Fifteen months ago, we published a blog post about Petal’s Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion, and shared our company’s racial and gender demographics.
Since then — and further propelled by the catalysts of George Floyd’s murder and the racial justice movement of 2020 — we’ve continued to make diversity, equity, and inclusion a priority at Petal. This has meant changing how we hire and train, opening new forums for dialogue, and adding new considerations for promotions and advancement. Last September, we appointed Rachel Gatewood, our Product Counsel, as Petal’s first Diversity Officer and engaged Netta Jenkins, a renowned D&I leader, as a consultant.
And as of this writing, here’s what Petal looks like:
Gender breakdown
Racial/Ethnic breakdown
While we’re proud of the changes we’ve seen since last time — particularly reaching gender parity from 57% men / 41% women just fifteen months ago — the work is not done.
Today, on Martin Luther King’s birthday, we’re proud to share with you our newly-launched Inclusion Pledge, a formal statement that outlines our beliefs about inclusion and the expectations we have for all Petalians in their professional interactions. We developed this over the course of four months, with the contributions of a wide cross-section of the Petal team, and with the vehement support of our Leadership Team.
Every Petalian is asked to sign this Pledge, and we’ll require every new hire to do the same. Each year, we’ll revisit the Pledge and remind our team about the critical importance of our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. By keeping these commitments at the forefront of our interactions as we grow, we look forward to the self-reinforcing positive impact this work has and will continue to have on our team and our business.
Petal’s Inclusion Pledge
Why inclusion matters at Petal
Inclusion and access to opportunity are at the heart of Petal’s mission. Helping our members make better lives for themselves through our products inspires and drives us, every day.
Inclusion and access to opportunity are also key to Petal’s organization and culture. Being a place that welcomes, includes, and supports people of diverse backgrounds and origins is our shared objective and something we work towards, every day.
Our shared beliefs
A Petal team that fully represents the diversity of our current and future members will enable us to understand and serve their needs better.
Petal can only operate at its highest level by tapping into the talents and perspectives of each individual member of our team.
Inclusion of lesser-heard voices is necessary to unlock the creativity, expertise, and views of all Petalians.
Beyond the benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion to Petal’s business, we acknowledge our responsibility to counteract systemic racism and bias that have existed in our industry.
Our expectations
Every Petalian should recognize how their backgrounds and experiences have afforded them unique advantages and privileges, and act in a way that invites those who haven’t had the same privileges to feel like equals. In particular, be mindful of the underrepresented members of the team.
Every Petalian is expected to take responsibility in shaping the demographics of our team to reflect the diversity of our members. Each of us can play a role by referring underrepresented candidates and assessing them with equity in mind. Make sure to weigh the benefits of having diverse perspectives on the team when considering candidates whose credentials don’t precisely match the job description.
Beyond our personal conduct, every Petalian has an obligation to act if they witness someone treating another person in an exclusionary or prejudiced manner: they could intervene in the moment, speak to the affected person, take it up with the instigator, or escalate to a manager, the Diversity Officer, or a member of the People team.
Every Petalian is responsible for educating themselves about potential discrimination, hurtful language and negative associations, including those that are subtle, indirect, or unintentional (e.g., microaggressions). Appealing to ignorance is not acceptable.
By the same token, every Petalian is expected to approach each other with positive intentions and, where possible, view others’ actions in that light. When confronting an uncomfortable interaction, take care to exhibit a growth mindset and avoid initial assumptions of malicious intent.
Employee signature
By signing below, I am indicating that I have read the Inclusion Pledge and commit to applying it across all aspects of my professional interactions at Petal: in-person in the office or at off-site company events; over video calls or phone conversations; via email, chat, or other electronic communications; in social media; through pull request feedback; in candidate interviews; and at industry conferences or other events where Petal is represented.
I understand that my performance and advancement at Petal can be impacted by my adherence to the expectations above, and welcome feedback from others on how I can do my part to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture at Petal.
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