Bio-Rad Celebrates Black History Month
February 23, 2023
On Wednesday, February 22, US employees at Bio-Rad were invited to a virtual Black History Month event organized by our Diversity and Inclusion Team. The event focused on the “Benefits of creating a diverse workforce” through thoughts and personal stories from Bio-Rad employees and an external diverse recruiting expert.
Frenchelle Franklin, Bio-Rad's D&I program manager, says this event and other cultural events like it are designed to help foster a more inclusive culture at Bio-Rad. “We are dedicated to delivering on our promise of becoming a more inclusive company where everyone is valued,” Frenchelle says. “Diversity and inclusion really caters to everyone, and we are committed to growing our diverse population, which includes underrepresented employees, LGBTQIA+ employees, women, veterans, and disabled individuals.”
Tom Davies, a director of marketing for Bio-Rad, spoke during the event and shared challenges he faced when his family moved from Nigeria to England and became the only black family in a suburban neighborhood. “While the lack of representation and role models can be isolating, it also presents an opportunity to rewrite the narrative and create a new story for African Americans in our industry,” Tom says. “As a company, we need a diverse, engaged, and high-performing team to reach our full potential and make our mission a reality.”
The event also included an overview of Bio-Rad's community involvement efforts in STEM, which help provide exposure and opportunities for underrepresented groups to enter into science and engineering. “As they say, ‘Each one, teach one,’” Frenchelle says. “We encourage our employees to go out into our communities and stimulate the minds of people who have talent but perhaps didn’t really realize or see themselves as being someone who could enter into the STEM field. Now that you came to their school and you taught them some things about this field, it’s opened their mind to the vast possibilities.”
Employees at our Hercules, CA headquarters were also treated to a traditional gumbo recipe made by Chef Daniel Moreno during the event!
Bio-Rad is committed to having an inclusive workforce; A workplace where employee engagement is encouraged; Where the differences of diverse communities are appreciated, and all voices are heard. To learn more, visit our Diversity and Inclusion page.
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