ERGs at Guidewire: The Voices of ONYX

At Guidewire, we have a whole host of ERGs for colleagues to get involved with. Our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are employee-led groups made up of volunteer individuals who represent common interests, experiences, backgrounds, or demographics (e.g. race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, military status, religion, abilities, age, etc.). In today’s blog we’ll hear from co-lead, Angel, and members J. and Morgan on all things ONYX.

What is ONYX?

Morgan Anderson, Inside Sales Representative: ONYX is a group of allies working together to foster networking, professional development, mentoring, and leadership opportunities. We share unique experiences of those from the African diaspora and work to promote growth, success, and inclusion.

Angel Hunter, Executive Assistant, Business Initiatives: It’s our mission to partner with our allies and supporters to build social and professional networks, and to increase the visibility and presentation of people with African ancestry here at Guidewire; encouraging a welcoming, collaborative culture that values diverse voices and unique perspectives in everything we do; and celebrate the rich history and traditions of Africans, Caribbeans and African Americans.

I joined ONYX to be a voice and help educate, cultivate, and develop a strong sense of community within Guidewire. I believe there is strength in our unity and I’m passionate about bridging the gap as we promote cultural awareness and professional development.

J. Giles, Inside Sales Representative: My mission is to help create an inclusive culture for my peers. I’ve become an external advocate on LinkedIn. Daily, I consistently post content about our products and company cultural efforts. We’re a great place to work, with an amazing product, so I do my part to get the word out.

Representation: Why It Matters

Morgan Anderson, Inside Sales Representative: It’s important to have a safe space that allows you to meet others with similar experiences. ONYX helps to bring new ways to look at issues and drive innovation.

Angel Hunter, Executive Assistant, Business Initiatives: ONYX strives to:

1. Increase Representation: Create pipelines and networks to discover and cultivate exceptional talent. Leverage professional resources to promote individual and collective growth.

2. Advocate for Accountability: Challenge ourselves to seek out diverse perspectives when building products, processes, and services.

3. Promote Culture: Share and celebrate the traditions and cultures of people of African descent. Provide opportunities to learn about barriers to equity and support organizations promoting fairness and impartiality.

J. Giles, Inside Sales Representative: ONYX is important because it supports learning and development by offering formal and informal leadership opportunities, and creating visibility for employees who are active.

The Value of ONYX 

Morgan Anderson, Inside Sales Representative: ONYX gives us the opportunity to speak with like-minded people who are working to ensure our voices are heard. This group provides me with a sense of belonging and inclusion in the workplace.  

Angel Hunter, Executive Assistant, Business Initiatives: It’s very important that our ERG group fulfils our mission and partners with our allies to build social and professional networks, to increase the visibility and representation of our diversity and inclusion not only in ONYX but in our ERG community within Guidewire overall. 

J. Giles, Inside Sales Representative: I’m in month 5 at Guidewire, so I can’t speak for all members, but I think members believe this group is important because ONYX can provide a resource for leadership and decision-makers regarding staff/community issues, needs, and policies. 

ONYX-led Occasions 

Since its creation, ONYX have hit the ground running with a plethora of events and activities. To date, ONYX have hosted virtual events and celebrations for Kwanzaa, MLK Day, Black History Month, the Onyx 30 for 30 Exercise Challenge, and a Juneteenth celebration with guest speaker Dr. Leroy Nunery.

ONYX continues to cultivate an inclusive environment all year round at Guidewire, with another action-packed calendar of events this year. We’ll continue shine the spotlight on the ONYX group's initiatives and milestones throughout 2022.

Discover more Guidewire ERGs 

Interested in hearing more about Guidewire’s Diversity and Inclusion groups? Learn more about our ERGs on our culture page. 

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