In this blog series "Discussing Diversity," Brilliant Earth Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition Kim Garcia answers questions about diversity, equity and inclusion and how Brilliant Earth contributes to a welcoming workplace environment for all.
 

What is the overall mission of Brilliant Earth?

At Brilliant Earth, our mission is to cultivate a more transparent, sustainable, compassionate and inclusive jewelry industry. We believe in creating jewelry you can feel good about wearing, without ever compromising between quality and conscience.
 

How do you incorporate values of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace?

Every employee at our organization participates in a Brilliant Start to help them get acquainted with the important people, places and processes for their position. This helps them to feel a part of their team and the broader Brilliant Earth team from the first day. A Diversity & Inclusion training series is also included in the Brilliant Start program. We provide opportunities for continued learning through an online resource guide updated monthly, regular newsletters and quarterly staff trainings or discussions. In 2020 and 2021, we offered the following diversity-related workshops: Adaptivity & Resilience, Behaviors of Inclusion, Inclusive Interviewing, Bias & Empathy, Compassionate & Informed Communication, Building Inclusive Workplace Cultures, History of Juneteenth, Black History Month and Diversity Discussions, and a Brown Bag with a women-led artisanal mining organization. These programs help to support inclusive behavior and self-assessment of how we are meeting our standards. Everyone involved in recruiting new team members also participates in an unconscious bias training.
 

What DE&I programs or initiatives does the company have in place?

Our Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Council includes Brilliant Earth team members from a variety of geographic locations, job functions and diverse backgrounds and identities. With focus areas in Products, Internal & External Communications and Internal Events we partner across the organization to ensure these principles are top of mind through continued learning, sharing best practices and promoting organizational inclusivity. Examples of these initiatives within our product assortments include our partnership with Moyo Gems, our Mx Collection, our Rings for Everyone Collection and our Simone I. Smith Collection.  

Led by Beth Gerstein as our CEO, as of the end of 2021, women also represented 70 percent of our leaders, nearly 80 percent of our team members and over half of our board members. More than 35 percent of our leadership and 40 percent of our team members self-identify as BIPOC.

Diversity, equity and inclusion is ingrained in our recruitment process in order to ensure we are hiring impartially and emphasizing a culture add, not a culture fit. All of our recruiters have participated in a Diversity Recruiting Training course, and we conduct training with all hiring managers or interviewers to raise awareness of unconscious bias. We use a structured, standardized processes to mitigate bias in our hiring process. For example, we evaluate job descriptions to ensure inclusive language prior to posting and only senior managers and above have degree requirements.

We also have a robust wellness program to support employees’ physical and mental health, as well as provide opportunities to support local communities and build a healthy work life balance. We offer employees access to Headspace for mindfulness resources, an employee assistance program for 24/7 online counseling and Ginger for talk therapy.  

How do you ensure that all employees feel welcome, including new hires and interns?

In addition to Brilliant Start, new team members on their first day also have an hour of time blocked off to spend with their team. Their manager is able to choose a game or ice breaker topic to get to know each other.

We also check in more often during their first few months of employment. Leaders at Brilliant Earth have weekly 1:1 meetings with each of their team members, but during your first three to six months, you can also expect an additional check-in every 30 days to make sure you are supported during onboarding and set up for success in your position. 

We have monthly Fika breaks (the art of the Swedish coffee or tea break) where employees are encouraged to put their work aside and enjoy a hot beverage with a fellow employee. For new team members who may not know too many people or anyone at BE, you can sign up to be randomly paired with a Fika partner. Each team is also encouraged to plan quarterly events to come together outside of work (even virtually) and we have quarterly virtual all-staff events such as paint nights, yoga and more.

Lastly, the recruiter you worked closely with throughout your hiring process stays as a point of contact for you as you get acquainted. In the new team member’s second or third week, we set up a coffee chat with them to catch up about how everything is going.

Why do you think it’s important to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace environment?

Brilliant Earth recognizes the value of diversity, inclusion and belonging on our team, as we work together to reinvent fine jewelry in a thoughtful and modern way. At Brilliant Earth, we celebrate each other—our successes, the lessons along the way and the unique perspectives each individual brings to our team. We strive for all team members, customers, applicants and partners—regardless of sex, race, religion, color, national origin, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, military service, veteran status or any other status—to know they are valued and welcomed at Brilliant Earth.
 

What are you looking for in UD students who want to intern or work at your company? How can they stand out when speaking with your recruiters at our career fairs?

We are always searching for bright, passionate people who are excited to make an impact from day one and grow with the company to take on greater responsibility over time. We are a dedicated group with a common goal of creating a more sustainable, transparent and compassionate jewelry industry. Ideal candidates thrive in a fast-paced environment and are enthusiastic about helping to achieve our social and business goals.  

To stand out, share in that excitement with us! Tell us why you are passionate about sustainability, transparency and compassionate consumerism. Let us know why you are excited about the particular role, and how you hope to grow with the company over time.
 

Are you currently hiring interns or entry-level employees?

Yes, we will be hiring entry-level employees in sales and customer service.