You want to work for a place where they value their employeees. There is equality among their employees.
One of the reasons that I really enjoyed coming to the Bank is that it was very clear from day one that diversity, equity, and inclusion was super important.
We have an Inclusion Council that works very closely. We meet every month and we're talking about the training and educating and making poeple realize how important DEI is for the growth of the organization as well as themselves.
Really overseeing what does inclusion look like here at the Bank? How are we really establishing what our vision and our values are around being inclusive? Creating a space where folks feel like they belong, they're welcome, the can be their true, authentive selves.
New England is a diverse area, and so one of the things that's important to us is that we reflect our communities. Without having that diversity of thought or experiences, we're missing the boat in terms of how to service our communities.
Whether it be Jobs for New England or the Affordable Housing Program or even our newest program, the Lift Up Homeownership program, which is a down-payment assistance program for people of color, we're always looking through that lens of ensuring that we are giving equitable treatment to all persons within the communities that we serve.
From a business standpoint, DEI is critical in terms of our ability to attract and retain the talent that we need in the organization.
And so when those individuals come to the Bank for the inteveiw process, we want to make sure that what they walk away with as a result of that experience is a conviction that the Bank is committed to DEI.
DEI is good business, right? In the sense of we live in a diverse world, and it's hilighted as something that's important -- that we value and care for here.