You could say diversity and inclusion are in my DNA, a deep-rooted belief that stems from the teaching of my Faith. As a Baha’i, I believe in the Oneness of Humankind and the reality that diversity strengthens the foundation of humanity. We are all the flowers of one garden, diverse and unique. That is what makes a garden so beautiful.

Everyone has a story. Mine is one of endurance, empathy, resilience and never giving up! Due to my belief in the Baha’i Faith, after the revolution in Iran, I was not allowed to go to school (I was 11 years old!). As such, being accepted and included in that sense was not an option. Bringing your whole self to work, school or society in general resulted in ill treatment and discrimination and the reality that you did not belong, was quite evident. But every struggle presents an opportunity to grow, accomplish, be of service to humanity and become a better person. It is this experience that strengthened my resolve and commitment to always promote unity in diversity.

Diversity and inclusion produce better outcomes

In organizations, including ArcelorMittal Dofasco, there is a growing recognition that diversity and inclusion produce better business outcomes. In order to capitalize on the diversity of the human race, businesses that include the myriad of unique perspectives, experiences and knowledge in shaping their collective future and cultivate and nurture a culture of inclusion, tend to thrive.

At Dofasco, we are committed to diversity and inclusion because Our Strength is People. We are all unique with perspectives, experiences and creative thought that have shaped who we are and will foster and strengthen Dofasco’s culture of employee engagement, ownership, physical and mental health, continuous improvement and innovation.

Opportunities to share stories and learn from each other

Last Fall we celebrated our third annual Diversity and Inclusion Week. The theme, A Sense of Belonging, focused on providing opportunities for employees to meet other colleagues to share their experience and stories and learn from each other during our first speed mentoring sessions. The week was a remarkable success, with employees participating in various activities, such as a bake sale, diversity matching game and multiple “Can We Talk?” diversity and inclusion speed mentoring sessions. There was a lot of conversation, camaraderie, learning and networking. The week closed with a learning session on Thinking, Feeling and Doing: The Imperative for Diversity & Inclusion.

I would like to encourage everyone to be present, bring your whole self to work, share your experience and knowledge with others, converse, be inclusive and lead by example. We can all take a step back, look deep within and, with an attitude of humility and service, strive to be a positive force for the betterment of humanity—after all, we are world citizens.