Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Diversity, equity and inclusion are essential parts of business. An organization with a solid foundation recognizes that engaging in the fundamental issues of fairness is the right thing to do. We see diversity and inclusion as an important part of our community owned utility, and our approach to diversification is foundational and in alignment with our strategic plan.
One of City Utilities’ greatest strengths is the diversity among all of us.
An important part of diversity is recognizing and respecting each person for the unique person they are. This will promote more inclusivity within our workspace. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone feels relevant and part of a shared mission. Regardless of race, gender, age or any other characteristic, bringing the best parts of ourselves together, we can continue to benefit our community!
Gary Gibson
President – CEO, City Utilities of Springfield
One of City Utilities’ greatest strengths is the diversity among all of us.
An important part of diversity is recognizing and respecting each person for the unique person they are. This will promote more inclusivity within our workspace. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone feels relevant and part of a shared mission. Regardless of race, gender, age or any other characteristic, bringing the best parts of ourselves together, we can continue to benefit our community!
Gary Gibson
President – CEO, City Utilities of Springfield
Our Diversity Framework & Pillars
At City Utilities Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is woven within the fabric of our Strategic Plan. It starts with a foundational strategy of Responsibility describing who we are and what we do. It looks to the future with the transformational strategy to Diversify describing how we plan to evolve. Tying the plan together are core values like Integrity, Inclusion, Respect and Leadership – four of our six guiding principles.
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Strategies and Objectives
Responsibility – Lead with integrity ensuring City Utilities fulfills its professional, ethical, regulatory, environmental, and public safety responsibilities.
Diversify – Cultivate a diverse workforce where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. Intentionally implement diversity and inclusion best practices to improve our performance. -
Core Values
Integrity – We are honest and trustworthy in everything we do.
Inclusion – We provide a welcoming environment that allows for equal opportunities and collaboration throughout the organization.
Respect – We treat everyone with dignity, build successful relationships and practice good stewardship.
Leadership – We inspire and empower employees to develop expertise and relationships that benefit our community and organization.
City Utilities’ Diversity Initiatives
City Utilities seeks to encourage collaboration across areas of the utility. A strong culture begins with good conversations. By improving the quality of our everyday conversations, we will develop a culture of increased respect for and understanding of differences — which will fuel better collaboration, more innovation, and greater effectiveness. We seek to increase our coaching and mentoring opportunities for all employees to better develop personal satisfaction.
- We actively participate in community events, such as the Multicultural Festival, Juneteenth, and the MSU Collaborative Diversity Conference, to name a few.
- SWAG (Strong Women Achieving Goals) is an internal initiative to energize, empower, and enrich women to better their professional and personal lives. This initiative brings women at City Utilities together to learn from each other and create mentoring opportunities.
- Our employee-led DEI Committee looks for ways to create awareness and open dialog across the utility. This dedicated group of employees has many exciting ideas about sharing diverse perspectives among our employees. An example of this initiative includes the annual Tastes of the World event that allows employees to share their culture with their coworkers through food, with samples of cuisine from their native countries and cultures.