By Karen Gray, EVP of HR, A+E Networks 

A+E Networks has a long-standing commitment to corporate social responsibility, with DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) as a key priority for each employee and division and across all content platforms. This commitment has only intensified under Paul Buccieri, President of A+E Networks Group.  Thanks to his steadfast support, in 2020, as the journey to achieve racial justice took on new urgency, the company, which includes major networks A&E, Lifetime and The HISTORY Channel, forged new initiatives to continue to put these goals at the forefront of the company’s mission. From empowering employees to become stakeholders in creating and reflecting diversity in content to participating in dialogue through Town Halls to forging new ERG’s (employee resource groups), the company has established new avenues for centering DEI and social justice.

In August, A&E launched Voices Magnified, a cross-platform campaign to spotlight the diverse voices of people making change in society related to social justice. Comprised of long-form specials on topics such as prison reform as well as short-form video about individuals bringing people together to confront key social issues, the campaign has been driven by ideas crowd-sourced by employees of the company. The campaign has featured stories about how communities are addressing a wide range of racial justice issues from policing to food insecurity. The campaign is located online at aetv.com/voicesmagnified and continues with new pieces rolling out each month.

In addition to creating content, A+E Networks also uses its platforms to support the work of important organizations in the DEI space. Many of these partnerships have been referred by A+E Networks employees, such as the George Floyd Memorial Scholarship launched at Santa Monica College which supports scholarships for African American students. Employees also played key roles in suggesting readings and podcasts related to social justice, located at https://www.aenetworks.com/resources that were shared with the entire company.

The DEI efforts are led by Karen Gray, EVP of Human Resources, who joined the company in 2019. Under Gray’s leadership, the company has aligned around embedding the importance of DEI in every aspect of the company and giving employees opportunities to shape these efforts. Through regular town hall conversations about topics ranging from gender equity to racial justice, A+E Networks has provided forums for employees to explore these issues and hear from experts—and each other. Gray has also spearheaded the launch of the company’s first-ever Diversity Advisory Council to activate the company’s DEI goals from talent recruitment to encouraging diversity among the vendors the company engages. In addition, the company has launched new employee-led resource groups to provide forums for conversations and spaces for employees to foster new avenues of support and collaboration.

These efforts are just some of the ways A+E Networks is elevating DEI and social justice initiatives and catalyzing action and conversation among employees. In a time of rapidly evolving social change, the company continues to use its platforms – internally and externally- to advance diversity and equity goals and be part of the roadmap for long-term transformation.