How Micron used allyship training to foster an inclusive culture

At Micron Technology, allyship training was developed by employees from traditionally underrepresented groups — and 99.9% of staff opted in.

• At Micron Technology, allyship training is a key component of an always-evolving DEI strategy
• Understanding different diversity dimensions is crucial to recruiting and retaining diverse talent
• Effective allocation of the DEI budget includes extending it beyond the company into the wider community

Created by Insider Studios with Micron Technology

In 2021, a number of global employee resource groups at industry-leading memory and storage solutions company, Micron Technology Inc. came together with a singular vision. Veterans, women leaders, tenured professionals, Black and Hispanic professionals, members of the company's LGBTQ+ community, and other members of Micron's 10 employee resource groups (ERGs) joined forces to develop an allyship training program that included a broad cross-section of traditionally underrepresented groups. Although the program they developed was not mandatory for Micron employees, 99.9% of Micron's more than 43,000 employees took the training, and over half of these people went on to take additional allyship courses.

"The feedback we received — both from the folks delivering the training and the team members who engaged — on the impact that it had, the eye-opening experience that our team members had, was incredible," said April Arnzen, Micron's chief people officer, who has worked at the company for 25 years. But one, even two, training sessions aren't enough. Arnzen believes that a company's plan for diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) must constantly evolve to be sustainable long term. 

But what does DEI mean, really? Most of us feel confident we know what the words mean individually, yet when it comes to the workplace, the whole is much more than the sum of its parts — and according to Arnzen, this is where companies can fall short in their interpretation. "Diversity is more than just race and gender. Those are very important, but people have multiple diversity dimensions that are both seen and unseen," she said, citing religion, socioeconomic status, and educational background. The complexity continues when considering what equality and inclusiveness mean across these different contexts — one approach will not fit everyone, and a strong DEI program is built on the foundation of this understanding. 

Intersectional pay equity is crucial for retaining diverse talent

Pay equity, too, is commonly misunderstood. When Arnzen started advocating a push for pay equity in 2018, she said she began, like every other company does, by considering gender. In the last four years, Micron has taken it further: "We have added all of our underrepresented groups in the US and globally – including, of course, people with disabilities worldwide," she said. "We don't just focus on gender and race." Crucially, initiatives have gone beyond base pay – bonuses and stock are included in Micron's pay equity model. As a global company, Micron also began to consider inequities in other countries last year. In Singapore, for example, the company identified which races and ethnicities were underrepresented, and added those to its pay equity model.

"It's not easy," Arnzen said. "You have to go country by country and really pinpoint where the underrepresented groups are. But that is just an example of how we really strive to be a leader in the DEI space." 

And that "I" is crucial because so many companies "only focus on the D," according to Arnzen. For Micron, diversity without inclusion is not true diversity. "We work to create an inclusive culture, committed to enriching life for all… if you don't do that, you won't be able to retain that diverse talent," Arnzen said. Inclusion is partly achieved by inviting employees to offer input on DEI strategies, like the allyship training in 2021. "Getting people engaged in the process and having them be part of the journey has been incredibly important," Arnzen said. 

Diversifying the DEI budget carries far-reaching benefits

As well as allyship training, Micron runs leader training to help managers develop an understanding of the different diversity dimensions and cultivate the talent they manage. Micron's employee resource groups also help the company allocate philanthropy dollars, ensuring the money goes to charities that align with Micron's principles. ERG leaders are compensated by Micron through stock grants — a leading practice currently only implemented by 5% of Fortune 500 companies with ERGs.

Yet for Arnzen, "diversity can't just stop at your door." The company's Micron Foundation encourages employees to volunteer in local communities, inspiring students from underrepresented backgrounds to engage in STEM education programs. Similarly, Micron ensures it has supplier diversity and invests in minority-owned firms. In 2021, the company pledged to invest 3% of its cash investments (about $280 million) in minority-owned firms. It exceeded that goal, investing $300 million, and has increased this goal in 2022 to $500 million. 

Micron's commitment to DEI doesn't just benefit its current employees, customers, and communities. Arnzen stresses that DEI is a great recruitment tool for the company, ensuring they attract the best talent, enabling Micron to thrive. "Diversity of thought is one of the greatest drivers of our innovation," she said. "I think companies are realizing just how important your talent strategies are to the success of your business. If you can't hire and retain talent, your business is not going to grow." 

Improvement is an ongoing process

So how exactly does Micron measure DEI success? The company publishes an annual report on its website, outlining its progress on its six DEI commitments. This also helps identify room for improvement. In 2018, less than 8% of its VPs were female. By 2021, this figure had doubled. "So, we got to more than 16% – but that's not good enough. We have to make more progress," Arnzen said.

In Arnzen's view, the journey is a marathon and not a sprint. This is why she believes it's so important for companies to remain steadfast in their commitment by developing ever-evolving DEI strategies. "Celebrate your progress year over year, but never be satisfied," she said. "Always set your sights on making even more progress the next year."

Learn more about Micron's industry-leading DEI program here

This post was created by Insider Studios with Micron Technology