Udemy

DEI stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion.  At Udemy, we added a “B” for Belonging – creating, “BEDI.” We made this addition because we want to nurture a diverse environment where everyone is treated equitably, and not only feel included, but also feel like they belong. 

That's why we’ve been intentional around fostering an inclusive environment through equitable hiring, balanced retention, internal mobility and leadership development opportunities. Additionally, through its eight employee resource groups (ERGs), Udemy strives to foster a deep sense of community and advocacy for underrepresented groups.

As a result, we have almost 600 people affiliated with our ERGs – about half of our employee population. Lastly, the UBelong learning path on our platform includes courses such as, “DEI: A Beginners Guide,” and “Fostering Psychological Safety and Belonging on Teams.” 

In addition, we recently launched, “Be Represented.” A self identification initiative asking Udemates to volunteer their demographic information such as; gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and more. We ask for this information to better understand the many dimensions of diversity of our employees. We also updated our internal systems to ask questions around caretaker status, religion, and languages spoken at home. This is because we believe that understanding the intersectionality of our people is vital to driving sustainable efforts to support them in their professional growth.

The road to creating an organization that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive, where people feel they belong is a long one. We’re excited to experience the effect these initiatives will have for our entire employee-base, and though we recognize that the changes we are seeking won’t happen overnight, we will proceed until they are realized.