Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

New England Dairy understands that inequities in health, hunger, and economic opportunity disproportionately impact Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) throughout New England. We acknowledge the long-standing history of racism that continues to persist in this country and that it takes on many forms.

Our organization works with and serves diverse communities who face challenges that are rooted in long-standing patterns of social inequities, exclusions, and divisions. We commit to deepening our understanding of issues that disproportionately impact BIPOC communities in our region and work collectively towards building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive food system. We are continuing to analyze our programs and have an action plan dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion to hold ourselves accountable.

New England Dairy is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion through the following actions: 

  • Diversifying our staff and network of partners to represent varied individual and collective identities (including but not limited to race, color, ethnicity, nationality, religion, socioeconomic status, veteran status, education, marital status, language, age, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, mental or physical ability, genetic information, and learning styles).
  • Increase staff awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion: including an understanding of implicit bias, microaggressions, personal prejudice, cultural humility and other relevant topics through continued training and development.
  • Continue increasing access to healthy food and physical activity in schools: Research shows that good nutrition and physical activity have an impact on learning.  Through our programs like Fuel Up to Play 60, our team works with schools across the region, with a focus on high-need communities, to provide technical assistance and grants to help increase participation in nutrient-rich school meals and increase physical activity during the school day.
  • Continue increasing dairy in food assistance programs: Partnering with food banks and anti-hunger organizations to get milk and dairy products to individuals and families in need.
  • Include a variety of identities in our visuals and voice.
  • Seek out opportunities for cross-cultural exchange, experiences, and education.

New England Dairy is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization that values employees regardless of who they are and where they come from. We recognize that we must play a proactive role in welcoming voices and perspectives from all walks of life in order to better represent, understand and support the communities that we serve. We are dedicated to building a company culture that celebrates the wide array of experiences that our employees and partners bring to New England Dairy. We will work towards fostering a fair and equitable workplace through continuous intentional planning, action, and reflection.

If you’d like to connect with us about our journey, you can contact us at info@newenglanddairy.com.

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