At Piaggio Fast Forward, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) aren’t things we only think about during the month of June—they’re ingrained into everything we do. We hold the belief that DEI are essential to success—not just for our company, but for our society as a whole. We strive to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in everything we do, from our own workplace culture, to our design, to the neighborhoods we design for.

DEI in our workplace—

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are an ongoing commitment at Piaggio Fast Forward.

We’re committed to building an organization where everyone feels that they belong.

We run programs that support an equitable and inclusive workplace.

We have a strong mentorship program, regular pay equity audits, DEI training, and a standardized interviewing framework that is focused on "culture add.”

We welcome all identities and promote the growth, retention, and recruiting of women and BIPOC in the workplace.

We strive to create a workforce that embraces every culture, language, age, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, background and experience.

We practice inclusion throughout the year and celebrate Pride for the whole month of June.

Throughout the month of June we host a mix of fun and educational events including Pride Trivia, a webinar on being an everyday ally, and other community events that keep our team engaged and informed throughout the year.

Juneteeth is a corporate holiday and day of reflection at Piaggio Fast Forward.

Juneteenth commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery and emancipation of slaves in America on June 19th, 1865. We encourage all employees to take the day to reflect, to continue to educate themselves, or to give back in meaningful ways.

DEI in our design—

When we first set out to create the gita robot, making sure that it was intuitive for everyone to use—despite age or ability—was top on our priority list. 

Our dynamic following technology is what makes gita so intuitive to use. With just the touch of a button it pairs to and follows its user using information-gathering sensors.

DEI in our neighborhoods—

Studies show that people living in diverse communities tend to be more helpful/neighborly.

• Living in a diverse neighborhood has been shown to expand people’s identities, which in turn makes them more willing to help a stranger. 

• People who live in more diverse counties are more likely to report having a willingness to help out a stranger.

DEI city spotlight: Seattle, Washington—

One of our favorite walkable cities, Seattle, is a pinnacle example of what a community that prioritizes DEI looks like:

• Seattle’s mayor is a woman, Jenny Durkan, and female city council members outnumber their male counterparts 2 to 1.

• Seattle is a sanctuary city, even issuing a Welcoming Cities Resolution that states that immigrants and refugees “foster our economic growth and cultural vibrancy.”

• Nearly 1 in 5 Seattle residents is foreign-born, and 129 languages are spoken in Seattle public schools.

• The city’s last 2 mayors count themselves among the LGBTQ community, and each summer the city hosts 2 annual Pride festivals. Seattle’s #weSEAlove campaign also strives to promote inclusion and acceptance of all people 365 days a year.

We built gita to make neighborhoods more accessible, and we’re proud to say it also brings communities together. Boston resident and gita owner Luke Chilone tells us, “people stop and talk to me almost every time I have gita with me.” Beyond being a natural conversation starter, gita connects people through their daily routines, and we believe connected communities create better neighbors.

Sources:

• https://theconversation.com/people-who-live-in-diverse-neighbourhoods-are-more-helpful-heres-how-we-know-94878

• https://visitseattle.org/meeting-planners/why-seattle-is-great-for-meetings/city-of-inclusion/