Month: March 2023

Diversity and inclusion are critical components of our sustainability strategy. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce strengthens our organization and creates long-term value. Diversity, in our view, is a driver for collaboration, with its emphasis on teamwork, innovative thinking and equal participation, and therefore critical to our success.

Our commitment to supplier diversity enables us to tap new perspectives, unique talents and innovative solutions to meet the growing and varied needs of our global customer base.

Putting our Strategy to Work

Our Global Diversity & Inclusion Council leads our global efforts to build and sustain a workplace that embraces individuality and collaboration to drive exceptional results. We expanded membership in the Council in 2021 to better represent the multiple dimensions of diversity we embrace. Our diversity and inclusion framework — Workforce, Workplace, Marketplace — embraces diversity within our company’s culture, our employees’ careers and the communities where our team members live and work.

Using our Strategy to Meet our Diversity and Inclusion Targets

Our Vision 2030 Thriving People & Communities goal includes three targets, or metrics, that measure success. One of these targets is to reach 30 percent overall representation of women companywide, including 50 percent representation of women in salaried positions and 30 percent minority representation in U.S. salaried positions. We launched our Diversity Talent Acquisition Framework to establish baseline metrics and reporting measures to assist in achieving our Vision 2030 goals.

We initiated efforts to improve our overall representation of women in every region where we operate. We also established regional diversity plans to recruit, hire, develop and retain the best talent. For example, in the U.S., we are aiming for better minority representation, In the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, there is a focus on people with disabilities and generational diversity because we realize that diversity means something different in every geography where we operate.

Our Targets

Our Vision 2030 targets are what we call “lagging indicators,” which are measurable results after deliberate actions have been taken. These targets are backed by a series of enterprise-wide “leading indicators,” which inform our actions. These include:

Develop People Capability
Fostering Learning & Development: In previous years, we rolled out Courageous Conversations training in Global Cellulose Fibers (GCF). Courageous Conversations help employees communicate their experiences and hear from others on complex issues of race and privilege in the workplace. In 2021, we implemented this training in our Industrial Packaging Group (IPG), including 15 mills and 175 box plants. In 2021, we implemented phase 1 of the Cultivating Inclusion program among our global salaried workforce; phase 2 expands to our global hourly team members in 2022.
Ensure Diverse Talent Pools
We continued to focus on hiring diverse talent through college and military veteran recruiting and to implement team member training and development programs to prepare the right candidates for key positions. For example, we have increased representation of women engineers in our REACH (Recruit, Engage, Align College Hires) program by 39% with the Class of 2022, compared to the Class of 2021.
Increase Engagement
We advanced our efforts to create a trusting and open environment where team members can express their ideas without fear of negative consequences. We initiated team-driven workplace flexibility plans that meet the needs of our team members and our company. We also continue to take active steps to improve the employee experience by utilizing team member feedback provided during pulse surveys.
Improve Retention
We expanded our Employee Networking Circles (ENCs) to 15, including:

Global enterprise level: IPride — LGBTQ+ & Allies, IPVets — Veterans, IPMOVE — African American, and Women in IP — Women
Departmental and business level: GS NOW — Global Sourcing Networking Organization for Women, IT Inclusion Council, GCF D&I Council, and Global Sourcing D&I Council
Local level: LatAm Women in IP, NAC Northern Illinois Women’s ENC, Riverdale Women’s ENC, Orange Mill Diversity, Georgetown Women’s ENC Savannah Mill’s Supporting Women in the Mill (SWIM), and IP Wise in Federal Way.

We believe ENCs impact inclusion and engagement, which directly influences retention. For example, the Savannah Mill’s SWIM ENC is a part of their overall diversity and inclusion strategy because the mill workforce is made up of 9.7% women, an increase of 2.6% from 2017. The ENC was created to increase engagement and retention throughout the mill.

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About International Paper
International Paper (NYSE: IP) is a leading global supplier of renewable fiber-based products. We produce corrugated packaging products that protect and promote goods, and enable worldwide commerce, and pulp for diapers, tissue and other personal care products that promote health and wellness. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., we employ approximately 38,000 colleagues globally. We serve customers worldwide, with manufacturing operations in North America, Latin America, North Africa and Europe. Net sales for 2021 were $19.4 billion. Additional information can be found by visiting InternationalPaper.com.

A young woman in Texas hoped to study computer science in university. But the program was too demanding for her to complete while also working two part-time jobs. Tuition was simply too expensive to pursue the degree of her choice.

That all changed when she was awarded two scholarships from the British American Foundation of Texas. The exceptional young student promptly switched majors and graduated with her preferred degree.

The scholarship had a cascading effect. The woman, now in a well-paying computer science job, supports her entrepreneur brother as he develops his business.

Two other siblings are working harder than ever at school. College is within their sights. If their sister could do it, so will they.

“It’s really gratifying to know that we’ve supported one woman, but the knock-on effect is so much greater than the sum of its parts,” says Kay Thomson, BAFTX’s Executive Director.

Since 2006, BAFTX has been providing STEM- and business-focused scholarships to Texas-based students who excel academically but who also face financial barriers. In 2020, the non-profit established the Women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) scholarship because “only 28% of the STEM workforce is currently female,” Thomson explains. “The sector is missing out.”

Enbridge has been contributing to BAFTX’s general scholarship fund since 2012. When we heard about the organization’s new Women in STEM scholarship, we wanted to support this initiative—to give more opportunities to girls and women to succeed in STEM—and now provide an annual $10,000 Fueling Futures grant to fund two scholarships per year.

We’re proud that many of the organizations we support through our Fueling Futures grants focus on developing the potential of girls and women, be it through career and personal development, leadership opportunities, and STEM education.

In 2022 and 2023, we helped fuel the future of girls and women through these organizations across North America:

The YWCA YWHISPER Gala, in Calgary, AB, raises funds for critical services for vulnerable women and families. We’ve sponsored this year’s gala with a $5,500 grant.Build a Dream supports career development, and its Dreamer Day festival celebrates women working in underrepresented industries, such as STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math). Enbridge Gas has been supporting this organization since 2017.The SPARK Leadership Conference for Women, in Fort St. John, BC, encourages attendees to step into their greatness and advance their careers. We’re an annual sponsor via $5,000 Fueling Futures grants.Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta helps girls aged 6 through 18 learn to be strong, smart and bold by developing the skills needed to break free from gender stereotypes and create change. We support this group with an annual $2,500 Fueling Futures grant.Williams County Soil Conservation District’s Ladies Ag Night in North Dakota connects women in the agriculture industry, promoting their work and the sector. We recently supported with a $1,000 grant.The Homewood Science Center in Homewood, IL, operates the Girls STEAM Success Club—which delivers afterschool programming to girls in middle school, helping them develop skills, learn about STEAM careers and set goals. We supported this group in 2022 with a $7,500 donation.The Detroit Area Pre College Engineering Program delivers advanced STEM courses to pre-K to Grade 12 students to encourage future interest in STEM careers. We provided $25,000 in support of DAPCEP in 2022.The Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence in Houma, LA hosts Girls Who Code Summer Camp—a week-long learning experience for girls, focused on STEM and the notion of being “Brave Not Perfect.” We provided $2,500 in support in 2022.

Thomson believes there’s an untapped resource regarding women in STEM.

“There’s so much potential there,” she says. “We need to harness this potential. We need to remove the barriers to make sure they can access careers in STEM, so they can boost our economy and make a meaningful contribution to our industries.

“We don’t want to miss out on what (women and girls) have to offer.”