Making An Impact in April

May 09, 2023

By Aleshia McMath, Vice President, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), Compass Group North America 

 

April brought more than showers! At Compass Group, it was Inclusion & Impact Month.  

Our mantra was “Together WE . . . Inspire People, Strengthen Culture, and Transform Communities!” A variety of inclusion activities and impactful volunteer opportunities were held, and associates across our family of businesses were urged to participate in at least one of each during the month. Collectively we volunteered more than 3,300 hours, contributed more than $46,500 in donations and scholarships, and more than 15,000 food items to a variety of organizations.  

Our goal was twofold: Continue to emphasize and celebrate inclusivity as a vital part of our company culture, and to collectively have an impact in the communities we serve by sharing our time, talent and treasure. This included volunteering with local nonprofits, donating to food banks and shelters, giving blood, participating in fundraising events, tuning into virtual discussions, and other ways associate were able to give so that together we created more inclusive environments.   

On the inclusion front, the DEI team organized a series of virtual panel discussions featuring our very own leaders and diversity, equity and inclusion champions. At the beginning of April, five women in leadership – Eva Wojtalewski (Managing Counsel, Compass Education), Joiel Alexander (Vice President, Business Development, Levy), Elaine Tapp (Senior Manager, BuySmart Team, Foodbuy), Lauren Chemplavil (Vice President, Digital Strategy & Product, Healthcare Digital), Demetria Taylor (Senior Account Manager, Field Support – Contracts, Investments) – shared their own DEI journey stories and professional development tips in a panel on “Cultivating Change” moderated by Aleshia McMath, VP of DEI, Compass Group North America. 

At the end of the month, a virtual fireside chat between Jugveer Randhawa (Compass Group CIO) and George Hechtel (Vice President of Purchasing, Foodbuy) focused on “Envisioning Inclusivity in the Digital Era.” Another virtual panel tackled “The Power of Inclusion in the Supply Chain” and was moderated by Lindsay Broome (Senior Category Development Manager, Foodbuy) with Miffy Jones (Owner Miffy’s Foods), Sylvester Ballard (Owner, Atlas Produce), Mel and Damaris Hall (Owners, Global Village Foods), Pauline Gebon (Vice President of Member Success, National Minority Supplier Development Council). 

Our associates volunteered their time with groups large and small such as American Cancer Society, USO, American Red Cross, Loaves and Fishes, Classroom Central, and Best Buddies. This was just a fraction of what happened across our organization. Our family of companies held inclusion and impact activities and supported associates on their personal journeys of impact throughout the month so that all associates had opportunities to participate. And they kept us in the loop on their social platforms using #compasstogetherwe.  

A shoutout to all our amazing associates for participating in this initiative, the countless volunteers behind-the-scenes, and to our Compass Digital partners. At Compass Group, we know there is strength in numbers, and that it takes a village to influence and impact change. We are that village: “Together WE . . . Inspire People, Strengthen Culture, and Transform Communities!”