Elevating Belonging

Much like the food we eat and the air we breathe, a sense of belonging has been scientifically proven to be a universal human need. It directly coincides with our ability to be comfortable being ourselves, sharing our opinions, building relationships, feeling connected to others, and doing our best work. We don’t just want it. We require it.

Yet we find ourselves in an interesting predicament. Despite the significant investments many companies are making in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), particularly in the last three years, the EY Belonging Barometer 3.0 report released in September found 75% of respondents have felt excluded at work. It also reported that “over half of global worker respondents (56%) feel that they can’t share, or are reluctant to share, dimensions of their identity while at work for fear of it holding them back. This number is even higher for LGBTQ+ worker respondents, with 77% feeling uncomfortable sharing dimensions of their identity at work.”

I am fortunate to work for a company that is committed to making the future of food and agriculture more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. My leadership team at Cargill is one of the most diverse within Cargill’s Business Operations and Supply Chain organization, and I’m especially proud of this because of the diversity of experience and thought it creates. I encourage my colleagues to get involved in programs that will enrich their work and personal life, such as our Business Resource Groups. As a leader, I believe it is not only a priority, but a responsibility, to foster a work environment where people feel included, accepted, and able to make meaningful contributions to the organization. The same holds true for IFT.

IFT’s ability to promote and advance the science of food and its application hinges on our ability to leverage our unique knowledge, skills, and backgrounds. We must acknowledge and celebrate the many cultures, viewpoints, and life experiences that make up our global community, and then embrace our differences. However, diversity alone isn’t enough.

Every member of the IFT community, regardless of who they are or where they come from, must feel a profound sense of belonging

Every member of the IFT community, regardless of who they are or where they come from, must feel a profound sense of belonging. It is the path that leads us to collaborate more effectively, share knowledge more transparently, innovate more boldly, and tackle the complex challenges of the global food system with unmatched creativity and resilience. It is something we’ve been striving for since we started our DEI journey several years ago, and it is essential in enabling us to truly make an impact with our DEI initiatives.

For all these reasons, IFT recently expanded its DEI efforts to specifically include the concept of belonging. Formally adding the “B” to DEI reaffirms our commitment to creating an environment where people feel welcomed, included, and comfortable bringing their authentic selves to the organization.

One of the ways DEIB manifests itself is by providing opportunities and platforms for all to engage passionately with fellow members who value, respect, and include one another, consistently. A prime example of this is our growing collection of Member Resource Groups (MRGs). Today, IFT has four MRGs—the African, African American, Black Resource Group, Early Careerist Resource Group, Proud Resource Group, and Women’s Resource Group. These dynamic groups provide supportive and empowering spaces for our membership community to network, learn, and thrive.

DEIB also means inviting input from people of all backgrounds and creating processes to reach shared agreements and pursue equity in our community. That’s why the subject matter experts responsible for selecting and curating the IFT FIRST scientific program represent a wide variety of scientific disciplines and job segments. It’s also the reason IFT’s Feeding Tomorrow Fund revamped its scholarship program to increase eligibility, inclusivity, and accessibility, and why our 2022 Awards and Fellows Task Force carefully developed and introduced new processes to ensure we identify and bestow honors to our most deserving members while reducing barriers to submission. We are continuously evaluating systems and processes across the association with a DEIB lens for potential improvements.

For the global science of food community, IFT provides a meaningful place to fulfill that desire we have to be part of something bigger than ourselves. And no matter who you are or where you work, I am confident you will find that here.ft