The MassTLC Tech Top 50 celebrates tech companies and leaders across the region who have made a significant impact in the community during the past 12 month. This year, we are excited to recognize winners across 8 categories: Best Pivot to Meet the New World, Business Accomplishment, Company Culture, Inclusivity Impact, Leadership, New Company of the Year, Tech for Good: Social Responsibility, and Tech to Watch.
Forty-nine honorees were chosen across these categories, with the final recognition, the Mosaic Award, given to Chevalier “Chevy” Cleaves, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer of MIT Lincoln Laboratory, for his work creating access and opportunity for future leaders. View the full list of winners, here.
Over the course of the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing more about each of the recipients to spotlight their accomplishments and their impact on customers, partners, employees, and the broader community.
Today, meet Progress, one of this year’s honorees for Inclusivity Impact.
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Describe how your company has incorporated DEI into the organization and tell us why your company embarked on this DEI work.
Our Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) program launched in 2019, and we emerged from 2020 with a deeper commitment to it. Our collaboration with MassTLC and the Tech Compact for Social Justice are prime examples of this renewed emphasis, as are our expanded scholarships for women in STEM and thoughtful corporate giving. Our new Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer is guiding our efforts, mentoring our employee resource groups and is leading our tracking and measurement efforts, to drive meaningful I&D results. We have a strong programmatic foundation to help us achieve meaningful change, and we continually strive to do better.
What success have these programs/initiatives achieved for your company?
As a multicultural company serving a global community, we encourage a wide range of views and celebrate our diverse backgrounds. Evidence of this commitment can be seen in our people processes, systems and interactions. Our Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer, Dr. Shirley Knowles, is responsible for leading Progress’ inclusion and diversity initiatives which are designed to build, foster and grow a culture where all employees feel valued, safe and successful. Employees were invited to Shirley’s Listening Tour, designed to offer a safe space where employees can learn about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, and additionally, express feedback about how we can make Progress a more inclusive workplace. We also have diversity metrics in place to help us create actions plans based on that data, employee wellbeing programs and an employee resource group (ERG) program. Currently, we have six ERGs. In addition, inclusion and diversity trainings have been scheduled for all employees to participate.
What does it mean to be recognized with the other Tech Top 50 honorees?
It is an honor to be recognized in the Inclusivity Impact category with our peers who are committed to creating inclusive and diverse work places.
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Learn more about Tech Top 50 and meet all the winners, here.
