Denken

Effective Date: January 1 2023

Policy Statement

Denken Solutions, Inc., is a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace that respects and values the unique perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences of every individual. We believe that diversity enriches our organization, enhances our creativity, and drives our success and we believe this is critical to our customers' success and society as a whole.

This policy outlines our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and provides a framework for our efforts in this regard.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to:

Promote a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout our organization. Create a workplace that is free from discrimination, harassment, and bias. Attract, retain, and develop a diverse and talented workforce.

Ensure that all employees have equal opportunities for growth, advancement, and success.

Principles

We are guided by the following principles:

Equal opportunity: Denken Solutions is committed to providing equal opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations.

Inclusion: We will actively work to create an inclusive environment where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best.

Fair treatment: We will treat all employees with fairness and dignity, ensuring that decisions regarding hiring, promotion, compensation, and other terms of employment are made without bias.

Continuous improvement: We will continually assess and refine our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts to adapt to changing needs and to promote a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

Definitions

Culturally competent organization: An organization that displays cultural competence, in both its systems and individual behavior.

Diversity: Presence of a wide range of human qualities and attributes within an individual, group, or organization. Diversity includes such factors as age, sex, race, ethnicity, physical and intellectual ability, religion, sexual orientation, educational background, and expertise.

Discrimination: Treating someone unfairly by either imposing a burden on them, or denying them a privilege, benefit, or opportunity enjoyed by others, because of their race, citizenship, family status, disability, sex, or other personal characteristics (note: this is not a legal definition).

Equal opportunity: Aims to ensure that all people have equal access, free of barriers, equal participation, and equal benefit from whatever an organization has to offer. Note that equal opportunity extends beyond employment.

Equity: Fairness, impartiality, even-handedness. A distinct process of recognizing differences within groups of individuals, and using this understanding to achieve substantive equality in all aspects of a person’s life.

Inclusion: Appreciating and using our unique differences – strengths, talents, weaknesses, and frailties – in a way that shows respect for the individual. Creating a culture and experience where each person's unique differences are appreciated and respected. Where one is judged by their merits and not other physical features.

Responsibilities

Leadership commitment: The leadership team at Denken Solutions is committed to championing diversity, equity, and inclusion and will lead by example.

Promoting a culture of respect and inclusion
Examining its workforce and the various barriers that are in place that work against equity, diversity, and inclusion and implementing strategies to overcome them such as:
- Revising policies and procedures annually
- Examining language and available supports
- Creating diversity committees/groups
- Asking for employee feedback through various channels
Training staff members about the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion and our policies
Providing continuous learning opportunities to managers and employees
Encouraging applications from persons of various backgrounds
Providing accommodation, upon request, at all stages of employment

Employee Responsibilities: All employees are responsible for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the workplace by treating others with respect, valuing diverse perspectives, and challenging discrimination or bias.

Complying with this policy
Bringing forward any ideas, suggestions, or issues to their manager or superviso

HR and Management: Human Resources and management will be responsible for implementing and monitoring policies, procedures, and programs to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion within the organization.

Providing an open door so employees can voice any concerns or barriers they may be experiencing and acting on recommendations/concerns
Providing supports or accommodation to staff members as required
Ensuring their staff feel welcome and included
Creating opportunities to ensure the ideas, talents and opinions of all team members are heard and that proper credit is given for ideas and accomplishments
Being flexible on policies as needed such as allowing employees to observe various religious/spiritual practices or days of observance, including altering break time or substituting statutory holidays
Actively working to find ways to bring people together so they may share ideas

Implementation

To achieve our diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, Denken Solutions will:

Promote diversity in our recruitment and hiring processes.
Provide diversity and inclusion training and education for employees.
Create and support employee resource groups or affinity networks.
Monitor and address pay equity to ensure fair compensation practices.
Implement reporting mechanisms for employees to raise concerns or report incidents of discrimination or harassment.

DEI in hiring and recruitment

When it comes to recruitment and hiring Denken Solutions will put in place practices that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion. Wherever possible we will:

Post job positions to many platforms, including those that target underrepresented groups
Within our job postings, we will stick to the essential requirements of the position, wherever possible as we understand that items that fall in the category of “nice to have” may create barriers
Openly welcome and invite applications from persons with disabilities or those protected by the human rights code and provide accommodation during all stages of the recruitment and hiring process, upon request. We will add statements to this effect to all job postings
Train hiring managers about their own biases and how to utilize equitable hiring practices, including how to use an “equity lens” or “diversity lens” when recruiting
Utilize set interview questions based on the job description to help eliminate biases
Ensure job posting focus on essential requirements of the position

Our DEI Initiatives include

Fair treatment of all team members
Equal access to opportunity and promoting opportunities for staff and leadership development to ensure a diverse workforce prepared to meet current and future needs
Active recruitment and promotion of a diverse workforce reflective of the populations it serves
Teamwork and collaboration
A focus on innovation, creativity, and different perspectives
Flexibility and responsiveness at the organizational level
Conflict resolution processes that are collaborative
Proactive measures to retain a diverse workforce
Evidence of leadership’s involvement and commitment to diversity
Representation of diversity at all levels of the organization, from C-level executives to specialists
Representation of diversity among internal and external stakeholders
Recognizing and celebrating cultural diversity through inclusive events and cultural celebrations in the workplace.
Supporting community outreach and philanthropic initiatives.

Compliance and Accountability

Non-compliance with this policy may result in disciplinary actions, up to and including termination of employment. We are committed to investigating and addressing all complaints of discrimination, harassment, or bias promptly and confidentially. All complaints on a non-compliance event should be reported to hr@denkensolutions.com or call us at (877) 227-0922

Review and Update

This policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure its effectiveness and relevance. Updates and improvements will be made as needed.

Conclusion

At Denken Solutions, diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just policies; they are core values that shape our culture and drive our success. We are dedicated to fostering a workplace where all individuals can thrive, contribute, and achieve their full potential.

This policy represents our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and serves as a foundation for our ongoing efforts in this vital area.

Raj Maddula
CEO
Oct 3, 2023

Annual Audit 2022

Our talent pool encompasses a wide range of diversities. Here are some of the diversity dimensions that Denken Solutions actively promotes within our workplace

Gender Diversity

Diversity in gender and sexual orientation in Denken signifies an inclusive and welcoming environment for people of all gender identities and sexual orientations, irrespective of how they identify. Denken has increased its women headcount by 81% in 2022 vs 2021 Denken remains ahead of the industry in terms of the percentage of women employees.

Our hiring trend over the past three years

Dedicated to bridging the gender gap, attracting and integrating female talent in every team!

	2020	2021	2022
Female	36.00%	42.71%	61.54%
Male	64.00%	52.29%	38.46%

Racial and Ethnic diversity (work in progress)

Denkens data on race may be skewed due to a large amount of employees who chose not to specify their race. We are continually looking to improve our employee engagement so we can obtain more data that we can report on. Racial diversity in Denken Solutions encompasses the inclusion and recognition of individuals with diverse inherited physical traits. It also signifies a commitment to being conscious of different skin colors and supporting these differences within the workplace. Examples of races include African, Latinx, Caucasian, and more.

Our ethnic diversity involves the inclusion of individuals with a diverse range of traditions, ancestry, languages, histories, and societies. Examples of ethnicities include Hispanic, Asian, White, Black/African American, and others.

Age Diversity (work in progress)

Age diversity in Denken pertains to working with, hiring, and involving individuals from all age groups and generations. This includes GenZers, millennials, GenXers, Baby Boomers, and other generational cohorts working together within the same workplace.

Cultural Diversity (work in progress)

Cultural diversity involves the representation of various cultural backgrounds in the workplace, encompassing individuals with distinct practices, values, religions, traditions, and more. At our workplace, we take pride in our diverse employee base, and we joyfully embrace and celebrate cultural events with the enthusiastic participation of every team member, irrespective of their religious or cultural background.

Persons with Disability (work in progress)

Inclusivity within diversity also extends to persons with disabilities. It is imperative to create a workplace environment that accommodates and supports individuals with varying levels of physical and cognitive abilities. Embracing diversity in physical attributes and abilities means providing accessible facilities, technologies, and reasonable accommodations to ensure that all employees can fully participate in the workforce. By doing so, we not only create a more equitable and diverse workplace but also tap into a wellspring of unique perspectives and talents that enhance our overall organizational strength.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy