Our Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
We are committed to demonstrating mutual respect and appreciation for our similarities and differences (for example, race, color, culture, gender, sexual orientation, religion, education, ethnicity, age, language, physical ability and thought) so that each employee can realize his or her potential and we exceed our customers’ expectations.
Andersen is a proud signatory of the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion initiative, the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace. By signing the coalition’s pledge, Jay Lund, Andersen Chairman and CEO, joins more than 500 companies and organizations, spanning sectors, industries, geographies, and size, who agree to:
- Cultivate workplaces that support open dialogue on complex, and sometimes difficult, conversations about diversity and inclusion
- Implement and expand unconscious bias education
- Share best known—and unsuccessful—actions.
We’re proud to stand with the Human Rights Campaign Business Coalition for the Equality Act. Andersen joins a growing coalition of 400-plus companies calling for the urgent passage of the Equality Act — federal legislation that would modernize our nation’s civil rights laws by including explicit protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people, as well as improve protections for women, people of color and people of all faiths.
2020 DE&I Report
Celebrating Diversity
Allies for Equity
We celebrate and embrace the uniqueness of each individual during Pride Month and every month. As allies for equity, we strive to champion a culture of empathy and inclusivity for all.
Diwali Celebration
Introducing the Latinx Community
Martin Luther King Day Breakfast
Beyond the Yellow Ribbon
Andersen has developed a rigorous action plan stating how it will build programs and leverage existing support activities for employee service members, veterans and military families.
Habitat for Humanity Women Build
Since 2001, female employees from Andersen’s Twin Cities’ locations have participated in Women Build, gathering to build an affordable home as a team, develop leadership skills and strengthen relationships.
Hear From Our Employees
Jon Smieja
Corporate Sustainability Manager
"I grew up in a small town in rural Minnesota where identifying as part of the LGBTQIA community would open you up to loneliness at best or ridicule and violence at worst. I grew up with several friends who didn’t identify as part of the community until left town, a fact that has bothered me since 2001 when I left for college.
Being an ally in the Andersen PRIDE+ ERN to me is one way to speak out against discrimination, fight ignorance, and do what I can to make sure people now don’t have to endure what my friends growing up had to."
Kelsey Wiers
Manufacturing Engineer
"Since I’ve started my involvement with PRIDE+, there has been so much more support than I would have imagined. It has been entirely heartwarming to hear testimonies from people who feel more welcomed at work and also to create a safe space for people to express how they maybe don’t feel as comfortable at work. It has also been really comforting to feel support coming from leadership, including my own supervisors as well as executive leadership at Andersen and in between and connect with many of these people by attending the Twin Cities Pride Festival, presenting at a staff meeting, or just having a casual conversation about a PRIDE+ article on our intranet...
I have also really enjoyed getting to know and work with other people at Andersen that I otherwise wouldn’t have met and they have been a great source of support as we have worked to create events and improvements through PRIDE+ that aren’t in my normal line of work. There are a lot of people at Andersen who benefit from feeling like they can be comfortable bringing their whole selves to work. PRIDE+ helps people to build better connections with their coworkers and feel more engaged in their work.”
Karen Richard
SVP/Chief HR Officer
"I consider myself an LGBTQ Ally. My cousin is in a same-sex marriage, my husband and I have several close friends with children who are part of the LGBTQ community and our family has many dear friends who are part of the LGBTQ community. While I do not personally identify as LGBTQ, I am 100% committed to actively listening, being aware of implicit biases, understanding and reflecting on my own privileges and doing research to better understand how I can drive positive change and eliminate marginalization...
In 2019, I attended TC Pride with my family and the Human Rights Campaign Gala which I personally support financially. Our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts have created more organizational awareness, resources and talent attraction support to ensure we are focused on attracted, engaging and retaining employees from the LGBTQ community. I am proud of our PRIDE+ ERN and look forward to the continued positive change they will continue to drive in our culture at Andersen!”
Tammy Murray
Territory Sales Rep, NJ & NY
"No matter if I am at work, with my family, or at a social gathering, I am always myself. People can always pick up if you are being something other than yourself. I can embrace my surroundings very quickly by listening, observing and being aware of the situations I encounter. Some may take my listening as quiet, but I whole-heartedly believe there is a time and a place for every conversation. I would rather be thought of as saying something with meaning, than to be known as saying anything at any time. Building relationships is a gift that I have, and it took me a long time to embrace that. I believe that when I finally embraced that gift, was when I began to see the fruits of my labor."
Robin Oesterwind
Sales Operations Administrator
"It means so much for the company that I work for to be supportive of and engaged in the queer community. I help facilitate a Coming Out support group at a community center here in metro Detroit, and every week I see folks who are taking the brave and sometimes incredibly difficult steps toward fully embracing themselves… for companies like Andersen to be visibly, genuinely, actively involved in the LGBTQIA community matters deeply in creating more safe spaces and room for open conversations about inclusion, diversity, and equity.
Coming to work for Andersen in 2018 was like a breath of fresh air for me – it truly renewed my faith that companies do exist that care about more than just profits, but about giving back to their community and supporting their employees. PRIDE+ is just one more reason for me to be proud to be a part of the Andersen team!"
Lori Nickleson
Manufacturing Operations Manager, Bayport Windows
"I don’t look at being a female as a barrier unless you allow it to be. I haven’t thought of my gender as being a constraint. My male counterparts treat me as a team member and we don’t allow gender to be an obstacle. I am a servant leader and care about the people I work with which is what a leader should focus on. I have high expectations of my team but I help when they need it. I have built a rapport with many groups in the organization and not once have I felt like gender was an issue."
Sheon Hunte
HR Business Partner, Renewal by Andersen
"I joined Renewal By Andersen as a Human Resource Business Partner and had a great first impression on the first day of the employees I met. Everyone seemed friendly and genuine. There has been positive momentum towards DE&I, which started before I joined the company. The Talent Acquisition team implemented recruiting strategies to attract and recruit talent that are diverse not just ethnically, but of varied backgrounds who can provide different perspective both professionally and from personal experiences.
Diversity simply makes us stronger, attractive and confident as a business. We can’t lead effectively with integrity, excellence, partnership, innovation and responsibility if we don’t invest in diversity...
Since joining the team, I religiously share with my family, friends, and Navy colleagues, about the culture, vision and investment in employees and customers at Andersen. Of course, in everything there is room for improvement, but the focus, motivation and commitment by leadership and the team will get us where we want to be and we will keep getting better."
Employee Resource Networks
Our Military Connections employee resource network helps to lead initiatives and assist with identifying resources and support for our veterans, active military employees and their families.
Andersen Corporation is proud to be recognized as a Yellow Ribbon Company.
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