Magda Witkiewicz-Gavenda (Diversity Hub): To begin with – what exactly are mBank’s diversity ambassador groups and where did the idea come from?
Piotr Stasiak (Senior Ethics and Inclusivity Design and Reporting Specialist , mBank) : Three years ago, mBank created nine thematic groups of ambassadors and diversity ambassadors, among others. regarding women, the LGBT+ community or inclusivity in the branches. It was A way to engage male and female employees in promoting diversity and building an inclusive culture. Each of these groups met met regularly, in a permanent group, generated ideas from the bottom up and implemented activities related to the area it represented.
Over time, we noticed that the number of initiatives began to decrease, and with it the number of initiatives decreased involvement. This is a natural phenomenon in grassroots groups that operate without permanent projects. During one of the ambassador workshops We thought about how to remedy this and what is needed to bring the energy back. It turned out that the biggest difference is a clearly defined goal and a joint initiative – something you can work on together and that gives you a sense of purpose and satisfaction with the actions brought to completion.
So we went in that direction. Together we created a yearly calendar of topics and events, and then began to organize ourselves into smaller, project-based groups set up for specific initiatives.
And that’s when a new idea emerged – what does the model look like now?
Starting this year, we introduced a new formula – group involvement Ambassador is based on thematic months. Each month is dedicated to a specific issue, e.g., March is gender equality month, May – diversity diversity, and June – celebrating and supporting the LGBT+ community. We have formed groups around them focused on specific projects. One of the groups work in a fixed formula – it’s about a group that builds awareness and sensitivity around the topic of people with disabilities. This ambassador group Supports Izabella Jóźwiak, responsible at mBank for topics related to OzN.
Ambassadors and ambassadors can apply to individual initiatives depending on which topic is close to their hearts, but also when they have the space and time for involvement in the project. This allows us to focus on specific activities and projects, not just on maintaining permanent groups.
What initiatives have already been accomplished under this new formula?
An example is the intergenerational exchange program, which launched this year. It is a project in which people from different generations at mBank They can inspire each other and learn from each other.
In turn, one of the thematic groups supported Joanna Zwolinska in preparing articles on unacceptable behavior and created a library of educational materials related to the topic of countering unacceptablebehavior .
We additionally conducted a series of meetings around the themes of DEI -. Miscellaneous Talks. They are associated with specific thematic months. W As part of this project, we also organized a series of conversations with inspiring mBank leaders.
Of course, we are also continuing our earlier activities like the mOna Program, supporting the visibility and development of the organization’s women. As part of it We organized another edition of mentoring, with 52 ladies participating as mentee. Among the mentors and mentees we have people from the Board of Directors and top management managing mBank and its subsidiaries.
In addition to our work around projects, we hold regular meetings of ambassadors and ambassadors – twice a year. They have both substantive and networking. During the next meeting in December, we will talk Among other things, about inclusive recruitment, accessibility in branches or the aforementioned intergenerational program. This is also the time when we talk about plans and ideas for the future.
How many people currently make up the ambassador community?
At the moment it is about 150 people. This is a really large group, representing different departments, levels of the organization, as well as all generations and genders. It is this diversity is one of the program’s greatest values.
How do ambassadors react to this change in formula?
Overall, the reception has been very positive. It is clear that the new approach has stimulated the energy and increased engagement. We have gained greater reach and diversity initiatives, and people have the opportunity to work with even more people as the the composition of the various groups is more diverse.
How do you measure the effects of the groups?
We see that we are reaching more and more people. For example, more and more people are attending our Diversity Sessions, which are held twice a month as part of “Fridays with Development.” These are meetings and panels that cover topics ranging from cooperation Intergenerational, to gender equality, to well-being. We also invite inspiring female and male leaders who share their stories. They take part in participation of up to more than 500 people from our organization.
Which topics are most popular?
Definitely generations – it’s a very engaging area, especially given the considering the demographics of our teams and social changes. Highly popular topics related to gender equality and mental health are also enjoyed. W Next year we plan to put special emphasis on mental health men and body-positivity from a male perspective as well.
And how do you take care of continuity and knowledge transfer between successive projects? I imagine this can be difficult if the composition of the ‘project’ groups is temporary.
At the semi-annual ambassador meetings, we share experiences, We discuss lessons learned and good practices. At them we also discuss plans for the upcoming months. We learned that it is crucial for each temporary group to have a leader or leader – a person who coordinates activities and works with the coordinator central. This change we want to introduce next year.
What do you personally find most motivating about this approach?
Definitely the opportunity to work with people from different parts of the organization. This allows me to meet people I probably wouldn’t have the opportunity to meet in my day job . You can see that this diversity brings fresh energy – especially during meetings and networking. It provides a sense of community and meaning. In a large organization, it is easy to sense of anonymity, and in the ambassador group you feel that you have an impact, that you you are noticed and appreciated.
Finally – what lessons have you learned from your experience so far?
The most important role is that of leader/leadership in any group, even a short-term one. Besides, it’s worth listening to people and giving them space to come up with topics themselves. This Thanks to their initiative and genuine commitment, the whole concept of groups ambassador groups really works.
Piotr Stasiak, senior design and reporting specialist for ethics and inclusivity, mBank