Listen, Learn, Act: A Look Back at Caliber’s 2023 DE&I Initiatives

At the start of 2023, Caliber’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) committee decided to focus internally, truly listen, and learn from our colleagues before acting. By doing this, we discovered the most meaningful ways for our company to connect over DE&I and how to approach our growth both as individuals and as an organization together. 

By listening and digging in, we found that our team was most inspired by engaging conversations with thought leaders and safe internal discussions. Through this discovery, we prioritized time together to learn, both from leaders within DE&I and each other, through small group discussions on topics such as inclusive language and implicit bias.

We learned a lot this year and ultimately came together to continue championing DE&I within Caliber while also connecting with and contributing to our community.

Engaging with Powerful Thought Leaders 

Kicking off 2023, Caliber had the pleasure of holding a fireside chat on financial wellbeing with Rebecca Liebman, co-founder and CEO at LearnLux, a firm seeking to change the financial system by providing financial guidance and expanding financial wellbeing. 

In July, Caliber hosted a fireside chat with Rachel Williams, chief diversity and inclusion officer at The Motley Fool, where we explored actionable steps that can be taken to improve dedication to DE&I, as well as how we can approach current events and varying perspectives. By listening to Rachel’s personal experiences, the Caliber team walked away with a better understanding of what it means to be committed to DE&I and more equipped to handle their personal experiences and challenges. 

Volunteering to Make a Difference

In celebration of Juneteenth 2023, Caliber had the opportunity to partner with The Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding entrepreneurship by empowering black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) business owners, to hold a Small Business Hackathon (Hackathon).

During the Hackathon, Caliber’s team of PR professionals, marketing experts, and social media specialists were able to share guidance on UX/website design, social media, marketing, and competitive analyses with small groups of small business owners. 

The early-stage entrepreneurs were able to walk away with powerful PR and marketing insights and tools to help them grow their businesses and succeed. Our team left the Hackathon inspired and more connected to our communities and each other. 

Learning from Each Other 

In 2023, during Financial Literacy Month, we promoted leaders within the fintech and financial services sectors for their passion, creativity, and commitment to financial literacy and inclusion. These inspirational companies include MoneyLion, Evolve Bank & Trust, Money20/20, Ellevest, and Fintech in Action (FIA), all of which drew attention to the month and shared helpful information and resources with their communities and audiences. 

We celebrated Pride by sharing ideas on how fintechs can commemorate the month in an impactful way, such as expert training on inclusion, and explored ways for them to make a broader commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community. We also highlighted the amazing ways our clients celebrated the month, from spotlighting employees to elevating and amplifying LGBTQIA+-led organizations.

Where We Are Going Next 

After focusing on listening and learning in 2023, the Caliber DE&I Committee is excited to continue the momentum in 2024 – and act. This year, we plan to continue spotlighting influential voices and diverse perspectives by hosting additional thought leaders and learning sessions for our team. Keep an eye out this year for more upcoming blogs on DE&I and our initiatives here at Caliber!