Corporate
Charlene Gairey: See People as Who They Are vs. What They Are
2/8/2023
Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. Three significant words often strung together with the power to shape a stronger company culture and workplace environment for all.
At Samsung, it’s part of our company’s heritage to push boundaries and defy barriers to achieve meaningful progress and power bold innovation. But innovation doesn’t just happen — it is designed by humans for humans. And a critical ingredient is our inclusive culture and diverse workforce. Our company is made up of nearly 270,000 people around the world of different ethnicities, races, genders, sexual orientations, identities, religious beliefs, and abilities. But together, we’re ONE global team united by Samsung’s purpose and values.
Action is another noteworthy word. Samsung is continuing to make progress on our journey towards driving meaningful change. And we want to spotlight the DE&I champions within our organization that have been and continue to be instrumental in enabling us to make an impact and helping to create a rich sense of belonging where everyone can thrive.
Timed to Black History Month, an annual celebration of achievements by Black Americans and the central role they played in U.S. history, we sat down with Charlene Gairey – a proud Samsung employee and member of the Galaxy of Black Professionals (GBP) employee resource group (ERG). Here’s what she had to say about DE&I…
1. What does diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) mean to you, both personally and professionally?
To me, DE&I means creating a company culture or environment that empowers people to show their true selves – without judgement. Both personally and professionally, I see people as “who” they are and not “what” they are. There is no distinction between personal and professional DE&I. We should always allow people to feel comfortable expressing their authentic selves and provide a sense of belonging for all. I’m often told, “Charlene, you are always the same – no matter the setting or circumstance. And you treat everyone the same, regardless of who they are.” That’s an individual quality I’m proud of.
2. What has been your greatest learning or most exciting experience in your career journey as it relates to DE&I?
Two of my most exciting DE&I experiences were when I worked at Sony Music Entertainment.
I had the opportunity to co-found the S.O.N.Y. Black Employee ERG. In addition to designing programs to support advancement and growth within the organization and organizing philanthropic activities for our members, we were able to influence change in our company’s retail display windows to showcase greater diversity.