Assent Compliance
Diversity is not a Goal, it’s an Expectation.
While the focus of the work at Assent is on compliance, their work to create a diverse and inclusive workplace goes beyond any requirements. As noted by the CEO, Andrew Waitman “Cultural diversity is not just a goal, it’s an expectation of a normal, rich, anticipated future for the organization.”
Assent Compliance is a large-scale company working with a supplier network of more than a quarter million manufactures to help companies stay compliant in an evolving regulatory landscape. Assent is the fastest-growing compliance company in the world. It is a company that is embracing diversity and changing the expectation for inclusion within the organization.
Recruiting immigrant employees has improved the organization immensely both from a business perspective and an employee experience and learning perspective. Growing an inclusive and diverse workplace has brought Assent access to a rich pool of fresh ideas and new perspectives, broadening the organizations reach and enabling the Canadian company to effectively do business worldwide.
Assent has recruited immigrant employees through a number of channels, including partnerships with outside agencies, leveraging community message boards, and the implementation of an internal referral program. “We understand that great people know great people, and we are proud of all of our employees.” Assent’s employee referral program has allowed more skilled immigrants to join the increasingly diverse workplace.
Assent places a strong emphasis on ensuring a positive onboarding experience for all employees and that they are set up for success. Each new employee is paired with a Peer Partner who supports and guides them through their first month on the job. Peer Partners not only provide feedback, but teach day-to-day tasks to ensure the new employee understands what is expected of them and to settle in to the company culture and norms. This has been particularly valuable for new immigrant hires, in addition to individual coaching available through HR.
Inclusion at Assent does not stop in the onboarding process. The goal within the organization “is to think about diversity and inclusion in everything” it does. Some examples of how Assent is embedding this mindset include paid professional development days, flexible holidays, celebration of all holidays, and the addition of a quiet room.
As highlighted by Minyi Zhang, Supplier Engagement Specialist and an immigrant employee from China, “The impressive culture of Assent attracted me to join [the company…] and the leadership team values multicultural aspects of each and every employee.”
