iBelongHere Joins NAED in 2024
iBelongHere is a partnership between electrical distributors and manufacturers to create stronger, more inclusive workplace environments and communities within the electrical industry. Next year, iBelongHere will take the next step in its journey and join the National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED). nVent's Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer, Laura Brock, will become the first NAED Committee Chair for the iBelongHere initiative. nVent's Chief Technology Officer, Aravind Padmanabhan, serves as a Member at Large on the Board of Directors at NAED.
iBelongHere exists to create, foster, and lead a diverse, equal, and inclusive community for the electrical industry. The organization strives to influence people’s mindsets and actions to create stronger, more inclusive workplace environments.
Along with three distribution founding partners (Rexel, Van Meter and CX Connexion), nVent became one of the original member companies in 2021. Since its inception, Brock has served on the advisory board for the organization. Over the last few years, nVent has played a key role in helping iBelongHere accomplish its objectives to: share resources to expand inclusion and diversity programs with members, recruit additional members and develop a strategic plan to guide the organization going forward. In 2022, more than 300 member companies participated in events with each event drawing 300-500 participants.
iBelongHere’s transition to NAED was recently featured in tED magazine including the DistributED podcast.
“How do we create a safe environment for people to share their stories?” said Laura Brock, Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer in a recent interview with tED Magazine. “I Belong Here is a firm believer in we all learn best when we learn from each other, so how do we give people the safe space to share what an experience is like when you don’t share the same diversity demographic as most of the people that you work with.”
To learn more, visit I Belong Here Joins NAED – tEDmag.