Inclusion is a vital component of the TD SYNNEX culture. Alongside collaboration, integrity and excellence, inclusion is one of our company’s shared values where we look to foster the acceptance and celebration of diverse backgrounds, expertise and experiences. One of the ways this is exemplified is through our dedicated Business Resource Groups (BRGs), a collaborative platform that supports the recruitment, retention, enablement and advancement of all co-workers, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, orientation, background or beliefs. BRGs are critical to our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts by putting a formally structured system in place to ensure all voices feel heard and celebrated.

Today, we launched Rise, our seventh global BRG, a dedicated environment to support our Asian and Pacific Islander (API) co-worker community by promoting API cultural awareness, cultivating allyship among peers and championing personal and professional growth resources to foster a more diverse and inclusive workplace. Rise will help provide an opportunity to uplift the voices of API co-workers, educate our peers, celebrate API beliefs and traditions and give back to the API community. Rise becomes the first newly-created BRG as a combined TD SYNNEX organization.

With Intention: All in the Details

The Rise logo was carefully crafted with the API affinity top-of-mind. The sun was chosen as the sun rises in the east, starting each day with Asia and the Pacific Islands. The sun represents an emblem of becoming visible, emerging to new opportunities and expanding to full potential. The sun includes five rays to represent the five Asian subregions (East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, and West Asia) and three waves to represent the three subregions of Oceania (Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia). The logo outline represents a unique architectural structure commonly used in many of the 63 nations that make up Asia and the Pacific Islands.

Along with the new logo, Rise also revealed its succinct vision: Rise will be an impactful and engaging community that promotes cultural awareness of the Asian and Pacific Islander affinity and champions a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Perfectly Timed: Supporting API in North America

The launch of Rise coincides with Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the US and Asian Heritage Month in Canada, which are celebrated each year in May. The objectives of Rise overlap with many of the objectives of AAPI Heritage Month and Asian Heritage Month:

• Increase visibility and support for the API community
• Create and sustain a positive environment for API co-workers to thrive
• Serve as an educational resource and sounding board for API culture, beliefs and initiatives
• Build a support system and network of opportunities for API co-workers to feel comfortable making a difference
• Provide leadership and development opportunities across all levels of the organization
• Bring positive outreach to the API community needs in meaningful ways

From the Experts: Why Join Rise?

Today, members of the Rise planning and founding committee, as well as the governance board launched the BRG to an audience of more than 1,000 in-person and virtual TD SYNNEX co-workers. Some of their comments from the launch:

“I’m honored to serve as the Vice Chair for Rise. My reason for joining Rise is to create awareness around the Asia/Pacific Islander community and culture, and provide our API co-workers with an ally, support and education system.” — Jyoti Pathak

“The main reason I joined Rise is to personally invest and make an impact in order to retain and attract the top talent in the industry. As Chair, I hope to contribute and fully support all the members and support functions within Rise.” — Chun Lee

“I want to provide our API co-workers an ally, support and enablement system to increase their competency for education and collaboration.” — Lily Tsai-Koester

“My goal is to use my background for the API members and allies by providing coaching and mentorship.” — Odessa O’Neil

“I joined Rise with the expressed goal of creating a safe, welcoming and productive work environment so that we, as a team, can reach new heights.” — Michael Nosko

“As an Asian American, I am really passionate about helping advocate for API representation in the workplace. I’m super excited about helping create opportunities for both API affiliates and allies through community building and mentorship.” — Amy Simons

“I hope that I’m coming to the table with a unique perspective as well as a creative mind to help grow the influence and impact that this BRG can have.” — Teri Stone

Collectively, we can use the month of May and each of the eleven other months throughout the year to celebrate and increase our understanding of the diverse Asian and Pacific Islander cultures. Together, we can become an ally for Asian and Pacific Islander co-workers and peers across the IT ecosystem.