LexisNexis South Africa (LNSA) in partnership with global parent company, RELX Group, launched its Employee Resource Group (ERG) Chapter in South Africa on Tuesday, 13 April 2021, to drive the company’s commitment to Inclusion and Diversity (I&D).
Formed by employee volunteers and sponsored by Managing Director, Videsha Proothveerajh, the purpose of the chapter is to foster an inclusive environment in which employees are empowered to develop their full potential.
“At LexisNexis South Africa, Inclusion and Diversity exceeds just compliance with legislation. It is about creating a fair and equitable work environment where everyone can be their authentic self and where they feel they are able to contribute their views,” said Proothveerajh.
“As a leader in the technology space, my appointment as the first female CEO of the company is evidence that LexisNexis South Africa is determined to help rewrite the narrative. We’re proud to have 56% female representation in senior management, 43% in top management and that 83% of our workforce believes that we are serious about diversity and inclusion,” she added.
“However, we are not just about helping women advance, but about assisting individuals from all marginalised groups who don’t always have a voice or who are not always recognised for the leadership attributes they possess, to claim their rightful place in the work environment. When we enable our people to bring their whole selves to the workplace, it ultimately strengthens our organisation, helping us to enhance our performance and increase our competitiveness,” said Proothveerajh.
Last year, parent company RELX, created a new Inclusion and Diversity Policy which recognised the importance of inclusion to the company’s future by championing diversity, gender equality, equal pay and a company-wide Women in Technology mentoring programme, among numerous other initiatives.
The launch of the ERG Chapter is another step forward in the rollout of an ongoing inclusion and diversity strategy at LNSA. During the last 12 months employee volunteers have initiated the following events and activities:
o LNSA Women’s Network
o LGBTQI – A step closer to fostering a gender-neutral workplace
o Advance-U – a learning & development initiative
o Policy Review of the maternity and parental leave and work from home policies
o Unconscious Bias workshops
o Grad Recruitment
o Women in Tech conversations
Plans for 2021 include the establishment of two additional ERGs – Disability and Sexual Orientation groups.
“The formation of the chapter will enable a more systematic approach to drive the culture change and embed inclusion and diversity as a source of competitive advantage,” said Gcobisa Ntshona, Human Resources Director, LexisNexis South Africa.
“Engaging and supporting people from different backgrounds, experiences and ideas allows us to achieve our main purpose – real innovation for our customers globally. The employee who feels valued and validated will go the extra mile for the company that chooses to put their people first.
“We take our purpose of fostering an inclusive and diverse environment seriously. To this end we have determined a series of metrics to measure the success of our efforts.”
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