ST. LOUIS, June 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ameren Corporation continues its commitment to diversity and inclusion by releasing "Discussions Across Differences 2017" – a video series designed to encourage open and courageous dialogue around the issues of diversity and inclusion. The release of the free community resources comes as Ameren Corporation Chairman and CEO Warner Baxter signs onto the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ initiative, the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
"Discussions Across Differences 2017" is a four-part video series, facilitated by Karen Foss, with selected leaders in the metro St. Louis community. It includes discussions with author and inspirational speaker John O'Leary; activist and civil rights leader Frankie Muse Freeman; Olympian Jackie Joyner Kersee; and professional dancer and COCA co-artistic director Antonio Douthit-Boyd.
"There is a growing body of research that tells us that stronger business outcomes directly correlate with diverse teams and inclusive workplace environments," Baxter said. "When co-workers can effectively discuss otherwise difficult topics at work, they feel significantly more included and that their ideas are heard and recognized. This is true whether in business or community settings, which is why we are pleased to share these resources with others."
Baxter is part of a group of more than 150 CEOs from some of the world's leading companies to have signed on to CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™. By signing this commitment, CEOs are pledging to take action to cultivate a workplace where diverse perspectives and experiences are welcomed and respected, where employees feel encouraged to discuss diversity and inclusion, and where actions can be shared across organizations via a unified hub, CEOAction.com, in an effort to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
The "Discussions Across Differences 2017" resources are the latest installment of diversity and inclusion materials produced by Ameren. The company publicly released the first "Discussions Across Differences" video series in January 2016, in response to input from Ameren leadership and recommendations from the Ferguson Commission Report.
Because of the success and demand for the first "Discussions Across Differences" series, Ameren developed a second series and selected courage as the 2017 theme.
"We know these are not easy conversations to have, which is why we selected courage as our theme for the 2017 materials," said Sharon Harvey Davis, Ameren Corporation vice president of diversity and inclusion and its chief diversity officer. "We encourage community organizations, businesses and other groups to use these tools to engage teams in conversations about the role courage plays in understanding others and making a positive difference."
Each video comes with a facilitator guide, participant booklet and presentation deck. To view and download the materials, visit Ameren.com.
About Ameren Corporation
St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation powers the quality of life for 2.4 million electric customers and more than 900,000 natural gas customers in a 64,000-square-mile area through its Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois rate-regulated utility subsidiaries. Ameren Illinois provides electric distribution and transmission service, as well as natural gas distribution service, while Ameren Missouri provides vertically integrated electric service, with generating capacity of over 10,200 megawatts, and natural gas distribution service. Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois (ATXI) is a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation and develops regional electric transmission projects. For more information, visit Ameren.com, or follow us at @AmerenCorp, Facebook.com/AmerenCorp, or LinkedIn/company/Ameren.
About CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™
CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ is the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion within the workplace. Bringing together more than 150 CEOs of America's leading organizations, the commitment outlines actions that participating companies pledge to take to cultivate a workplace where diverse perspectives and experiences are welcomed and respected, employees feel comfortable and encouraged to discuss diversity and inclusion, and where best known—and unsuccessful—actions can be shared across organizations. Learn more at CEOAction.com and connect with us on Facebook: CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion and Twitter: @CEOAction.
SOURCE Ameren Corporation