A personal touch might not be what you initially associate with a SaaS platform company, but CSG has made a concerted effort to take a people-first, culture-first approach to foster an inclusive work environment.
“DEI is not just a program or a project, but a way of being and working at CSG. It is about how we treat each other, collaborate, learn and grow. It is about creating a culture where we all belong and can thrive,” says Dani Durante, Executive Director of Global Inclusion & Impact at CSG. “DEI efforts are not separate from any efforts to create an engaging and healthy workplace. Investing in this work is an investment in our people and our values.”
A key part of CSG’s commitment is its employee-led, identity-based groups, known as Employee Belonging Groups (EBGs). They include Disabilities, Black Culture Collective, Military, Pride, Caregivers and CSG WE LEaD – Women Engaged in Leadership Exploration and Development. Many companies have added employee- focused groups over the years, but at CSG, they are the DNA in providing community and camaraderie around shared values and identities for an organization that’s largely remote. EBGs are frequently cited by employees in driving their engagement across the business. The groups have the support of every level of the organization.
“EBGs have also led the way in deepening relationships with our customers and partners—from our community impact work alongside a partner in South Africa, to our initiatives supporting rural women and girls in India and Indonesia, to our improvements in digital accessibility for customers—employees are finding their voice within EBGs to enact positive change,” says Durante.
The groups have held more than 100 events annually, allowing employees who may not have an office to frequent to find connections with colleagues across the globe. CSG also hosts collaboration sessions, where 65+ EBG leaders from more than a dozen peer organizations come together to boost support, strategy and creativity.
CSG added a Mental Health EBG in 2023 that’s already seen membership swell to more than 200. In its first year, it hosted several events, including an “ADHD in the Workplace” collaboration with the company’s Disabilities EBG. One attendee noted that it was “the first time [they’d] been ‘seen’ as a neurodiverse person in [their] whole career.”
The WE LEaD, Caregivers and Mental Health EBGs collaborated to create CSG’s first-ever “Parenthood Support Site,” centralizing all benefits, resources and support related to parenting and family expansion. In June, CSG launched a new chapter of its Pride EBG in India, which included a celebration with senior leaders and a workshop to explore scenarios depicting the LGBTQ+ experience in the workplace and demonstrating how allies can offer support.
“DEI is core to our values, our business priorities and how we operate, but we recognize that leadership does not need to have all the answers when it comes to inclusion. The voices of our employees will continue to be the main drivers for our program’s evolution and future innovation,” Durante says.