From the suburbs of Chicago to rural farming worldwide, community building is taking place with one tool — the potato.
The potato doesn’t get nearly enough credit for the important role that it has played throughout history and still does to this day.
Potatoes have every vitamin the human body needs, save two that you could supplement with a glass of milk.
Archeologists have found evidence of potatoes being an important part of sustaining indigenous people in the high altitude of the Peruvian Andes mountains roughly 7,000 years ago. In many parts of the world, potatoes were critical in the way that communities reestablished themselves after war; marauding soldiers could take or destroy entire crops of above-ground produce, but farmers with potatoes growing had the security of their crops hiding beneath the earth. And the genetics of a potato roughly 9,000 years ago likely kept an entire community alive in what is now Utah during a massive climate shift — and might hold a key to climate change-proofing crops today.
For McCain Foods’ 20,000 employees, the crop plays an important role in communities, as well. McCain is a large manufacturer of frozen potatoes, with office locations scattered across the United Kingdom, India, the United States and Canada. The company also has 3,500 farmer partners around the world with nearly all found in rural areas. Its website notes: “We’re often the largest employer [in these areas] and an integral part of many communities. We are proud of the role we play in helping to create sustainable livelihoods for farmers and their families and contribute to an inclusive local economy, supported by local development programs, donations and volunteering.”
Community support is also what ties together McCain’s sustainability goals and the work of its employee resource groups.
“The commitment McCain has to giving back in the communities where it operates has inspired me to adopt a mindset of giving back and having a positive impact on the community,” said Will Stutzman, senior advisor of organizational development at McCain.
“The commitment McCain has to giving back in the communities where it operates has inspired me to adopt a mindset of giving back and having a positive impact on the community.”
Stutzman is a leader at McCain in the company’s LGBTQIA+ ERG, Pride. Recently, the ERG has taken a cue from the company’s sustainability pillar, “Thriving Communities” — which is a commitment to support people in the communities where McCain has a presence. Built In spoke with Stutzman about how “Thriving Communities” was an important part of the ERG’s work during Pride month and well beyond.
What’s the inspiration behind some recent initiatives? What do these events mean to you?
Most recently, all of our McCain offices and a number of our manufacturing facilities in Canada and the United States celebrated Pride month through a variety of events. Pride programming included a number of different education and discussion events, raising awareness through internal communication channels and supporting local LGBTQIA+ community groups.
The community involvement aspect of Pride month was inspired by our “Thriving Communities” sustainability pillar, which commits to supporting people and groups in the communities where we live and work.
So instead of only hosting internal events, we were proud to include a give-back aspect, supporting the LGBTQIA+ community and raising awareness. One example is a Personal Items Drive organized in June which supported the Center on Halsted in Chicago — numerous individuals from our Oak Brook office donated toothpaste, socks, bedsheets and other personal items to support individuals in the community facing homelessness.
What is the Pride ERG’s mission?
Within North America, McCain Foods has many ERGs who bring our North American DEI promise to life. We proudly stand together to create a supportive and inclusive environment through our Pride ERG. Our mission is to foster a sense of belonging and empower lesbian, gay, transgender, nonbinary, queer and questioning individuals, allies and all interested employees within our vibrant community to be their authentic selves.
What makes the Pride ERG and its work different from other company groups?
Each ERG has a unique mission, but all contribute to our global DEI commitment that encourages individuals to thrive while being their authentic selves. The Pride ERG encourages individuals to be their authentic selves — even though a person’s sexuality may not be a visible dimension of diversity, it is still a critical part of who they are. This ERG is also not exclusive to only LGBTQIA+ members, all are invited and we encourage others to come and learn, be allies and inspire inclusion for all.
“The Pride ERG encourages individuals to be their authentic selves — even though a person’s sexuality may not be a visible dimension of diversity, it is still a critical part of who they are.”
What are some of the most impactful initiatives the team has put on that bring the mission to life?
This year, we invited Fae Johnstone to speak and she shared about the increase in anti-LGBTQ+ hate, issues facing the community and practical exercises of how to combat this hate locally. Her talk was delivered to hundreds of McCainers and was extremely impactful. Fae did a great job raising awareness and understanding, to help us all inspire acceptance.
These educational moments make me so proud to work at a company that is doing the work to create a safe and inclusive workplace — alongside this event, McCain North America recently introduced benefits for gender-affirming surgery and many of our office spaces now have gender-neutral washrooms.
Another one of my personal highlights is from last year, when we kicked off Pride month with a cake-cutting event which was a partnership between the NA Pride ERG and our Asian Resource Community ERG, who were just closing out Asian Heritage month. The partnership between the two ERGs across all three of our main offices is what I found most impactful because it really showed a shared commitment to DEI.
How does the group’s work fit into the larger mission of the company?
Equitable employers create diverse and inclusive workplaces where employees can share unique perspectives, respect one another’s individual needs and reach their full potential without barriers. At McCain, we strive to foster a culture where we can always be our authentic selves — a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and like they belong.
ERGs are voluntary, employee-led groups that promote a sense of belonging and support within the workplace, create a sense of community, increase awareness, promote dialogue, boost engagement and strengthen our networks of support. ERGs help foster an environment of belonging and play a role in our DEI strategy, which is critical to our future success.
What does a team meeting look like?
Our Pride ERG meets every month for strategic discussions but we also save time to support one another. We discuss issues in the LGBTQIA+ community, plan for upcoming events, and share recent wins and struggles on personal and professional levels. These types of conversations build trust within our team while also highlighting any current events or issues that we need to bring to the attention of our McCain community.
What else would you like to add?
It’s important to remember that pride and allyship should not be isolated to an event or moment in time — our ERG aims to continue to celebrate humanity, as well as the uniqueness we all have to offer. The Pride ERG and events are a reminder that it is okay to be exactly who you are — it’s actually encouraged — at work and in the community. We all have a right to be who we are and feel safe, despite all the forces who try to limit our voices.
