OPEN TO ALL, MICHAEL KORS AND SERAMOUNT LAUNCH COMPREHENSIVE EDITION OF EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP GUIDEBOOK
[New York, NY], MAY 6, 2024 — Today, Open to All announced the launch of a comprehensive Employee Resource Group Guidebook. This special edition of Seramount’s ERG Leadership Handbook was developed for the Open to All community in partnership with Seramount and Michael Kors. The wide-ranging guidebook is set to transform the way businesses, most notably retailers, build and empower Employee Resource Groups within their organizations.
Employee Resource Groups, or ERGs, deepen employee engagement and belonging. However, ERG management can be challenging and often requires cross-departmental collaboration. The ERG Guidebook is intended to assist Open to All and Seramount partners in harnessing the full potential of ERGs, resulting in inclusive working environments where every employee can thrive.
“Within the Open to All community, especially retail members, ERGs are a frequent topic and the need for a resource that offers guidance and strategies was clear,” said Calla Devlin, Managing Director of Open to All. “Thanks to the generosity of Michael Kors, whose diversity, equity, and inclusion team brought in Seramount as an invaluable resource, we collaborated to create this toolkit. Open to All is deeply grateful to Michael Kors for their leadership and investment in this work.”
Open to All commends Michael Kors for their leadership and investment. In recognition of their dedicated partnership, Michael Kors received the Open to All Collaboration Award at the Second Annual Open to All Convening. This award honors Michael Kors leadership in providing valuable resources for corporations to develop, manage, and grow ERGs.
“At Michael Kors, we prioritize continuous improvement, inclusivity, and cultivating a thriving workplace. Through ERGs, we’re able to empower our employees with support, mentorship, and a safe, judgment-free forum for employees to express themselves, share experiences, and promote peer allyship,” said Semone Bamboat, VP, Global Head Diversity & Inclusion and Talent Acquisition of Capri Holdings Limited, the parent company of Michael Kors. “We’re grateful for our partnerships with organizations like Open to All and Seramount as we collectively work to create a vital resource in the interest of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
By creating spaces for employees of various backgrounds, cultures, genders, abilities, and orientations to connect, ERGs promote a sense of belonging, offer leadership development opportunities, enhance talent acquisition efforts, and amplify underrepresented voices, which, in turn, boosts overall morale and productivity. Offering Employee Resource Groups isn’t just a matter of corporate social responsibility—it’s a strategic imperative that aligns with business goals.
“Seramount has been a supporter of Open to All from the beginning and we are proud to champion this important work, along with our partner, Michael Kors,” said Katie Oertli Mooney, Managing Director of Seramount. “Because of the unique nuances of ERGs that function in a dispersed retail workforce, those located in the corporate office, the stores, and the distribution centers, it only made sense for our advisors, who specialize in activating ERGs, add their expertise and Seramount’s extensive research, tools, and resources, to this toolkit.”
The ERG Guidebook leverages the latest industry insights to offer data-backed strategies and practical solutions. Within the guidebook, interactive worksheets provide step-by-step instructions detailing the processes of initiating and sustaining ERGs. The guidebook offers access to expert guidance from leading diversity and inclusion specialists, and case studies informed by the experiences of Open to All corporate partners.
The complete ERG Guidebook is exclusively available to Open to All and Seramount members. Interested individuals can click here to access a brief, open-sourced overview of the guidebook. This summary serves as a window into the guidebook’s wealth of resources.Top of Form If you’d like to learn more about becoming a corporate partner of Open to All, please visit https://www.opentoall.com/corporate-membership/. Those who’d like to join Seramount can visit https://seramount.com/contact-us/.
In a world where diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are increasingly critical for business success and societal progress, the ERG Guidebook represents a key milestone in empowering organizations to drive positive change in the lives of their staff members. For more information about the Open to All coalition or today’s announcement, please visit www.OpenToAll.com.
ABOUT OPEN TO ALL: Open to All is a nondiscrimination program based around the idea that everyone should be welcomed, valued, and respected. Open to All is a growing coalition of more than 200 non-profits, including civil rights and racial justice organizations, disability groups, LGBTQ groups, faith organizations, and more. Open to All also unites thousands of large and small businesses across the country to defend the bedrock principle that when businesses open their doors to the public, they should be Open to All.
ABOUT MICHAEL KORS: Michael Kors is a world-renowned, award-winning designer of luxury accessories and ready-to-wear. Established in 1981, the company currently produces a range of products under the signature Michael Kors Collection, MICHAEL Michael Kors and Michael Kors Mens labels. These products include accessories, footwear, watches, jewelry, women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, wearable technology, eyewear and a full line of fragrance products. The company prides itself on hiring and retaining diverse talent and providing an inclusive work culture for all, while celebrating global events and cultures that reflect the diversity, experiences, and perspectives of people around the world.
ABOUT SERAMOUNT: Seramount is a strategic professional services and research firm dedicated to supporting high-performing, inclusive workplaces. Over four decades, we’ve established a strong, data-driven understanding of the employee experience, which lays the groundwork for everything we do. Seramount partners with over 450 of the world’s most influential companies, large and small, to offer pragmatic solutions including best practice DEI research, workplace assessment, employee learning and development, and talent sourcing. These offerings empower organizations to navigate a dynamic corporate environment and to cultivate a resilient, connected workforce that achieves extraordinary outcomes.