Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

Our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Commitment

We are committed to fostering a culture where our employees feel valued and deeply connected—a place where they can truly thrive, both personally and professionally. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) isn’t just a program for us; it speaks to our Core Values and culture, and reflects our Core Purpose of creating healthy and thriving communities. Our DEIB commitment is also rooted in our brand promise of Genuine Ingenuity. We believe in living out this promise by caring for our people, our clients and the places where we live and work.

DEIB Focus Areas

Education & Awareness

Embrace different ideas and perspectives.

Recruitment & Strategic Partnerships

Hire diverse talent and build a pipeline that supports increased diversity across firm leadership.

Workforce Development

Provide equal and equitable opportunities in advancement, growth and development.

Commitment

Embed inclusiveness in our day-to-day operations.

Our Employee Resource Networks

To bring this commitment to life, we’ve established five Employee Resource Networks (ERNs)—IMAGE (Inclusive Multiculturalism for Advancement, Growth and Equity), LGBTQ+ Alliance, Parent/Caregiver, Wellbeing and Women’s. These ERNs were created with input from our employees, focusing on what matters most to them.

Learn about our ERNs

Developing a Diverse Team

Because we know that diverse ideas and perspectives bring real value to our teams, our projects and our clients, we’re dedicated to developing a diverse talent pipeline that feeds into all levels of our organization—from entry-level roles to senior leadership. Our efforts include forging relationships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities, offering housing grants to students from underrepresented backgrounds to join us for internships, and ensuring we are providing equitable compensation and growth opportunities for all our employees.

At Gresham Smith, we want to live out our core values of commitment, integrity, respect and teamwork by honoring each voice and perspective and by embracing the intrinsic value of all people. Rodney Chester CEO & Board Chair

Advancing Diversity Through Partnerships

Our DEIB commitment extends to strengthening our partnerships with professional organizations, including the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES). In addition, we continue to lean into best practices by sharing lessons learned with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC).

96%

of employees feel their managers and co-workers treat them with dignity and respect.

90%

of employees feel that creating a culture of belonging is a top priority for Gresham Smith.

Champions of Equitable Design

As an architecture and engineering firm, we recognize our responsibility to champion equitable design to ensure that the needs and challenges of the people who use the spaces we create are addressed. We continually evaluate our process for selecting business partners, consultants and suppliers who reflect the diversity of our clients and communities, and proactively partner with certified minority-, disadvantaged-, women- and veteran-owned businesses.