As the former executive sponsor of Pride, Laurie Marsh has seen firsthand the impact employee resource groups (ERGs) have on our associates and our organisation. From creating opportunities for career growth to supporting efforts to embed a culture of inclusion throughout our organisation, ERGs continue to strengthen Ecolab’s overall mission and take us closer to achieving our collective objectives.

In the latest episode of IMPACTful Dialogues, Dexter Davis, senior vice president, Human Resources, Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, speaks with Laurie Marsh about the role ERGs play in creating an inclusive and thriving workplace.

Here are some highlights:

Dexter: Could you share how you see employee resource groups contributing to the development of diverse and inclusive networks within the organisation, and what value do you believe these networks bring to Ecolab’s overall business strategy?

Laurie: If I step back a decade ago, you know, ERGs were largely socially and philanthropically focused, and there is nothing wrong with that at all. But they were definitely disconnected from business objectives. And so as we laid out a much broader DE&I strategy and a much broader culture change strategy, we knew that our ERGs could serve as a quintessential brand ambassador for the company. So how did we create that framework and purpose that aligned to our business objectives?

We have the good fortune of having such a purpose-and mission-driven organisation. It was relatively easy to do, and that started with a very small internal ERG summit where we laid out goals and objectives and had deliberate linkage to business goals. One of the rally points for sure was around hiring and getting them involved in ERG fairs, and helping drive that diverse pipeline was difference making.

Dexter: I think part of what makes our ERGs special and important — and critical to our DE&I strategy — is the role of an executive sponsor.

When you think about that and you think about the progress we’ve seen in ERGs, what have you seen from the development of the ERG co-leads? … How does an executive sponsor role really help?

Laurie: What we really had to do is craft a business case internally that could not just be HR-led, it had to be leader-led, commercially-led and our leaders really needed to understand the value prop and the “why” of diverse teams. ERGs are simply a way for diverse folks to connect, and it's another point of connection above and beyond your business team or functional team.

The role of executive sponsor has pivoted from one of, I will call it, social support and encouragement to now making sure that the leadership teams on those ERGs are experiencing a highly curated career experience.

Dexter: As you reflect back on your 33 years at Ecolab, can you think a little bit about one thing professionally and personally that has been impactful for you throughout your career at Ecolab?

Laurie: Professionally, I love the fact that the core of our sustainability promise is deeply rooted in our history. I can remember the day I walked up to Naperville for my first interview, and I remember looking up and on the lights in the parking lot there were banners saying the winner of the first presidential Green Chemistry Award.

I love the fact that this company is positioned to make a difference in the world, and so for me, that's the most heartening part of this from a business perspective. Personally, I think each one of us finds those moments that matter. If you're lucky, you have three, four or five of them, and I've had those touch points where and when I needed it, people reached out to me and supported me uniquely as an individual.