Author: Open to All

[New York, NY], MAY 6, 2024 — Today, Open to All announced the launch of a comprehensive Employee Resource Group Guidebook. This special edition of Seramount’s ERG Leadership Handbook was developed for the Open to All community in partnership with Seramount and Michael Kors. The wide-ranging guidebook is set to transform the way businesses, most notably retailers, build and empower Employee Resource Groups within their organizations.

Employee Resource Groups, or ERGs, deepen employee engagement and belonging. However, ERG management can be challenging and often requires cross-departmental collaboration. The ERG Guidebook is intended to assist Open to All and Seramount partners in harnessing the full potential of ERGs, resulting in inclusive working environments where every employee can thrive.

“Within the Open to All community, especially retail members, ERGs are a frequent topic and the need for a resource that offers guidance and strategies was clear,” said Calla Devlin, Managing Director of Open to All. “Thanks to the generosity of Michael Kors, whose diversity, equity, and inclusion team brought in Seramount as an invaluable resource, we collaborated to create this toolkit. Open to All is deeply grateful to Michael Kors for their leadership and investment in this work.”  

Open to All commends Michael Kors for their leadership and investment. In recognition of their dedicated partnership, Michael Kors received the Open to All Collaboration Award at the Second Annual Open to All Convening. This award honors Michael Kors leadership in providing valuable resources for corporations to develop, manage, and grow ERGs.

“At Michael Kors, we prioritize continuous improvement, inclusivity, and cultivating a thriving workplace. Through ERGs, we’re able to empower our employees with support, mentorship, and a safe, judgment-free forum for employees to express themselves, share experiences, and promote peer allyship,” said Semone Bamboat, VP, Global Head Diversity & Inclusion and Talent Acquisition of Capri Holdings Limited, the parent company of Michael Kors. “We’re grateful for our partnerships with organizations like Open to All and Seramount as we collectively work to create a vital resource in the interest of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

By creating spaces for employees of various backgrounds, cultures, genders, abilities, and orientations to connect, ERGs promote a sense of belonging, offer leadership development opportunities, enhance talent acquisition efforts, and amplify underrepresented voices, which, in turn, boosts overall morale and productivity. Offering Employee Resource Groups isn’t just a matter of corporate social responsibility—it’s a strategic imperative that aligns with business goals.

“Seramount has been a supporter of Open to All from the beginning and we are proud to champion this important work, along with our partner, Michael Kors,” said Katie Oertli Mooney, Managing Director of Seramount. “Because of the unique nuances of ERGs that function in a dispersed retail workforce, those located in the corporate office, the stores, and the distribution centers, it only made sense for our advisors, who specialize in activating ERGs, add their expertise and Seramount’s extensive research, tools, and resources, to this toolkit.”

The ERG Guidebook leverages the latest industry insights to offer data-backed strategies and practical solutions. Within the guidebook, interactive worksheets provide step-by-step instructions detailing the processes of initiating and sustaining ERGs. The guidebook offers access to expert guidance from leading diversity and inclusion specialists, and case studies informed by the experiences of Open to All corporate partners.

The complete ERG Guidebook is exclusively available to Open to All and Seramount members. Interested individuals can click here to access a brief, open-sourced overview of the guidebook. This summary serves as a window into the guidebook’s wealth of resources.Top of Form If you’d like to learn more about becoming a corporate partner of Open to All, please visit https://www.opentoall.com/corporate-membership/. Those who’d like to join Seramount can visit https://seramount.com/contact-us/.

In a world where diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are increasingly critical for business success and societal progress, the ERG Guidebook represents a key milestone in empowering organizations to drive positive change in the lives of their staff members. For more information about the Open to All coalition or today’s announcement, please visit www.OpenToAll.com.

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MEDIA CONTACTS: Sarita Chourey, Open to All | sarita@opentoall.com | (303) 578-4600 X 130

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ABOUT OPEN TO ALL: Open to All is a nondiscrimination program based around the idea that everyone should be welcomed, valued, and respected. Open to All is a growing coalition of more than 200 non-profits, including civil rights and racial justice organizations, disability groups, LGBTQ groups, faith organizations, and more. Open to All also unites thousands of large and small businesses across the country to defend the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All.

ABOUT MICHAEL KORS: Michael Kors is a world-renowned, award-winning designer of luxury accessories and ready-to-wear. Established in 1981, the company currently produces a range of products under the signature Michael Kors Collection, MICHAEL Michael Kors and Michael Kors Mens labels. These products include accessories, footwear, watches, jewelry, women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, wearable technology, eyewear and a full line of fragrance products. The company prides itself on hiring and retaining diverse talent and providing an inclusive work culture for all, while celebrating global events and cultures that reflect the diversity, experiences, and perspectives of people around the world.

ABOUT SERAMOUNT: Seramount is a strategic professional services and research firm dedicated to supporting high-performing, inclusive workplaces. Over four decades, we’ve established a strong, data-driven understanding of the employee experience, which lays the groundwork for everything we do. Seramount partners with over 450 of the world’s most influential companies, large and small, to offer pragmatic solutions including best practice DEI research, workplace assessment, employee learning and development, and talent sourcing. These offerings empower organizations to navigate a dynamic corporate environment and to cultivate a resilient, connected workforce that achieves extraordinary outcomes.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT: Kassidy Braziel, Open to All | kassidy@opentoall.com | 954-296-5280

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[BOULDER, CO] NOVEMBER 15, 2023 — Today, Open to All® released its Fifth Annual Holiday Gift Guide. For the past five years, Open to All’s Holiday Gift Guide has uplifted small businesses and iconic brands alike that understand the importance of crafting a culture of belonging this holiday season and year-round.

With items available in a wide price range from an array of inclusive retailers, the Holiday Gift Guide connects consumers with brands that value Open to All’s core principle of ensuring every customer feels safe and welcome—regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, immigration status, religion, or disability.

“This work is more important than ever. This summer, the United States Supreme Court issued
two harmful decisions: the affirmative action decision and 303 Creative v. Elenis, a case where a
business sought a license to discriminate, threatening nondiscrimination protections,” said Calla Devlin Rongerude, managing director of Open to All. “Every business, from small businesses on Main Street to large retail stores anchoring malls across America, should take these decisions as an urgent call to action, declaring their doors open for business—and closed to the misguided notion that free speech can or should nullify civil rights in America.”

The Open to All Holiday Gift Guide features companies that invest in customers and their communities. These brands include Bath & Body Works, Coach, Levi Strauss & Company, Michaels, Petco, Sephora, and many more. Over the past five years, we’ve brought together over 200 nonprofit organizations, 80 corporate partners, and nearly 700,000 businesses dedicated to sounding a loud and clear message: We will not return to a time when customers are told, “We don’t serve your kind here.”

This holiday season, Open to All is asking consumers to support the businesses that are working in partnership with us to create an authentic culture of belonging. The products in our gift guide include Hanukkah gifts, stocking stuffers, and office gifts. Consumers will also shop with the confidence that all these products come from small businesses and companies that are invested in their employees, customers, and communities.

Businesses around the country have already taken the pledge to maintain welcoming and safe environments for all employees, visitors, customers, vendors, and clients. You can find Open to All decals and placards in storefronts in cities and towns across the country. If you are looking to support Open to All businesses in your city, visit opentoall.com to search for businesses near you. From local restaurants to small businesses to mall stores, we have a wide range of inclusive businesses ready to welcome you. Businesses that wish to join Open to All can learn more and sign the pledge at http://www.opentoall.com/business-members/#business-pledge.

You can view the Open to All Holiday Gift Guide.

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ABOUT OPEN TO ALL: Open to All is a nondiscrimination program based around the idea that everyone should be welcomed, valued, and respected. Open to All is a growing coalition of more than 200 non-profits, including civil rights and racial justice organizations, disability groups, LGBTQ groups, faith organizations, and more. Open to All also unites thousands of large and small businesses across the country to defend the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All.