Energy at the Grassroots: The Business Resource Groups are making a difference!

Energy at the Grassroots: The Business Resource Groups are making a difference!
by Anjali Reddy, Director, Internal Communications
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the U.S. because of two important events: the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the U.S. America on May 7, 1843 and the transcontinental railroad, built by many Chinese laborers, was completed on May 10, 1869.
At a celebration on May 8in Lake Forest, Grainger’s Asian Pacific Islander (API) BRG highlighted the API culture and heard from senior leaders, including Mike Pulick, SVP and President, Grainger International; Laura Brown, SVP, Communications and Investor Relations and Executive Sponsor of the API BRG; and Joseph High, SVP and Chief People Officer. Doe Kittay, Vice President, Customer Service and President, API BRG, hosted the event and highlighted the BRG’s mission and wins. The event was webcast to team members across the US and Acklands-Grainger (AGI).
“It was great to see the importance our leaders place on inclusion and what it means for us as a global company,” said Jigisha Bhatt, Program Manager, GIS Brand, Inventory Management.
“All the BRGs provide team members with leadership opportunities and help foster professional growth and multi-cultural understanding,” said Jaqui Robertson, Senior Director, Inclusion and Diversity. “While they were launched in the U.S., we are committed to understanding what makes sense for international teams as well.”
The BRG’s have certainly been active and many efforts are focused on team member development.
The Generational BRG (GBRG) recently hosted an Individual Development Planning (IDP) workshop. “The company is increasingly focused on Talent Excellence and having an IDP can help drive professional and personal growth,” says Al Johnson, Inventory Management Brand Strategy Manager and President, GBRG. “While IDP conversations are taking place between managers and their teams, the BRGs offer another venue for learning about them with peers.” The GBRG is targeting 500 participants this year.