1871 is partnering with one of the nation's leading women's organizations to create safe and healthy workplaces with sexual harassment training, education, and awareness. The program will include six public events, mandatory training for all of 1871's members, and establish an anonymous hotline for the 1871 community.
1871 is proud to partner with YWCA Metropolitan Chicago to help prevent and address sexual harassment in the workplace throughout Chicago. The partnership affirms 1871’s commitment to its values of diversity and inclusion along with its mission to support and empower Chicago’s entrepreneurs and business leaders of all backgrounds.
As part of the partnership, 1871 has added a section to its Member Code of Conduct requiring all of its members to take a sexual harassment training course at least once a year. 1871 will also host one optional YWCA-led training course on sexual harassment each month as a benefit for its members; courses will cover preventative education topics to help members better recognize and prevent abusive behaviors.
“As the number one incubator in the world, we have an obligation to lead the way when it comes to gender equality in the workplace. This partnership with YWCA Metropolitan Chicago ensures that we’re expecting our members to observe and implement the highest standards in terms of diversity and inclusion, and also helps further the discussion on significant gender issues in today’s workforce.” –Tom Alexander, COO, 1871
In addition to its training courses, the YWCA will host six public events at 1871 throughout the year to educate and equip the 1871 community with strategies and best practices to identify, prevent, and report sexual harassment in the workplace. The first event will take place in April to commemorate Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
The partnership will also provide 1871's community with access to a YWCA hotline, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and provides support and crisis intervention for individuals who have experienced harassment or discrimination. All hotline users will remain anonymous.
“Sexual harassment, misconduct and abuse is unacceptable in any industry, at any level. When it comes to diversity and inclusion, 1871 is taking significant action and provides a model for other businesses in how to effectively advocate and empower women in the workplace. The YWCA is proud to stand side-by-side with the 1871 community to advance safe and healthy workplaces for all.” – Dorri McWhorter, CEO, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago
Along with its collaboration with the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, the largest provider of sexual assault support services in the Midwest, 1871 has launched extensive efforts to support women in the workforce including WiSTEM, a 12-week, curriculum-based accelerator for women entrepreneurs, whose companies have raised more than $10 million in capital and created over 250 jobs, and ChiBuys, which supports women- and minority-owned food vendors in the Chicagoland area.
In addition to its diversity initiatives and programs, 1871 has also built two nursing rooms on its premises to support working mothers, worked aggressively to achieve gender parity among its mentor roster, and continues to reflect its values of diversity and inclusion in all of its organizational efforts including membership, events, recruiting, and programming.
Learn more about the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago by following this link.
