Celebrating Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Comcast
By Loren Hudson
At Comcast, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) are core to who we are. From the people who power our teams, to the products we create, the stories we tell, and the groups we partner with – we work every day to foster a more inclusive workplace and ensure that all our teammates feel supported, embraced, and heard.
As part of this, we make it a point to come together annually across the organization for DE&I Day, a time to pause and reflect as an organization, celebrate our commitment to action, and be intentional about where we want to go.
On April 26, tens of thousands of teammates tuned in to our broadcast, either virtually or in-person at one of over 175 watch parties hosted at locations across the globe.
Our program not only included updates from executive leadership but also featured unique stories of teammates who are leading inclusively and helping to drive our efforts forward. We also engaged in a shared learning focused on helping us better understand social identities and dimensions of diversity.
As I reflect on the incredible day, three powerful messages have really resonated with me:
1. When we’re encouraged to be who we are, we do our best work.
A truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace is one where everyone is welcomed and included as their authentic self. Our inclusive culture centers around empowering all teammates to feel valued and celebrated for their contributions and inspiring them to feel comfortable bringing their whole self to work.
We all bring a set of identities into the workplace, and learning how to understand our differences is key to bringing out the best in everyone. Taking time to understand the many social identities we all bring to the table and connecting through these differing backgrounds and perspectives allows us to collaborate, innovate, and ultimately, help foster a more inclusive workplace.
Here’s what authenticity in the workplace means for some of our teammates.
2. Our inclusive culture inspires teammates to give back to their communities.
While our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion starts at home, we’re deeply invested in the communities we serve and the small businesses that shape them.
From the incredible local businesses that we support through Comcast RISE, to the neighborhoods we help through our WiFi-enabled Lift Zones, and the investments we make to advance digital equity through Project UP, our team members embody our mission to help build a future of unlimited possibilities.
Through Team UP, our always-on volunteerism and employee engagement program, our teammates are giving back and making a meaningful difference in record numbers. This DE&I Day, we asked employees to Team UP by participating in Letters to UP Lift, a companywide volunteer letter writing project aimed to inspire high school students to be their authentic self.
3. Continuous learning is key to ongoing progress.
While we’ve come a long way on our DE&I journey, our work is not done. And it’s so important to take the lessons learned and apply them to our everyday lives. This summer, teammates will participate in a learning challenge that will build on the concepts shared this DE&I Day.
Continuous learning, both as an individual and as an organization, is all about being open-minded, asking questions, and caring for each other. It’s a simple concept of listening, valuing feedback and insights, and acting on them – there is always more to learn.
We are one team, and with a shared growth mindset and commitment to continuous learning – we can do amazing things together!
I’m looking forward to seeing the lasting impact of this year’s DE&I Day throughout our organization and how inspiring authenticity in the workplace will shape Comcast for years to come.
Loren Hudson is Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer for Comcast Cable.
