#004 In today’s episode, we welcome one of the pioneers of DEI: Kim Weaver. Kim has been leading Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for over 20 years in a great variety of global firms such as Uber, Sodexo, McCormick&Co, and more. Today, Kim Weaver leads global DEI at Aveva, a global leader in industrial software.
Kim’s DEI story is both a personal battle and a professional journey. She tells us about growing up in the Deep South of the USA and experiencing racism from a very young age, as well as the discrimination and harassment she experienced in her career. This journey, although a painful one at times, has taught her the transformations that need to happen to make the workplace a safe space for all employees. As Kim leads Aveva into its first year of its DEI Strategy, we discuss the business case behind DEI in the B2B and Tech sectors. She explains the productivity gains that come from making work environments safe for employees to be themselves and deliver the best that they have to offer. We talk about engaging leaders right from the onset as part of what Kim calls a “top-down, bottom-up, and across the middle” strategy. We discuss the challenges of measuring demographics across different countries and different legal set-ups. Finally, Kim calls on companies to cease the moment and start a real, profound, dialogue around race, namely in the US.
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Do not hesitate to follow Kim Weaver on LinkedIn to continue following her journey as a DEI leader. To learn more about Aveva’s DEI strategy, please visit: https://www.aveva.com/en/about/about-aveva/diversity-equity-inclusion/
Kim Weaver references Isabel Wilkerson’s ‘Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents’, a book about racism in the USA.