LA Business Journal

DEI: Why it Matters

By JAY CATLIN Jay Catlin is CEO at AMS Fulfillment. Learn more at amsfulfillment.com.

AMS Fulfillment is proud to be a Certified B Corporation. Since our inception in 2002, AMS has had a set of core values putting people above profit.

In recent years, diversity, equity, and inclusion have garnered centerstage in business. To AMS, DE&I has always been an active practice. We have actively recruited our employees from underserved communities, in terms of their race, gender, sexual preference, judicial background, and presence of disabilities. Our workforce mirrors the community in which we do business or the community for which we serve.

For AMS, DE&I starts at the leadership level. Our leadership team is comprised of 50.3% females. Female executives provide a unique skill set to any organization. From more diverse problem-solving skills to increased organizational collaboration, female leaders are integral to AMS’ success. At our C-level, 25% are women – which is higher than the national average.

AMS takes pride in our workforce equity. With our low turnover rate and high employee engagement, we have achieved a workforce family atmosphere, where all employees are committed to the company’s success and individual success. AMS invests in our people and our community. We actively recruit from organizations that address underrepresented communities such as Pleasant View Industries, Desert Haven, New Horizons, the Department of Rehabilitation, Bridge to Home, and the Carousel Ranch.

Not only do we provide a safe work environment, but we are also committed to our employees, whether they want to advance their careers through our internal Learning Center Classes such as Excel and ESL or support them in social causes.

As an organization, AMS Fulfillment encourages our employees to grow. As of 2022, over 43% of our employees have taken the I Want to be a Leader course, and over 20% have taken the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion course. We actively foster a learning environment.

But learning isn’t just for our employees. Even though we have a low employee turnover rate, it doesn’t mean that AMS can’t learn too. We actively conduct exit interviews and employee engagement surveys – thoroughly reading the employee feedback. We want to know who is falling through the cracks in our organization. Equity is not letting success stories marginalize the quieter, struggling voices in our organization – it’s about embracing them and ensuring an inclusive environment.

Inclusion is not ever having anyone be the last kid in the gym to be picked for a team. Instead, it is the feeling you get in the morning when you wake up and look forward to going to work because your leadership and associates respect you, value your contributions, and count on you to be a part of the team.

AMS Fulfillment has ten core values that guide all our decisions – from hiring to vendors to clients and our community. These core values are our guiding light:

• Integrity • Accountability • Teamwork

• Reliability • Continuous Improvement

• Honesty • Innovation • Respect

• Equal Rights for All

• Respect for the Environment

AMS Fulfillment knows that diverse organizations bring a more comprehensive range of ideas and experiences to problem-solving, help companies connect with a broader range of audiences in a culturally competent way, and demonstrate a commitment to disrupting the structural inequities that have historically created barriers for women, people of color, people with disabilities, and individuals involved with the justice system in the workplace.

By creating opportunities for everyone we strengthen our company and our communities. By welcoming people from different backgrounds and with different abilities, we improve our performance and leverage diversity in our organization.

As a B Corporation, AMS is committed to putting people over profit. We are part of a global movement that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion. Through the years, AMS has demonstrated transparency in our business, achieved a high social and environmental performance, and proven we are leaders in the movement for economic system changes. We are proud to share this distinction with companies such as REI, The Body Shop, Allbirds, and Patagonia.

As AMS Fulfillment embraces our next decades in business, we are committed to making our employees’ lives, our community, and our business better. Our driving force is Purpose over Profit.

CONTENTS

en-us

2023-03-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://labusinessjournal.pressreader.com/article/282608857062869

LABJ