Leader in Diversity Awards 2021

The Triangle Business Journal

The Triangle Business Journal released the winners of their Leader in Diversity Awards program. In its ninth year, it is designed to recognize the accomplishments of Triangle nonprofits, individuals and companies as they come together to weave a diverse foundational fabric into the heart of the local community. Sunstates Security was proud to be included on their Leader in Diversity Awards 2021 winners list.

Below are responses Sunstates submitted to the Triangle Business Journal for the Leader in Diversity Awards 2021.

What are some of the most notable accomplishments by your company in the past year in the field of diversity and inclusion?

Sunstates Security continuously seeks new means of enhancing our diversity and inclusion relations. A notable accomplishment in 2021 was the development and implementation of a formal Supplier Diversity Program encouraging companywide business spend with diverse suppliers, including businesses owned by someone who identifies in one or more of the following categories:

Woman
Minority
LGBT
Disabled
Veteran
Disadvantaged

The Sunstates Supplier Diversity Program encourages thoughtful vendor selection that promotes inclusion and includes a process to track our overall annual spend with diverse suppliers.

Our commitment to supplier diversity has become a priority for Sunstates purchasing and vendor selection processes. When soliciting bids for goods and services, we strive to have at least one designated diverse business participate in the process if possible. If all business factors are equivalent among potential bidders, Sunstates will award contracts with diverse-owned suppliers.

How does the company leadership promote diversity in the workplace beyond the programs listed above?

Beyond the Sunstates Security Supplier Diversity Program, we pride ourselves on the diverseness of our workforce. For example, 71% of our employees are races other than white. When it comes to our employees’ personal life choices or history, we respect their privacy and do not require that information to be shared and do not track it. However, we have team members who identify in one or more of the diverse categories listed above, especially veterans. Sunstates is a member of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Please mention a specific example of a program that has paid dividends for the organization in the past year?

Sunstates receiving a national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) from the Greater Business Women’s Council has benefited our company immensely. Many large organizations, such as ourselves, are trying to support more diverse suppliers. Potential clients are delighted when learning about our WBE certification to help increase their organizations’ diverse supplier spend.

What are the greatest challenges or obstacles in implementing a diversity and inclusive policy in an organization?

It is crucial that our employees respect one another and work together as a team to support our service delivery commitments. To help educate our employees and encourage a positive working environment, we provide mandatory training courses through our online learning academy on topics such as Ethics and Professionalism, Diversity and Unconscious Bias, Harassment and Discrimination, Women and Leadership, and more.

Sunstates strives to ensure a positive work environment for all, and has a formal employee handbook prohibiting discrimination and setting forth expectations for performance and behavior in the workplace. Sunstates Security is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not tolerate harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, citizenship, genetic information, marital status or political affiliation.