Business
Uni+ed Resource Group for LGBTQ+ Team Member and Allies Fosters Education, Connection and Community Impact
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / August 23, 2024 / One of Sands' essential diversity, equity and i...
About this update from Lancaster Resources Inc
[{"type":"text","content":"Uni+ed Resource Group for LGBTQ+ Team Member and Allies Fosters Education, Connection and Community ImpactNORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / August 23, 2024 / One of Sands' essential diversity, equity and inclusion priorities is to create a supportive and nourishing culture that offers growth and development opportunities for all Team Members. A key way this commitment to inclusion and advancement comes to life is through Uni+ed, the Team Member resource group for LGBTQ+ community members and their allies.\"Uni+ed was created to support four core pillars; education, professional development, networking and community engagement,\" according to Christopher Melton, who is senior vice president of global premium account management and serves as executive sponsor for Uni+ed. \"I think we have largely accomplished what we had set out to do - but I think what Uni+ed has also successfully done is give people a chance to get to know one another, connect in a different way, as well as have a place to be their authentic selves.\"Educational programs to advance professional acumen and community engagement initiatives that benefit local causes as well as unite members have emerged as Uni+ed's leading offerings.Developmental sessions have spanned an array of topics such as working successfully in teams, cultivating emotional intelligence for successful interpersonal relationships, and learning about and navigating issues in the LGBTQ+ community via curriculum from The Safe Zone Project. Volunteer engagements have included packing food kits, assembling hygiene supplies and participating in fundraising walks to support local organizations.Nina Khatami, senior global information governance manager, joined Uni+ed a year ago. \"Uni+ed has been a really nice way to connect with people outside of my own department, an opportunity to come together and create connections beyond just day-to-day business interactions. You see people more fully and get so much more perspective about who your co-workers are. It's really refreshing.\"Khatami also noted the strength of the group's professional development and education programs, some of which have been replicated for other Sands departments following their rollout through Uni+ed.\"I'm really proud of our professional development programs, which are applicable to anyone,\" Khatami said. \"One of the first sessio...