BayWa r.e. Solar Systems CEO Signs the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion Pledge

Boaz Soifer
CEO, BayWa r.e. Solar Systems

So, What Is the CEO Pledge?

The CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion Pledge aims to rally the business community to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace. The pledge outlines a specific set of actions signatory CEOs will take to cultivate a trusting environment where all ideas are welcomed, and employees feel comfortable and empowered to have discussions about diversity and inclusion. Here are the commitments BayWa r.e. has made:

• Cultivate trusting workplaces that can have complex, and sometimes difficult, conversations.
• Implement and/or expand unconscious bias education.
• Share successful—and unsuccessful—practices.
• Create and share strategic inclusion and diversity plans with the board of directors (or equivalent governing bodies).

A great opportunity of the social justice movement is the invitation it holds for all the members of any group to be their “whole selves,” not leaving a part of themselves at the door. If we update our definitions of success and professionalism and welcome team members to bring their emotional and spiritual lives to work, not only their intellectual lives, we can create more vibrant communities in which vulnerability and psychological safety are embraced, engagement and creativity are inspired, and integrity can shine through in our outcomes.

– Boaz Soifer CEO BayWa r.e. Solar Systems

If you are interested in being a signatory of the CEO Action Pledge, here are some of the additional benefits:

• Peer-to-Peer Engagement: CEO Action hosts a number of events that gather CEO signatories and executive leadership, including an annual CEO Closed-Door Session and annual Chief Human Resources Officer / Diversity and Inclusion Officer Summit.
• Employee Engagement Resources: The I Act On pledge allows employees to be part of the journey by making a personal pledge to advance inclusive behavior.
• Thought Leadership: CEO Action is actively driving CEO-led, industry-specific dialogues at major industry events to drive collective action within various business sectors.
• Signatory Resources: Through signatory-only access, DEI leaders and HR folks have access to ready-to-use resources like communication assets for press, employee engagement, social media and more.

You can learn more about our own DEI work, progress, and commitments in the following articles and events:

• DEI Diaries: Creating an Environment of Safety Within Our Company
• DEI Diaries: Eliminating Unconscious Bias in Your Hiring Process
• DEI Diaries: Modernizing the Hiring Process and Policies at Your Solar Business
• Solar Town Hall – July 1: Creating a Diverse, Equitable, and Resilient Solar Industry
• Managing a Remote Workforce

DEI learning is complex and lifelong – we are aware of that. However, it is important to keep up the good work, and to keep the conversations going. The CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion Pledge is a great way to get leadership buy-in, gain access to resources, and connect with a network that works towards the same objective—a diverse and inclusive workplace.

I hope this article sparks your interest to learn more about and sign the CEO Pledge. If you have any questions – as always – please reach out.

Thanks for reading!

Ira-Sofia Giovanetti
People Experience Manager