Employee Resource Groups
What is an Employee Resource Group (ERG)?
ERGs are groups of employees who join together based on shared characteristics or life experiences to provide fellowship, friendship and support, enhance career and personal development and contribute to the organization’s vision and values.
ERGs promote diversity and equity by raising awareness and ensuring that group members have a voice in the organization. ERGs are often organized around traits or characteristics of underrepresented groups, for example, ethnicity or race, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age or veteran status.
At Berkeley Lab, our ERGs also allow employees to participate directly with our ongoing IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and accountability) initiatives and assist in fully integrating IDEA into the Lab’s day-to-day business practices through strategic initiatives and policy-related goals.
Membership
Membership is open to all Lab employees.
Ways to Be Involved
Attend events
Promote initiatives/events within your group, division and/or area
Assist with initiative or event planning
Serve on a subcommittee or group initiative
Take a leadership role, e.g., lead a committee, be a Steering Committee member or Co-Chair
Be an Ally
Don’t necessarily identify with the group’s characteristics, but still want to be involved? Welcome! You can join to show your support and participate by being an ally.
What does being an ally mean? It means becoming a member, getting to know people, asking about their experiences, being curious and open minded, learning about the issues that are important to the group, showing up, engaging, participating and last, but not least, speaking up and helping amplify the group's concerns.
Types of activities
Skills workshops
Community outreach
Employee recruitment
Cultural events
Mentoring
Social events
Networking
Policy
Leadership training
IDEA initiatives and activities
Organization/Structure
ERGs are formally recognized and supported by the Lab. Each ERG completes yearly by-laws that outline the mission, vision and structure of the group as well as a charter with a detailed list of activities. Each ERG is supported by an Executive Sponsor.
If you are a Berkeley Lab employee and are interested in creating an ERG, please contact the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability (IDEA) Office at IDEA@lbl.gov. We can assist you with launching an ERG and finding an Executive Sponsor.