Beyond Accessibility: Creating an Inclusive Workplace through Design
Presented by the New England & Connecticut/Westchester Chapter DEI Committees
Thursday, October 27, 2022 | 12:00pm-1:30pm EST | Webinar
In an era when Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) is top of mind for many businesses, the majority of companies still struggle with bringing colleagues back to their facilities and driving employee engagement. As we continue to develop our 'return-to-work' strategies, many organizations are evaluating the contributions of the physical office in creating a more inclusive work environment that contributes to all employees' ability to be productive, efficient and, ultimately, successful contributors.
Join us for a lively panel discussion and post-panel breakout sessions by leading corporate real estate executives on how inclusive design principles, when applied to the built office environment, can foster a sense of belonging and inclusiveness as well as support objectives for improving employee engagement, wellness and satisfaction. The conversation begins by understanding the difference between universal design, accessibility and inclusive design. Our panelists will then share their challenges and strategies in making their workplaces not only accessible for all but an inclusive place where everyone can do their best work.
Presenters:
Francisco Acoba | EY
Principal at Ernst & Young LLP
Francisco has more than 25 years of global experience providing management consulting services to Fortune 500 companies and the world’s largest public sector entities. As Co-Lead for the EY U.S. Corporate Real Estate Consulting & Technology Practice, Francisco is focused on the development of strategies and initiatives that enable an organization's corporate services, real estate, workplace, and facilities assets to be considered value-added components of business process, as opposed to simply cost structures.
Fernando Faria | Sanofi
Global Head of FM Operations
Fernando Faria is the Global Head of FM Operations with over 20 years of experience in implementation and management of Real Estate, Security, and Facilities Services across different regions.
Fernando and his team have a strong focus in making the workspace inclusive as well as bringing sustainability and technology to facilities to better the workplace experience.
Fernando is currently located in Brazil with his wife Lela and son Kaue, with plans to move to Massachusetts in the coming year.
Mike Lawings | Microsoft
Senior Director, Global Workplace Services Americas
Mike leads a team responsible for delivering connected, accessible, sustainable global workplaces, for the best employee experience in North and South America. This accountability spans the entire real estate life cycle from planning, delivery, operations and transactions for the Americas Region - over 7 million sq ft, 186 buildings in 21 countries supporting 29,000+ global employees from Canada to Argentina. Mike began his facility management career while serving as an Officer in the US Marine Corps. Mike served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. After leaving the service, Mike amassed 25 years of experience leading and innovating corporate real estate organizations in various business sectors at Ericsson, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem and SunTrust.
Gloria Mamwa | CoreNet Global
Chair, CoreNet Global
Gloria is a Corporate Real Estate Executive with over 20 years of experience in leading, developing, and overseeing the delivery of real estate strategies; business Enterprise Alignment; leadership; people and talent development and project management. Gloria's senior management experience was gained through working in an international organization and being a member of the global function's management team, in addition to consultancy in the USA, Kenya and the UAE. She is a certified Board Director, currently serving as Chair of the Board for CoreNet Global.
Patricia Nobre | Gensler
Principal
As a Principal at Gensler and director of Gensler Boston's Strategy Lab, Patricia leads a multi-disciplinary team dedicated to helping organizations across industries thrive in times of change through design for a range of possible futures. Spanning science, healthcare, education, and workplace, her work is driven by a fundamental belief in the human experience of belonging. She is passionate about understanding the lived experience of others to better design the spaces, policies, and cultures that will shape healthier, more resilient, and more equitable communities. A recognized leader in the research and design of radically inclusive spaces, Patricia is steadfast in balancing data and real voices through deep user engagement.