Category Archives: Inclusion, Diversity, & Equity

Isabel Perez: Advancing Opportunities in Global Geosynthetics

At L&P, our employees around the world enrich our global mindset and inspire us every day with their leadership and initiative.

Today, we’d like to recognize Isabel Perez! Isabel is a geosynthetics and engineering professional who’s passionate about building sustainable communities and a champion for inclusion, diversity, and equity. We invited her to share about work, her recent accomplishments, and what’s ahead.

A Community Leader and Partner

Isabel began her career at Terrafix Geosynthetics, a Leggett & Platt company, in Canada five years ago as an Account Manager. She currently serves as a National Category Sales Manager for Subgrade Solutions and is a member of our Women’s Employee Resource Group (ERG) leadership team.

As a geosynthetics professional, she enjoys helping her customers and end users enjoy the benefits of sustainable, reliable, and cost-effective infrastructure.

“I contribute by being a community helper,” shared Isabel. “I love to see communities benefit from better infrastructure—whether that’s a road, school, parking lot, or other facility.”

Isabel is also passionate about increasing the visibility of women in industries like geosynthetics. She serves on the External Partnerships Committee within our Women’s ERG, which focuses on building networks and sponsoring partnerships that lift up women.

“Thanks to our Women’s ERG, I feel more connected and understand more about our business outside of Terrafix,” shared Isabel. “It has helped me understand how global we are and how important it is to align with organizations that help women become more visible in industries like geosynthetics.”

Outside of L&P, Isabel is involved in many professional societies that advance geosynthetics and promote diversity. She is an Executive Committee member for the Canadian Geotechnical Society (CGS), a founding member of Women in CGS, Vice Chair of the CGS’s Geosynthetics Division, a founding member of the International Geosynthetics Society’s (IGS) Diversity Task Force, and a member of Women in Transportation.

Advancing Opportunities in Global Geosynthetics

In late September, Isabel traveled to Rome, Italy, to participate in the IGS’s annual conference where attendees discuss best practices, regulations, and requirements related to the geosynthetics industry. During the conference, she gave a presentation on the IGS Diversity Task Force, which aims to create a welcoming space for members to advance their geosynthetics practice and improve access to and opportunities in the geosynthetics industry for everyone.

“If you look at the numbers in the geosynthetics industry, it’s clear that we’re missing voices of minority groups,” said Isabel. “We should care because our customers are global and focusing on how we can increase diversity will allow us to better understand them and increase our reach in the industry. My contribution is speaking up and doing what I can to help open doors.”

Next year in late April, Isabel will attend GeoAmericas 2024 in Toronto, Canada, and give a presentation on the topic of exploring solutions towards green infrastructure with reinforcement systems. Her presentation will cover an overview of geosynthetics and geogrids, as well as their benefits and best practices.

We are excited to see what’s next for Isabel and are proud of her for taking ownership and raising the bar!

Isabel presents on the IGS Diversity Task Force

Oct 18 2023
By Life@Leggett

Checking In for World Mental Health Day

October 10 is World Mental Health Day—a time to check in on our mental health.

We know it’s important to ask others how’re they’re doing, but we often forget to ask ourselves or we wait until a major life event to assess how we’re doing. It’s important to routinely reflect on our mental wellbeing so we can address any issues, feel our best, and be better equipped to help others.

For World Mental Health Day, we want to reshare some of our favorite mental health check-in tips:

  1. Schedule time to reflect. Scheduling some personal time can help minimize distractions and create space for us to be fully present with ourselves.
  2. Assess physical health. Physical health and mental health are interconnected, so ensuring that we’re eating a healthy diet, exercising, and getting quality sleep can promote good mental health.
  3. Notice feelings and behaviors. Changes in mood or behavior that last two weeks or longer could indicate a mental health issue. If you want help deciding whether or not you should speak to a health care professional about your mental health, check out the National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH) one-page guide: My Mental Health: Do I Need Help? For information on starting a conversation with a health care professional, take a look at the NIMH’s Tips for Talking with a Health Care Provider About Your Mental Health.
  4. Know your support system. Whether it’s a single person or multiple people, knowing who we can count on when we need support can make reaching out for help a little easier.
  5. Ensure there’s a source of joy. Doing something that makes us happy, whether that’s a hobby, watching a favorite show, spending time with friends and family, or just relaxing, can help maintain good mental health or improve it.

You can read more about World Mental Health Day and find additional resources here.

References

Dastagir, Alia E. “Am I OK? How to Do a Mental Health Check.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC, 2 May 2021, https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2021/01/15/mental-health-check-what-ask-and-how-know-if-you-need-help/4134270001/.

“How to Check In On Your Mental Health: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Every Day.” Health e-Living Blog, Chester County Hospital, 3 May 2021, https://www.chestercountyhospital.org/news/health-eliving-blog/2021/may/how-to-check-in-on-your-mental-health.

Oct 10 2023
By Life@Leggett

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!

From September 15 through October 15, the United States celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month—a time dedicated to celebrating the cultures, heritages, and contributions of Americans with roots in Spanish-speaking countries.

Honoring Hispanic heritage was first introduced in 1968 as a weeklong event. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed a law that expanded the celebration to a month. Unlike other Heritage Months that start at the beginning of the month, Hispanic Heritage Month starts on September 15 to commemorate the day that many Latin American countries celebrate their independence from Spain.

We’re grateful to all of our employees who honor Hispanic Heritage Month and enrich our workplaces. To celebrate, we invited a few of our employees to share about their everyday Leggett life and their Hispanic heritage. During the next few weeks, we will spotlight them on our social media platforms.

Hispanic Heritage Month Resources

Interested in learning more about Hispanic heritage? We found a few resources that we would like to share:

References

History.com Editors. “Hispanic Heritage Month.” HISTORY, A&E Television Networks, 11 Sept. 2020, www.history.com/topics/hispanic-history/hispanic-heritage-month. Accessed 8 Aug. 2023.

Sep 15 2023
By Life@Leggett

L&P Celebrates Women’s Equality Day

August 26 is Women’s Equality Day. This day commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1920, which allowed women the right to vote.

Women’s Equality Day celebrates the achievements of women’s rights activists and reminds us of the unique daily struggles that women face in their fight for equality. Here are a few notable milestones and influential advocates for the women’s movement:

  • July 19-20, 1848 | The First Women’s Rights Convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York. Sixty-eight women and 32 men signed the Declaration of Sentiments, which sparked decades of activism and led to the passage of the 19th Amendment.
  •  May 15, 1869 | Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton established the National Woman Suffrage Association, which coordinated the national suffrage movement. 
  •  April 2, 1917 | Jeannette Rankin of Montana is the first woman elected to Congress as a member of the House of Representatives.
  •  June 30, 1966 | Betty Friedan helps found the National Organization for Women (NOW).
  •  July 7, 1981 | Sandra Day O’Connor was sworn in as the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.
  •  January 20, 2021 | Kamala Harris became the first woman and woman of color Vice President of the United States.
Aug 25 2023
By Life@Leggett

Shout Out to All the Lefties!

Are you a leftie, or do you know a leftie? August 13 is International Left-Handers Day!

Here are a few facts on left-handedness:

  • Approximately 10 percent of people worldwide are left-handed.
  • Someone with a left-handed parent is more likely to be left-handed.
  • Males are more likely than females to be left-handed.

If you’re reading this and you’re left-handed, go do something fun today!

References

Blackmore, Susan. “Why Are Some People Left-handed?” BBC Science Focus Magazine, www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/why-are-some-people-left-handed.

“Left-Handers Day: Amazing Facts About Lefties.” BBC Newsround, 13 Aug. 2022, www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/53739189.

Aug 11 2023
By Life@Leggett

Strategies for Reducing Disability Stigma

July is Disability Pride Month, and we’re spotlighting strategies for reducing disability stigma—negative attitudes or beliefs about people with disabilities.

People with disabilities are often stigmatized in many ways, including social avoidance, stereotyping, and condescension. If someone has a disability, they may be labeled as helpless or incapable of exercising autonomy, and people may pity them. They may be excluded from social events, and people may avoid eye contact and talking with them if they have a visible disability.

Together, we can help reduce disability stigma by:

  • Learning from others about disabilities. People with disabilities have a wide-range of experiences, and we can broaden our understanding when we listen to their stories.
  • Avoiding assumptions about what someone with a disability can or cannot do. People are affected by disabilities in different ways, and not every person’s experience with a disability is the same.
  • Using person-first language to emphasize that a person is not a disability (e.g., “person who is deaf”). However, some people may prefer identity-first language (e.g., “deaf person”). If you’re unsure, a good rule is to use people-first language.
  • Avoiding negative words — like “punishment”, “sad”, and “tragedy” — when discussing disability.
  • Using age-appropriate language and making eye contact when talking to people with visible disabilities, even if a companion or interpreter is present.

References

“Common Barriers to Participation Experienced by People With Disabilities.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 Sept. 2020, www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/disability-barriers.html. Accessed 5 June 2023.

Fitzroy, Jenna. “The Stigma on People With Disabilities: What You Can Do to Reduce It.” Women’s Health Blog, Apr. 2019, www.womenshealthblog.org/the-stigma-on-people-with-disabilities-what-you-can-do-to-reduce-it.

“Guidelines for Writing About People With Disabilities.” ADA National Network, adata.org/factsheet/ADANN-writing. Accessed 5 June 2023.

NCALL Staff. “Destigmatizing Disability.” The National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life, 19 July 2021, www.ncall.us/2021/07/19/destigmatizing-disability. Accessed 5 June 2023.

University of Washington. (2016). Disability Stigma and Your Patients [Factsheet]. Aging Well with a Physical Disability Factsheet Series. Healthy Aging & Physical Disability RRTC, http://agerrtc.washington.edu.

Jul 18 2023
By Life@Leggett

L&P Celebrates Belonging at Joplin’s Third Thursday

L&P recently supported Third Thursday, a family-friendly event where the Joplin, Missouri, and surrounding communities get together to enjoy local food, artists, entertainment, and vendors. The theme for June was “You Belong in Joplin,” celebrating the June 2020 proclamation from the city recognizing inclusion, diversity, and equity efforts.

At the event, L&P employees hosted a booth where community members – kids and adults alike – could play games to learn about Leggett and win L&P swag and treats. Contests included U.S. and world puzzle maps representing states and countries where L&P has locations, a “guess the phrase and its meaning” game in various languages that L&P employees speak, and L&P trivia.

Lynn Werner, a member of L&P’s ID&E Team and a volunteer at the event, shared, “My favorite part of the event was playing L&P trivia with a few L&P retirees who came to the booth. They shared stories of their work at L&P and were so proud that Leggett was present at the event.”

Jul 13 2023
By Life@Leggett

July Is Disability Pride Month

In July of 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act—important legislation aimed at protecting people with disabilities from discrimination. In 2015, Disability Pride Month was officially celebrated, becoming a time to recognize that disabilities are a part of who we are and our diversity.

So, what exactly is a disability? The Centers for Disease Control defines disability as “any condition of the body or mind that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities and interact with the world around them.” According to the World Health Organization, 1 billion people worldwide — that’s 1 in 8 people — live with disabilities, making people with disabilities the world’s largest minority.

At L&P, we believe that disabilities are a part of the diverse human experience, and everyone should feel empowered to be their full selves. We celebrate our employees for who they are and what they bring to L&P.

If you’d like to learn more about disability pride and the experiences within the disability community, check out the resources and information in the sections below.

The Disability Pride Flag

Created by Ann Magill in 2021, the disability pride flag has five stripes — red, yellow, white, blue, and green — on a faded black background. Each color represents a facet of the disability community’s experiences:

  • Sensory disabilities are represented by the color green.
  • Psychiatric disabilities are represented by the color blue.
  • White represents undiagnosed and invisible disabilities.
  • Gold stands for neurodiversity.
  • Physical disabilities are represented by the color red.
  • Grief and anger over society’s negative attitudes and actions towards the disability community are represented by the black background.

Resources

Interested in learning more about the voices and experiences within the disability community? check out these resources:

References

Ballard, Jamie. “Everything to Know About the Disability Pride Flag and Disability Pride Month.” Woman’s Day, 23 May 2023, www.womansday.com/life/a43964487/disability-pride-flag. Accessed 5 June 2023.

“Disability and Health Overview.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 Sept. 2020, www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/disability.html. Accessed 5 June 2023.

“Factsheet on Persons With Disabilities.” United Nations, www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/resources/factsheet-on-persons-with-disabilities.html. Accessed 5 June 2023.

Miranda, Gabriela. “A chance to ‘amplify one another’: What Is Disability Pride Month?” USA TODAY, 4 July 2021, www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/07/02/how-disability-pride-month-started-and-what-means/7840560002. Accessed 5 June 2023.

Jul 06 2023
By Life@Leggett

Unconscious Bias at Work

At work, we make a lot of decisions, and many of our decisions are affected by unconscious biases—subconscious beliefs that determine whether we approve or disapprove of people, things, and experiences.

Everyone has biases, and these assumptions and preferences seemingly help us simplify decision making. However, biases often reinforce stereotypes about people, exclude different perspectives, and stifle innovation.

At L&P, we strive to challenge the status quo and biases to make our workplaces better. Our Learning & Development team is helping us accomplish this by facilitating live courses on unconscious bias for our employees. These courses raise awareness about unconscious biases and discuss ways to challenge and mitigate them.

“I think it’s important to have a psychologically safe place to talk about these concepts and how they affect us in our daily lives,” says Rob Sotlar, Learning & Development Manager. “During the sessions, we explore our own biases (and we all have them). Then, we identify which of those biases require our immediate attention. Finally, we apply strategies to mitigate those biases. I truly feel that this subject gets us closer to being better colleagues, bosses, leaders, and people!”

Five Common Unconscious Biases

As we continue to spotlight safety and belonging at L&P, we’d like to share an overview of the five common unconscious biases we’re learning about and how to mitigate them:

  • Similarity — When people are similar to us, we tend to favor them. At work, this could look like giving an important assignment to or promoting someone who is similar to us. To mitigate this bias, we should look for commonalities with people we don’t think are similar to us.
  • Expedience — With this bias, we make decisions based on what’s immediately available to us and what confirms our assumptions. To mitigate it, we should give ourselves time to research and gather more information.
  • Experience — This bias says that our individual perceptions are accurate. At work, we might avoid giving a lead role to someone who we think is quiet and reserved. To mitigate this bias, we can invite others to share their perspectives and goals.
  • Distance — We tend to assign less importance to people and things that are farther away from us. To mitigate this bias, we can plan ahead to ensure that the people who aren’t physically close to us, like our colleagues who are working remotely, are included.
  • Safety — We show a preference towards what we perceive to be safe, which may prevent us from taking a growth opportunity or risk. When we are facing a decision and become aware of this bias, we can imagine that we are making the decision for someone else—what advice would we give them?
Jun 22 2023
By Life@Leggett

Juneteenth: Celebrating Freedom

June 19 is Juneteenth—a national holiday that celebrates the end of chattel slavery in the United States and freedom of African Americans. Often called the U.S.’ second Independence Day, Juneteenth is a time for us to reflect on the struggle for racial equality and equity and to celebrate those who work to make the American ideal of liberty and justice for all our reality.

During Juneteenth celebrations, you will likely see at least two flags waving and flying in various communities—the Pan-African flag, also known as the Black Liberation flag, and the Juneteenth flag. Read about the flags’ symbolism in the sections below.

Pan-African Flag

Created by activist Marcus Garvey and adopted by the Universal Negro Improvement Association in 1920, the Pan-African flag represents the African diaspora and the freedom of black people. The flag’s colors — red, black, and green — evoke a sense of shared struggle and roots. Red symbolizes shared African ancestry and the blood of Africans who died fighting for freedom, while black represents a shared race. Africa is known for its abundant natural resources and beauty, and the color green represents this abundance.

Juneteenth Flag

In 1997, activist Ben Haith, founder of the National Juneteenth Celebration Foundation, created the Juneteenth flag. Representing the end of slavery in the U.S., the Juneteenth flag contains many symbols that evoke belonging and hope. The red, white, and blue colors serve as a reminder that enslaved people and their descendants are Americans. The curve within the flag symbolizes a horizon, which stands for the opportunities waiting for African Americans. In the center of the flag, a white star represents Texas — the state where the last enslaved people learned they were free — and the freedom of all African Americans. The burst surrounding the star represents a nova, which symbolizes a new start.

Happy Juneteenth!

References

Donnella, L. (2017, June 14). On Flag Day, Remembering The Red, Black And Green. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/06/14/532667081/on-flag-day-remembering-the-red-black-and-green.

Kaur, H. (2022, June 17). The Juneteenth flag is full of symbols. Here’s what they mean. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/17/us/juneteenth-flag-meaning-explainer-cec/index.html.

Jun 19 2023
By Life@Leggett
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