DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion makes us Better Together.
Penfield Children’s Center is committed to creating, nurturing and sustaining a diversified, equitable and inclusive (DEI) culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our children, families and staff.
Penfield meets our clients, who come with an array of experiences, knowledge, unique identities and circumstances, in order to improve the lives of young children and their families within our communities. In order to Do What It Takes to be Better Together; Penfield Children’s Center is dedicated to building a culture that is reflective of our client’s diversities.
Lead With Love.
In order to be successful in living out Penfield’s mission of creating a positive start in the lives of infants and children, we must continue to Lead With Love as we promote a rich inclusive and equitable culture for all.
We recognize that our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is an ongoing journey and we are working diligently to foster a culture of shared respect, partnership and belonging.
Penfield’s journey began with the premise that all children, regardless of ability level or income are entitled to a high quality education and early intervention services for families in Milwaukee County. Penfield continues to champion inclusion for children with disabilities, as we have for over 50 years.
Our Organizational Culture
Penfield is strengthening and fostering an inclusive and equitable organizational culture, these efforts are evident in the follow ways.
- Penfield Children’s Center added a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Manager position to the management team to reflects the agency’s commitment to listening with authentic concern and being an ally in the struggle for social justice.
- Penfield Children’s Center is committed to increasing the diversity of its Board of Directors by expanding recruitment efforts.
- Penfield Children’s Center has invested in a Vice President of People & Culture to ensure continued emphasis on talent & leadership development; fostering a DEI culture and practice; and ensuring that we have the workforce we need to deliver on our mission.
Our Workforce
Penfield is taking the following steps to diversify our workforce.
- Penfield Children’s Center has signed the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) Region of Choice Pledge. The Region of Choice pledge is intended to improve the recruitment, retention and advancement of Black and Brown talent within our city. By signing the pledge, Penfield commits to 1) Increasing African American or Latino/Hispanic managers by 25%; and 2) Increasing the total number of African American or Latino/Hispanic employees by 15% by 2025.
- Penfield will continue to reevaluate employment opportunities to be skills-based vs. degree-credential based primarily to open doors for more candidates.
Our Community
Penfield is proud to be a welcoming place for all people in our community.
- Penfield Children’s Center is committed to being intentional in its collaboration opportunities and partnerships. We will work to establish a network of organizations that can amplify the importance of diversity equity and inclusion in the Milwaukee community.
- Penfield will implement a holistic approach to building invitations and offering resources to promote health equity and help people realize their full potential … e.g. Black maternal and infant health services; lead safety; helping families advocate for their needs.
