Celebrating and Promoting the Value of Diversity in the Workplace: CRC’s Womens’ Interest Network (WIN)

Did you know that companies who champion diversity not only reflect their communities, but are also more likely to have higher financial returns than industry peers that don’t? This was a key takeaway from featured keynote speakers at California Resources Corporation’s (CRC) first annual Women’s Interest Network (WIN) Conference, held in Bakersfield. The conference, open to the entire CRC statewide workforce, served as a catalyst supporting an array of perspectives, with a focus on gender diversity, while promoting our unifying “One CRC” team approach.

The inaugural event, themed Play to WIN: Unlocking Unexpected Value, featured speakers who highlighted how diversity of thought generated by a varied workforce furthers the success of a company like CRC. The ballroom was packed with over 170 employees, both men and women, who were all interested in learning how to further their professional careers and make their teams more successful at supporting CRC’s business strategies. The conference was a culmination of WIN’s hard work in their first year of providing valuable training and support to empower all CRC employees to reach their personal career goals.

Morning keynote speaker Cassandra Pye, Founder & CEO of 3.14 Communications and President of California Women Lead, highlighted the power of engaging women leaders and its correlation to improved business outcomes. She emphasized how companies in the top quartile for diversity are “35% more likely to have financial returns above their respective industry medians,” while those in the bottom quartile “are less likely to achieve above-average financial returns” among their peers.

The afternoon keynote speaker Dr. Shawn Andrews, adjunct professor at Pepperdine’s Graziadio School of Business and author of The Power of Perception: Leadership, Emotional Intelligence and Gender, helped illustrate the different ways in which men and women approach their professional lives and how to address unconscious bias. This thought-provoking discussion highlighted ways to become more aware of preconceived notions that we may not be aware we hold, and unlock opportunities for colleagues from different backgrounds and perspectives to come together in constructive ways.

CRC’s President and Chief Executive Officer Todd Stevens closed the day by reaffirming his support for WIN and its mission to advance and increase the visibility of women leaders in all roles, recognizing their vital contributions to CRC’s overall success. He also shared some of his own personal leadership lessons acquired during his career development, and his commitment to driving the advancement of women and diverse voices within the organization. In addition, WIN sponsored “Dress for Success Bakersfield” at the event, encouraging employee donations that provided professional clothing for women trying to reenter the workforce after personal challenges.

CRC’s WIN organization will continue to foster discussions that promote a diverse, inclusive and empowered workforce at CRC.

Watch the Video Coverage of the WIN Conference!