Dear HII team:
In the interest of keeping up communication about our compliance with executive orders, including on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the workplace, a number of significant steps are underway. We will comply, and we will do so in accordance with our values. We are guided here most directly by respect, integrity, and engagement.
The following steps are based on recommendations from our working group, which includes representatives of HR, Legal/Compliance, GCR, Finance, Ethics and Culture, Comms, and leaders from the divisions and corporate. They also take into account the fact that some – not all – of the relevant executive orders are being challenged in court.
On the major questions of HII’s approach to ERGs, our involvement in particular external events and conferences, and our recognition of heritage months, here is what you can expect:
- ERG leaders will soon directly receive updated policy governing these groups and their activities in the future. The policy will lay out criteria to help ensure compliance with the orders.
- We will also be amending our policies around sponsorships and other community events.
- While we amend these policies, we will be taking a 90-day pause in our recognition of heritage months, effective March 1.
Other compliance steps are more general in nature. As implementation proceeds, please keep these points in mind:
- You will not see new “diversity & inclusion” programming, nor references to it, in employee communications going forward. If you find references to it internally, these are likely dated artifacts from material in effect prior to the executive orders. If you have questions about what you are seeing, please reach out to your division HR and/or Comms teams.
- In some instances, compliance with the orders is largely administrative in nature, and is being implemented directly by the teams responsible. These will be reflected in revised corporate policies and procedures.
- In addition, to ensure our individual digital email signatures comply with the orders, please rely on the email signature templates on Homeport for the only acceptable formats to be used. Additional personalization is not approved.
While we work through remaining actions, please be assured that we recognize that when we connect to our mission, and to one another, we strengthen our team. This is engagement. Please look for communication in coming weeks about our compliance, and further opportunities to engage.
Respectfully,
Paul C. Harris, Chief Compliance Officer
Edmond Hughes, Chief Human Resources Officer
