NEWARK, DE - Fresh produce is an ever-evolving industry, and to help our members stay on top of the changing times, the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) is rolling out a few new programs. Center for Growing Talent by PMA has announced the first two initiatives to help the industry advance diversity, equity, and inclusion across the produce and floral supply chains with a month-long Diversity & Inclusion Program series featuring weekly virtual sessions and Certificate Programs Courses.
“PMA and Center for Growing Talent are committed to supporting our members’ efforts, wherever they may be along this path, to create a culture in which your people, your companies, and our industry thrive,” said Center for Growing Talent Executive Director, Doug Bohr. “Diversity and inclusion are essential to attracting and retaining talent and, increasingly so, buyers and consumers. Our Diversity & Inclusion Program and the suite of eCornell Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Programs and single courses are designed to help members build a base of knowledge and practical resources to apply what they learn to their own DEI initiatives.”
Due to the essential nature of the content and because of the generous contribution of its Lead Program Sponsor, Mission Produce, the program is free for all industry members.
“At Mission Produce, as we look to the future, we understand the need to learn, explore, and adopt practices around diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Founder and CEO of Mission Produce, Steven Barnard. “Our people are our greatest asset, and we must do our part to value, protect, and foster that asset. That is why Mission has chosen to be the lead sponsor in the produce industry’s first-ever initiative on DE&I.”
The program will present topics to share knowledge and resources to help participants create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture in their companies and the industry. To help foster equality, Center for Growing Talent has partnered with Cornell University to offer a certificate program and courses on diversity and inclusion.
According to the release, the program consists of four weekly sessions beginning on April 20, 2021, and continuing through May 11, 2021. Each week will welcome guest experts to discuss key issues. The schedule is designed so that each session builds on the last; beginning with changing demographic, consumer and talent trends, how diversity and inclusion drive team and company performance, unconscious bias and conscious inclusion, and how to create a more inclusive culture within companies.
Throughout the course of the four sessions, members will participate in peer-to-peer learning and self-reflection to help them take what they learn and apply it to their individual role, team, and company.
Registration is open for all sessions, and attendees can register for individual weeks or for the entire series. The schedule for each session is as follows:
- April 20: How Diversity & Inclusion Drives Team and Company Performance
- April 27: Unconscious Bias, Conscious Inclusion
- May 4: Creating a More Inclusive Culture
- May 11: Hear From Your Peers: Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable
In addition to the Program Series, PMA and Center for Growing Talent are also offering a suite of Diversity & Inclusion Certificate Programs and Courses in partnership with Cornell University’s eCornell online learning platform through FreshEd Academy.
As noted in the release, the certificate programs and courses are designed to provide members more immersive training opportunities for their teams and company employees. They include:
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Diversity & Inclusion for HR
- Women in Leadership
- Executive Women in Leadership
These initiatives follow a number of highly attended Virtual Town Halls on D&I, including the March 3 Virtual Town Hall: From Planning to Action: Diversity and Inclusion Resources for Members. Speakers updated the industry on the work of the task force PMA and Center for Growing Talent convened in September 2020 to guide work and conversations on why diversity, equity, and inclusion matter and how our companies are already working to create a more inclusive industry.
All interested in registering for the series can do so here, and those interested in pursuing further education in the form of a certificate or a single e-learning course can learn more here.
Stay up to date with the changes in our industry as AndNowUKnow reports on the latest.
