Talent Attraction & Retention

Talent Attraction

Our priority through 2030: Increase the representation of women and under-represented minorities to better reflect community demographics.Building a diverse and inclusive workforce remains a core principle of our talent acquisition strategy.

We utilize specific benchmarks to ensure a broad and representative talent pool is attracted and recruited. This diversity, evident across all levels of the organization, fosters innovative problem-solving and well-informed decision-making, ultimately creating a more valuable team.

We are proud to report that we continue to take action and make progress to address our goals:

1. Increase our ability to attract, develop and retain underrepresented talent at all levels of the organization, with a particular focus on women
2. Deepen culture competence to enhance inclusivity in the workplace

In 2023, we further solidified our Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) strategy by expanding the Campus & Community Ambassador program. These team members play a critical role in supporting our diversity recruitment goals. Through their efforts, 159 new partnerships were established with key organizations within the US, including the Fresh Start Women’s Foundation. This partnership empowers women by providing them a pathway towards financial independence within direct labor and skilled trades roles. Additionally, our DE&I team has deepened our engagement with multicultural student groups on campuses and through targeted community outreach, broadening our reach within underrepresented populations. Moving forward, we are strategically expanding our talent acquisition network through reinforced partnerships and new collaborations that champion diversity, veteran recruitment and hiring members of the disability community.

As a result of these ongoing efforts, 62% of new US hires in 2023 were U.S. People of Color and 36% of our global team members are female. These achievements demonstrate the effectiveness of our DE&I strategy and targeted outreach efforts. We are committed to sustaining this momentum, continuously striving to improve diversity and fostering a truly inclusive work environment.

Talent Retention

Our priority through 2030: Identify and address the root causes of gaps in attrition and promotion rates of demographic groups with significant gaps, and work to reduce those gaps.

Talent Engagement & Retention

We understand that to help retain our talented team members, we must continue embedding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) strategies across the entire Employee Experience journey.

Throughout 2023, our Employee Business Resource Groups (EBRGs) continued forming strong connections and expanding networks with team members around the globe, while also providing multiple professional development opportunities. As of today, our EBRG structure now has four groups — Women’s Initiatives Network (WIN), Multinational Organization Supporting an Inclusive Culture (MOSAIC), Veterans & Allies Leading for Organizational Results (VALOR) and the West Disability Network (WDN).

Throughout the year, members of the West EBRG community held various professional development sessions, fireside chats and hosted guest speakers whose messaging focused on growth, development and living our values at West. Most notably, this EBRG revitalization has spurred an increase in the formation of “local” EBRG chapters at sites across West.

This year also saw the successful launch and implementation of the Leading the One West Way program, an engaging learning experience that works to establish a consistent understanding of what it means to be a West people leader. Since its inception in mid-2023, 1,160 (over 75%) of global people leaders at West have completed the program.

As we reflect on the initiatives and achievements, it’s clear that West is not only committed to but is actively advancing our journey toward excellence in DE&I. The forward momentum is driven by a belief in the value of every individual and the power of a diverse workforce to catalyze innovation, enhance decision-making and ultimately, drive our business success. Looking ahead, we are excited to deepen our engagement with a diverse supplier network, reflecting our commitment to inclusive growth and societal impact. Our ongoing efforts to recruit and retain top talent, including expanding our Campus & Community Ambassador program and reinforcing partnerships for diverse recruitment, underscore our dedication to building a workforce that mirrors the diversity of the communities we serve.

With the successful implementation of the Leading the One West Way program and the expansion of our EBRGs, we are not only fostering a sense of belonging among our team members but also equipping them with the tools and opportunities for professional growth and development.

West’s continuous pursuit of excellence in DE&I is more than a commitment — it is a journey of transformative change that we are proud to lead. Through innovation, collaboration and a steadfast focus on our values, we are not just preparing for the future; we are actively shaping a more inclusive, equitable and successful future for all our team members. Together, as One West Team, we look forward to another century of excellence, underpinned by our unwavering dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion.