Resource Groups at Edgewell: Creating a Culture of Inclusivity, Support and Communication

Behind all the amazing brands, innovations and products of Edgewell, it is a company made up of amazing, individual people, before anything else. In fact, the sentiment, “People First” is our leading value and a key aspect of our corporate purpose. As the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Edgewell, that’s one of the many reasons why I’m so proud to work here. Keeping that core value at the forefront of my everyday work, I ensure that DEI supports our purpose and the focus on our people, and serves as a foundational function to support Edgewell’s values.

This is where our Teammate Resource Groups (TRGs) come into play. TRGs are a voluntary teammate-led group intended to build networks around groups that have been under-represented in the workplace. Our goal in launching these was to find a way to enable our vision that every teammate embraces our own it together mindset when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion. We wanted to engage teammates, provide a forum for our people to share experiences and challenges, and support DEI on a broad scale.

After initial listening sessions and a company-wide survey aimed at honing in on how we could make sure our teammates feel more supported, we set out to launch our first resource groups. The first TRGs were CARE: Cultural Awareness Respecting Everyone and WISE: Women and Individuals Supporting Equality. In November of 2022 we launched a Veterans TRG and most recently, in June 2023, we’ve launched a TRG in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

Members of our CARE TRG at a local CT chapter of the Boys & Girls Club.

While they are still new, what’s come out of these TRGs is truly amazing. Each group is supported by an executive sponsor, volunteer TRG leaders and amazing teammates who are active and engaged in what’s important to them. They are empowered to host discussions, learn from one another, have conversations or make suggestions about culture, what’s important to them, and create outreach events – internally and in the community.

One example from this past May, was our CARE TRG which held its second-annual community outreach event with a local CT chapter of the Boys & Girls Club. Teammates were able to meet with the kids, play some dodgeball, host an ice cream party and spend a day encouraging them to celebrate their own individualities. Some left wanting a dodgeball rematch (or at least a recount…), but everyone was encouraged to spend the day embracing themselves as individuals and emphasizing how our unique qualities make us stronger together. Our WISE TRG hosts internal events in support of International Women’s Day and Women’s History month and bring in external speakers on topics such as Assertiveness with Grace and Tackling Period Poverty, to name a few, that educate the group on important topics. Not only have the WISE members created amazing events in support of International Women’s Day, they also inspired local sites as well. Additionally, our newest LGBTQ+ TRG has sponsored Pride events around the world. These efforts are so much more meaningful to me because they are suggested by and supported by our teammates directly.

Another element our CARE TRG offers is book clubs and movie suggestions based off conversations and topics suggested by the group. While it might not seem hard-hitting to some, it’s the small moments that are the most impactful. When someone has expressed that they were excited to see that we had a movie or book for a group of individuals that looked like them, that’s powerful. Knowing that they recognize that they’ve been seen and represented within the Edgewell community is a huge foundational part of what we strive for. On a personal level, I’m grateful to have the opportunity to connect with teammates internally that I wouldn’t normally have the chance to interact with. Being witness to all the folks who attend, participate, and run these TRGs is amazing, and I am so appreciative and impressed by their passion every day.

I could not be more excited for our recent Veterans TRG and our brand new LGBTQ+ TRG to grow and support our mission of supporting our community and creating a more open and inclusive environment. It’s so important to be able to empower our teammates with spaces where we can freely share our experiences and challenge old paradigms.

Although we’re still in the beginning stages, the work our teammates have put into these groups has already created a tighter community amongst our teammates and made connections that would not have normally been made. Everyday I’m encouraged by the support, engagement, and conversations it has fostered. I’m optimistic about the supportive spaces we’ve built here and couldn’t be more excited to continue the journey towards expanding and supporting our TRGs at Edgewell.