In the wake of the 2020 mass racial reckoning across the U.S., DEI initiatives have become an integral part of company culture and training. While some companies are starting to scale back on these efforts, Rack Room Shoes has remained steadfast to its commitment to DEI.
To the retail chain, creating a company culture that respects differences is one that supports diversity and promotes inclusion. One major way Rack Room Shoes builds consumer trust is through its partnerships that promote education, economic empowerment and civil rights of women and minorities.
Another tactic Rack Room Shoes employs is scholarships and internships that help drive recruitment, employment and retention of their associates for a more just and effective workplace.
Brenda Christmon, senior director of brand communications at Rack Room Shoes, sat down with Fairchild Studio to discuss its commitment to DEI and how the company’s various initiatives foster an inclusive and diverse workforce.
Fairchild Studio: In your own words, why are diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives important at Rack Room Shoes and how does this present itself throughout the company?
Brenda Christmon: At Rack Room Shoes, we believe that DEI initiatives are essential to creating a workplace that respects and values people from all backgrounds. Our initiatives promote a diverse workforce and reflect customer diversity while creating an inclusive culture for all associates.
Our company-wide training initiative began in 2021 with mandatory sessions for our management team, regional managers, district managers, corporate associates and store managers. All new hires are also required to complete mandatory DEI training, covering topics such as “Defeating Unconscious Bias: 5 Strategies” for store managers and “Microaggressions in the Workplace” for corporate employees. The most enrolled course to date, which is not mandatory is “Neurodiversity: What Is Neurodiversity?” which discusses a variety of neuro variations to better understand challenges that may arise in the workplace.
Annually, we offer 25 new courses. In addition, training content is aligned with monthly DEI events, including Pride Month, Black History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Women’s History Month, Jewish Heritage Month and more.
We also partnered with a national DEI training company that facilitated a 90-minute interactive dialogue addressing structural inequality and implicit bias. The training provided participants with a unique perspective on the intersection of race, class, gender, faith, sexual orientation, age and ability. Initially, we offered the training to the Rack Room Shoes management team, regional managers, district managers and directors. In 2023, we extended this training to our newly developed employee resource groups (ERGs) and this year it will be offered to all corporate associates.
Last year, we established five ERGs. Employees were surveyed to best identify which groups would be the most impactful within our corporate office. Each employee-led group, showcases the diverse leadership talents within our organization and has a membership ranging from 10 to 20 individuals.
Fairchild Studio: Can you tell us about creating the IDEA Council?
B.C.: The IDEA Council stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Equality, Action. This diverse team was formed to address specific issues, projects and other DEI-focused tasks within our organization.
The council is made up of a diverse pool of individuals who are change agents, committed to making a positive impact for a more inclusive culture at our corporate offices, brick-and-mortar stores and in the communities we serve.
The first course of action we took upon implementing the council was to produce an employee survey to hear from associates regarding issues they thought needed to be addressed. The survey led to an inquiry regarding pay disparities, the need for store management diversity training and better employee engagement.
Fairchild Studio: How does Rack Room Shoes aim to create a company culture that promotes inclusion and that is respectful of differences?
B.C.: We do this by listening to and gaining feedback from the collective voices of our associates. We value and understand the needs and concerns of our Rack Room Shoes associates at both the corporate and store level. This gives us a roadmap to take action – the most important element of any DEI team.
Our employee-led ERGs are creating dynamic connections by sharing experiences aligned with their respective missions and goals. The ongoing company-wide training provided through the IDEA Council creates a space for continuing education and most importantly, dialog around topics of microaggression, unconscious bias, neurodiversity and more.
Fairchild Studio: What are your takeaways from investing in company-wide DEI?
B.C.: We’ve witnessed the positive impact of DEI supporting not only Rack Room Shoes’ bottom line, but recruitment and retention as well. Through varying opinions, backgrounds and life experiences – it makes us who we are today as a company and will continue to move us forward.
