Meet the Employee Ambassador Groups at McCormick
McCormick's Employee Ambassador Groups (EAGs) provide a supportive and collaborative space for employees. Commonly referred to as Employee or Business Resource Groups outside of McCormick, EAGs are an extension of McCormick's Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts and serve as a catalyst for helping employees learn about other cultures, embrace differences, and appreciate the value of a diverse workforce. EAGs are formed around underrepresented groups and foster an environment where employees feel empowered and supported in maximizing their personal and professional development. Membership to one of McCormick's nine EAGs is open to all employees interested in supporting the group's mission and objectives regardless of their personal diversity dimension.
Learn more about each of our EAGs below.
1. Black Employee Ambassadors at McCormick (BEAM). BEAM is dedicated to fostering and inspiring an inclusive and supportive community where members can collectively work towards the success and advancement of Black employees while harnessing their diverse insights and experiences to create competitive advantages. Throughout the year, the group hosts a variety of activities and programs to highlight unique aspects of Black history and offer networking opportunities. Recently, the group provided support for employees through roundtables and open discussions during the social justice movements in 2020 and beyond. In the spring of 2021, BEAM co-sponsored a coffee chat with the Asian Diversity Group (ADG) that allowed them to check in with members and speak openly about how recent hate crimes and events are impacting employees, families, friends, and communities.
"My experience at McCormick has been enhanced by my ability to make a difference during these societal moments I'm able to touch and help so many with the platform I'm given. And for that, I am truly grateful. I've been given an awesome opportunity to work with a terrific team who was driven and passionate about making a difference," said Patrick Mays, Team Manager I – Production.
2. Abled and Disabled Associates Partnering Together (ADAPT). ADAPT is the newest EAG at McCormick, and through a partnership with the National Organization on Disability, aims to reduce the stigma surrounding disabilities, whether visible or non-visible, within the workplace to ensure we are creating a supportive environment that allows people to thrive. At the core, ADAPT creates a safe space to educate ourselves about the disabilities that exist, how to partner with colleagues or employees to help support them in their journey or learn about resources that are available at McCormick and/or community.
3. Asian Diversity Group (ADG). The ADG's mission is to attract, develop, and leverage Asian talent to further business goals and create a competitive advantage for McCormick. Gabby Quintana, Senior Research Chef, says that his time with the ADG has been "filled with absolutely priceless memories and a phenomenal opportunity to interact with leadership."
The ADG enjoys celebrating Asian holidays throughout the year, but also look at current issues affecting members, like the bamboo ceiling, which refers to the barriers faced by Asian-Americans in the workplace. Working with ASCEND, the largest non-profit Pan-Asian membership organization for business professionals in North America, the ADG identifies ways to educate and advocate on matters important to the Asian community. ADG members attend ASCEND's annual conference that showcases Asian leaders across industries who share their stories and suggest strategies on how to elevate people of Asian descent to executive and C-suite positions.
4. Seasoned Ambassador Group of Experience (SAGE). SAGE engages experienced employees (usually those with more than 20 years of work experience) by fueling their passion, continuing their professional growth, and leveraging their extensive knowledge. This EAG focuses on addressing the areas that are most important to its members, such as leadership opportunities, strategic development roles, and cross-generational integration with two-way mentoring. SAGE hosts multiple events throughout the year centered on topics such as retirement preparation, caring for aging parents, working across generations, and more. The EAG is also involved with Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland – a few times a month, a group called "The Lunch Bunch" volunteers during lunch breaks to deliver meals to Marylanders in need.
5. Sabor Latino (SaLA). SaLa is McCormick's Latino Employee Ambassador Group. "Sabor" means "flavor" in Spanish. For Latinos, it also means spark, passion, expression, and engagement. These are all things that the EAG stands for. "Sala" means "living room," a space where friends and family gather for conversation. And that, too, is what SaLa is all about. This EAG exists to help McCormick succeed with Hispanics as consumers, customers, leaders, employees, neighbors, and friends through regular events during Hispanic Heritage Month and cooking demonstrations throughout the year.
6. PRISM. PRISM is dedicated to advocating for the LGBTQ community and their Allies. Their mission is to engage the LGBTQ community and all employees to enlighten, inspire, and educate while enhancing an open and safe environment. The group was named PRISM because an actual prism casts a spectrum of colors, much like the colors in the PRIDE flag that represents the spectrum of people in the LGBTQ+ community. The group continues to drive awareness through virtual guest speakers, lunch and learns, and discussions about current events.
7. U.S. Veterans. The U.S. Veterans EAG attracts, engages, and leverages diverse veteran talent to further meet business goals of McCormick and to provide care to the veteran community. "Experiencing different cultures gives veterans a unique perspective and provides McCormick with the opportunity to utilize your experiences, to strengthen our company," said Denise Farmer, Senior Principal Scientist.
The U.S. Veterans EAG works with McCormick to leverage those with military experience and has partnerships with the five US. Service Academies, award distinguished graduated monetarily, and provide corporate sponsorships to benefit Veteran organizations.
8. Young Professionals (McYP). McYP promotes an engaging community of young professionals through activities and leadership development with the goal of integrating the perspectives of young professionals into the business strategy and culture of McCormick. From career development and networking activities to community service and social events, there are plenty of opportunities to participate.
"I am grateful that I've had the opportunity to become connected with so many colleagues outside of my standard line function that I've been able to learn and grow from. The EAGs are a true reflection of McCormick's commitment to keep this a great place to work," said Danielle Dahl, Procurement Manager.
9. Women's International Network (WIN). With chapters in the U.S., South Africa, Poland, France, and more, the WIN EAG is continuing to advocate for women's causes and change the landscape in which we work and live. The WIN leadership teams have organized or sponsored events geared towards career development, women’s issues in the workplace, peer-to-peer mentoring, and community service. (Learn more about each WIN chapter here)
"I joined the Women's International Network within days of starting out at McCormick," said Alexandra Malstrom, Supply Chain Planner I – Demand. "And I'm so happy that I did because it opened a door to a huge network outside of my day-to-day role."
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