Driving DEI: ArcBest’s Journey with The Kaleidoscope Group
April 10, 2023
ArcBest is a leading transportation and logistics company with a reputation for delivering innovative solutions and exceptional customer service. ArcBest operates throughout North America and in select global markets, serving customers of all sizes, from small businesses to large corporations. For their customers, ArcBest is committed to helping businesses manage their transportation and logistics operations efficiently, effectively, and reliably. For their people and employees, ArcBest is committed to creating a workplace that embraces backgrounds and instills an environment of respect and value.
“We wanted to partner with an expert that could help provide guidance and help increase our knowledge and awareness in the world of inclusion,” says Karen Barrera-Leon, who leads the Corporate Social Responsibility Program at ArcBest. “We were looking for a partner who could engage us broadly to assess the current state of DEI, help us align on our DEI Vision, and help define our priorities with DEI moving forward.”
ArcBest entrusted The Kaleidoscope Group to lead it through a full DEI Journey, which included:
- Organization and Data Review
- One-on-one interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders
- DEI Alignment, Vision of Success, and Case for Change sessions
- DEI Strategy and Roadmap development
- A robust and actionable Education Roadmap
“We had all the confidence and recognized The Kaleidoscope Group as a leader in DEI, in cultural change, in education, and in organizational development,” Barrera-Leon says.
For Janet Blum, Executive Consultant for The Kaleidoscope Group and a key leader in the relationship, the confidence is mutual. “What impressed me right from the start was how committed and determined all of the key stakeholders were then and continue to be,” she says.
Commitment from executives is crucial for DEI success in an organization, as their energy and ambition for the work set the tone across the company. For The Kaleidoscope Group, we recognize how involved ArcBest leadership has been in its success to create strategy around DEI, sharing and socializing priorities throughout the organization. For ArcBest, these efforts speak to the heart of their success – their people. “We want to ensure that we’re living out our core values every single day,” says Barrera-Leon. “We want people to come into a work environement that has trust, that feels safe, that embraces their different backgrounds and makes sure that they feel valued too. The different perspectives our people share make us better serve our customers and better serve our communities.”
For ArcBest, their DEI Journey is in motion and is moving towards exciting places. Since working with The Kaleidoscope Group, they’ve started a DEI Task Force and initiated several Employee Resource Groups, with processes developed to start more. “The future is so exciting,” continued Barrera-Leon,” and we appreciate this partnership with The Kaleidoscope Group. We know this is only the beginning of the Journey and there’s much more to come.”
