As a 100% employee-owned company, Giroux Glass is creating a future of improved possibilities. We are guided by our culture to create diversity, equity and inclusion in our day-to-day business activities. For Construction Inclusion Week (October 18-22, 2021) we want to help bring awareness to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the construction industry. We are lucky to have the help of general contractors that include: Gilbane, DPR, Turner Construction, Mortenson, McCarthy, and Clark Construction Group. Together our goal is to deepen conversations about diversity, to stand united in setting expectations and promoting consistent behavior and to reach our full potential and connection with our employees, clients, and industry while cultivating diversity, equity, and inclusion.
This is a week-long effort to heighten the awareness and engagement of inclusion-related activities. Its objective is to advance inclusion throughout the industry to attract and retain the best talent, boost employee morale and confidence in industry, increase employee productivity and improve client relations.
At Giroux Glass, we don’t just talk a good game, we “walk the walk.” Our leadership team leads by example. Chief executive officer and president, Nataline Lomedico, answers Why is our company participating in Inclusion Week? “Making a commitment is the first step to accountability. Building, maintaining and continually growing our all-inclusive team is what allows Giroux to bring the best talent to our industry.” An amazing 30% of our project managers (PMs) and a total of 37% of our employee owners are women, for a total of approximately 15% companywide; this includes union employees, at a rate we employ women at 150% above the industry acceptance.
Our Culture Committee was formed in 2014 with the specific intention and goal: “To continually maintain and promote a culture of high-performing ownership thinking by providing an educational and fun environment in alignment with Giroux’s core values and embracing diversity, change, high energy and open communication. Our goal is to also support and promote physical as well as mental well-being, while building a workplace culture that fosters creativity, creating ideas, and the importance of progress.” We attend outreach events, participate at conferences and other venues which help pique the interest of entering the construction industry.
We are also proud to be part of the AGC/Small Business Council in order to help smaller companies grow and learn from our experiences. We are also a proud member of Inner City Capital Connection which allows us to sponsor and be part of offering business training and education to small business in underserved areas in the U.S. (see icic.org). We were one of the first companies in Los Angeles to participate in the program and now give back to the program to help others.
Additionally, partner/employees from Giroux Glass are on the board of LAEDC, AGC/Small Business Council, ICIC, NAWIC Los Angeles, and we sponsor their events throughout the year. “Our commitment to contributing to our communities doesn’t stop at building the cities in which we work. It means bringing together the diverse members of our communities and offering them the opportunity to thrive. When we promote diversity, we all thrive.” stated Nataline Lomedico.
To learn more about how you can get involved with Construction Inclusion Week visit their website or watch for social media posts with the hashtag: #ConstructionInclusionWeek