forward looking basis the workgroup is in the process of selecting new members to become leaders of our new vision. We expect to go through some re-development work in the near term tasks like metric identification and annual survey development. We are also eager to bring back an annual in person staff gathering.
Eighth Cooperative Principle Added
We announced in our March newsletter that we’ve added an Eighth Cooperative Principle: “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.” The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) outlines seven cooperative principles by which cooperatives put their values into practice. The ICA is considering adopting the eighth principle listed below; we and many other co-ops have already chosen to adopt it.
MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER
August 16, 2023
We partnered with Step Up: Equity Matters in 2020 to help us change the culture at the Co-op to become a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization to work and shop.
This summer we implemented an Inclusive Environment Policy that takes into account much of what we have learned on our DEI journey over the last few years.
Since 2020, we have deepened our knowledge and understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion and elevated its role in our policies and procedures. We have evaluated the programs and services we offer and revised them to work towards being more inclusive and accessible to everyone, not just some.
We haven’t always gotten it right. I know that some people still don’t feel welcome to work, shop, or sell products in our stores. We will have and will continue to learn from these experiences and use them to improve.
In January 2022, we established three DEI workgroups with a focus on employees, retail and supply chain, and Owners and community to positively influence and change how we do business. We currently provide all staff with bias and microaggression training via an online format to allow individuals space for personal reflection on DEI while building a framework to support change within the organization.
As we look to the future, we will expand and deepen our commitment through continued policy review and revision; strengthening our relationships within the community; and finding more ways to remove barriers for our employees, customers, vendors, so our neighborhoods can thrive.
We are passionate about making everyone who works and shops here feel welcome and respected. To be a place where everyone feels they belong, are valued, and are connected is my personal vision for the Co-op.
–Anya Firszt, General Manager, Willy Street Co-op
DEI Strategic Goals & Objectives
Check out DEI Dashboard for metrics related to these goals and objectives.
Owner & Community Engagement
- Our customers reflect the demographics of the communities we serve
- The Co-op is a place where our community participates and is proud to shop
Retail & Supply Chain Strategy
- Increased focus on DEI in the Co-op’s vendor pool
- Product mix that is aligned with our brand/identity while reflecting the communities we serve
Employee Engagement & Development
- Our employees reflect the demographics of the communities we serve
- Become an employer of choice through a culture of acceptance, inclusion, and respect.
OUR PROCESS
As reported in the August 2020 GM Report in the Co-op newsletter, the Reader.
In July 2020, Willy Street Co-op partnered with Step Up: Equity Matters, a local consulting firm that will work to provide us a framework for positive change to further our ongoing commitment to identifying and eliminating systemic racism in the workplace.
Step Up will work with Willy Street Co-op staff and the Board to build equity capabilities by:
- Conducting an organizational equity assessment.
- Developing a strategic plan to prioritize equity initiatives across the following domains: 1) leadership and governance 2) talent 3) customer, owner and community relationships 4) branding and marketing 5) vendors and suppliers.
- Supporting the Co-op during strategic plan implementation with a focus on equitable engagement and outcomes.
- Designing an experiential training program that focuses on recognizing, owning, and disrupting biases individually and organizationally.
- In year one of our partnership, Step Up conducted an organizational equity assessment and are working with us to roll out training of all staff members. Our leadership group completed an in-depth training that included individual coaching sessions. This initial work will help us apply an equity lens as we develop our strategic plans prioritizing equity initiatives in terms of leadership and governance; talent; customer, Owner and community relationships; branding and marketing; and vendors and suppliers.
Results of Assessment Phase
Executive summary as reported in the May 2021 GM Report in the Co-op newsletter, the Reader.
In April/May 2020, Step Up concluded their scheduled assessment of the Co-op’s leadership, culture, and initiatives. Step Up collected input through various avenues, including an online challenge, employee climate survey, interviews and focus groups with staff, managers, and the Board. The assessment provided Step Up with perspective about our overall strengths and opportunities while understanding the challenges to achieving the results of a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization.
The Board President, Jeannine Bindl, and I have reviewed the Step Up full assessment, and we commit to implementing the recommendations and next steps as suggested. The conclusions and main points of the executive summary:
“Based on our findings, we conclude that the Co-op must address and improve internal culture, communication channels and content, and talent management practices to set a strong foundation to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse talent base.”
We will work together to address the most pressing needs Step Up has identified through their assessment by:
- Reviewing organization design.
- Conducting leadership development focused on organizational effectiveness, change management, and equity and inclusion.
- Working on a DEI strategy after the leadership training and development.
- Assessing training approaches and infrastructure with a focus on removing accessibility barriers and deploying training on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Working closely with the newly hired HR director to develop and increase the HR function capabilities.
- Prioritizing design and implementation of a strengths-based confidence-building supervisory model.
GET INVOLVED
Interested in working at the Co-op? Find our career opportunities here.
Interested in becoming a Willy Street Co-op Owner? Find the benefits of Ownership and equity payment options here.
Interested in running for a seat on our Board of Directors? Find out information about our Board here.
