Bringing together an array of life experiences, perspectives, and identities is how we build equitable, resilient, and sustainable communities. By living our Shared Values—across all our partnerships and projects—we weave diversity, equity, and inclusion into all we do.
From supporting community inclusivity programs for People of Color and women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to upholding equitable workplace policies, we nurture a culture where everyone has opportunities to reach their highest potential.
Fostering even greater diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is a top strategic priority. It reflects who we are and who we strive to be. At Harris, we…
Embrace Differences
It’s our diversity of ideas, viewpoints, and backgrounds that leads to innovative solutions for our clients and enriching experiences for our employee owners.
“You get to work with individuals who have fresh perspectives from different lenses. It just reaffirms and makes me proud that Harris is 'walking the talk' to commit to a better Harris and therefore a better community.”
— Char Hamilton, Senior Construction Management Administrative Assistant
Promote Equal Access and Opportunity
Ensuring equity in career advancement, professional development, and access to opportunities enables our employee owners to do their best work and thrive.
“Harris is committed to fostering a diverse workforce and a workplace that is equitable and inclusive and that empowers everyone to reach their highest potential.”
— Maya Strawick, Vice President / Talent Management & Human Resources
45%
of Harris’ employee owners are women
42%
of our managers and above are women
43%
of our most senior leadership are women
43%
of our board of directors are women
Create a Sense of Belonging
Inclusion of each person’s differences and all voices is vital to our success. Together, we aim to cultivate a workplace where each individual knows that their authentic self is welcome and celebrated.
“Our Shared Values ingrain DEI principles into all that Harris does. We seek to elicit, understand, and include diverse perspectives to achieve our goals. This approach enables us to deliver the best results and the most comprehensive solutions for our clients and for the communities we serve.”
— Michelle White, Chief Executive Officer / President
51%
of Harris’ employee owners are People of Color (POC)
44%
of our managers and above are POC
33%
of our most senior leadership are POC
“By practicing DEI principles, we can be better trusted advisors for our clients. The future depends on more holistic and sustainable solutions to our clients’ challenges and the only way to create those better solutions is to create an environment where we can readily share different perspectives, ideas, and approaches. DEI is a mindset shift and is being embedded into the fabric of the firm versus an ephemeral initiative. We have a ways to go here at Harris, the industry, and society overall, but change starts at home. I am proud of our commitment to these principles in our Shared Values and see them in action each and every day.”
— Lisa Larrabee, Chair of the Board of Directors
Lead with Empathy
Respectful listening is a big part of our collective approach. Through focus groups, surveys, and interactive educational forums, we seek to better to understand one another—and turn insight into action.
“It’s one thing to talk about diversity in our workplaces, but the fact that we’re taking action and putting resources toward accomplishing DEI goals for Harris and for our communities at large makes me proud.”
— Ryan Binns, Senior Director / Environmental Planning + Compliance
3.2%
of Harris’ employee owners are veterans
4.1%
of Harris’ employee owners identify as people with disabilities
3.6%
of Harris’ employee owners identify as LGBTQ+
Continuously Improve
We hold ourselves accountable with a transparent and data-driven strategy. And we’re honest with ourselves when there’s more to do. Each day we make progress, but we’re not there yet. We’ll keep asking hard questions and making bold choices in our ongoing journey.
“As a technical editor, I look forward to learning and helping educate others about how the way we communicate on an everyday basis may be potentially (and unintentionally) harmful and the proven effectiveness of using inclusive, bias-free language instead.”
— Lindsey Messner, Technical Editor / Environmental Planning + Compliance
Facilitate Communication, Collaboration, and Engagement
Providing a space for employees to connect, share information, and participate in discussions related to work, projects, and common interests plays a big part in the success of our company culture. Our Employee Community Networks (ECNs) connect employees by enhancing communication, collaboration, and awareness by creating a safe space to support development and allyship reinforcing our inclusive workplace culture.
Women's Community Network (WCN)
Committed to educating, connecting, and empowering women employee‐owners with the goal of developing women leaders.
People of Color Community Network (POC ECN)
Focused on exploring the various interests and challenges of POC employees in our industry and consistently pursuing goals tailored to address those needs.
