Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Policy 1
Purpose
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) are integral parts of Mercury’s culture. Being inclusive of individuals with different backgrounds, views, experience, and capability makes us stronger as an organisation and ensures that we can attract the workforce that Mercury needs in order to successfully deliver our strategy to ensure a sustainable future. We are committed to attracting, recruiting, growing, and retaining people who respect each other, our customers and our partners and have a broad range of skills, experiences, and frames of reference to drive innovation, deliver improved financial performance and to serve our customers, communities, iwi partners and shareholders. Diversity at Mercury refers to the elements that make people similar or different from one another, including background, views, experiences, capabilities, values, beliefs, religion, physical differences, disability, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, thinking styles, family status and behaviours. We are committed to a workforce that is diverse and representative of the communities we operate within and for. Equity at Mercury refers to our acknowledgement of the challenges or advantages that create unequal starting points for our people. We are committed to addressing and, where possible, remedying that imbalance to create equitable outcomes that acknowledge the different needs people have. An equitable environment at Mercury is one where we identify and remove barriers and inequities in our policies, processes, and environment, and provide opportunities to overcome systemic disadvantages. Inclusion at Mercury refers to our focus on actions of removing any perceived or tangible barrier to becoming a part of our business and team and being treated fairly and respectfully. We seek to give everyone a voice so they can feel safe to openly share the variety of thinking styles, backgrounds, and capabilities that they have. Belonging at Mercury refers to our peoples’ sense that they are welcomed, accepted, valued, and empowered for their diverse identities, backgrounds, and experiences. Mercury seeks an environment where our people can feel comfortable bringing their whole self to work and are enabled to do their best work. An inclusive work environment helps foster a sense of belonging. A greater sense of belonging leads to strong team dynamic and connection with the work they do at Mercury and in our communities.
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Our Principles
Our approach takes a strategic view that we must align a variety of initiatives that enable and involve our people, build external partnerships, grow capability, and provide an environment and structure that supports a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and belonging culture. The activity we undertake across these areas of focus is aligned to the following principles:
Commitment to Diversity: We value and actively promote diversity at all levels of our organisation, fostering an open and transparent culture. Holistic Approach to DEIB: We adopt a comprehensive approach that integrates DEIB into every aspect of the employee lifecycle. Inclusive Work Environment: We are dedicated to creating a flexible, inclusive, and safe workplace that embraces individual differences and empowers everyone to reach their full potential. Leadership Alignment: Our leadership is committed to DEIB, and it is demonstrated in their behaviours and decisions. Embracing Diverse Talent: We strive to attract, retain, and grow a talented, diverse workforce that represents Aotearoa New Zealand by implementing an inclusive recruitment and development strategy, allowing us to attract our workforce talent from all areas of the community. Investment in People and Communities: We invest in people and communities to achieve equitable, long-term outcomes, working in partnership across our sector to do so. Respecting Te Ao Māori - Mercury has a unique whakapapa and relationships with tāngata whenua. We commit to empowering our kaimahi to engage with Te Ao Māori confidently, and to evolve our partnerships and ways of working to make positive impacts.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Policy | Reviewed by Board of Directors | December 2024 | Page 1 of 2