Five Regional Organizations Receive Inclusive Workforce Employer Designation in Pilot Program

Northwest, MN – The Regional Workforce Alliance (RWA) of Northwest Minnesota is proud to announce the completion of the Inclusive Workforce Employer (I-WE) Designation Pilot Program, in which five regional organizations were formally designated as ‘inclusive employers’ for their commitment to and development of an inclusive and equitable culture within their business and the region. The I-WE designation was created to recognize and promote inclusive employers, reduce regional disparities and bring awareness to the value and methods of increasing workforce diversity. As part of the pilot phase, the following organizations received the I-WE designation:

• DyCast Specialties (Starbuck, MN)
• CHI St. Joseph’s Health (Park Rapids, MN)
• Rural Minnesota Concentrated Employment Program (Detroit Lakes, MN)
• Goldmark Property Management (Fargo, ND)
• West Central Initiative (Fergus Falls, MN)

In order to receive the I-WE designation, each pilot participant had to meet four criteria set by the Regional Workforce Alliance:

• Express a commitment to an inclusive workplace in their stated values, mission or policies. 
• Assess how diversity, equity and inclusion influence their work and culture.
• Provide diversity, equity and inclusion education for staff and leadership. 
• Allocate resources to support and sustain an inclusive and equitable workplace.

The I-WE designation was created in partnership with the Community Workforce Inclusion Council (CWIC) of the Fargo-Moorhead area, whose mission is to champion a robust and diverse workforce that meets the needs of regional employers.  Employers with the designation will be promoted to career seekers throughout the Northwest Minnesota's 11 CareerForce locations.  For more information about the RWA and the Inclusive Workforce Employer Designation, visit https://www.rwa-nw.org/inclusive-workforce-employer.