Who We Are
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Cultural Respect and Appreciation
At Delaware North, diversity of backgrounds, skills and perspectives is critical to our business and ensuring the best experience for our team members, guests and partners. We also appreciate the impact we have in the communities we serve through leadership, investment and action.
Innovation and collaboration thrive within a culture of mutual respect and appreciation. Delaware North’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) mission is to advocate for, and actively foster, diversity of thought, skills and backgrounds so we can be our best selves and provide the best experiences for our team members, guests and partners.
Leadership and Approach
To ensure a consistent focus on awareness and initiatives across Delaware North, we have a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisory Council (“Council”) composed of leaders across the company. The Council helps Delaware North advance diversity, equity and inclusion throughout our operations, as well as foster a workplace where people can thrive and build long-term, fulfilling careers.
The Council focusses its efforts in four main workstreams: Operating Principles, Policy and Governance, Learning and Awareness, and Team Member Resource Groups (TMRGs).
Delaware North’s Team Member Resource Groups (TMRGs) are voluntary, employee-led groups that help create an environment where all team members can bring their whole, authentic selves to work every day. TMRGs engage members through professional development activities, support for Delaware North’s DE&I initiatives and celebrations and outreach to our communities. Each TMRG is open to every team member, at every level of our business. Delaware North’s TMRGs include:
- Black Employee Network (BEN)
- Resilience, Impact, Support, Empowerment (RISE) group for women
- BeYou group for LGBTQIA+ team members
- Veterans Network
Investing in our Communities
Given the importance of supporting and strengthening the communities in which we operate, Delaware North launched a “Healthy Hometowns” program that invests in proven social determinants of health and quality of life. This includes areas such as child and family health and safety, equity in education and workforce readiness. We make targeted investments in historically underserved communities, establish and grow procurement partnerships with diverse suppliers, including minority and women-owned businesses, small business enterprises, HUBZones, etc. We also apply practices that help us attract, develop, engage, advance and retain a diverse, high-performing workforce.
Using our Purchasing Power for Good
We understand that our expertise and scale as a global business offers us a unique opportunity to support and promote a more inclusive supply chain.
We work with local and national suppliers, distributors and wholesalers, including diverse suppliers such as Minority-owned Business Enterprises (“MBEs”).
In addition to maintaining our own partnerships, we convene regularly with our largest procurement partners to review their approaches and confirm the use of diverse suppliers; in addition, wherever possible we try to source our produce through local farms when it is seasonally available.
Leveling the playing field
As a global business, we are honored to partner with small businesses to give them a larger stage at our airport operations.
These small businesses are part of the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (“ACDBE”) program. The ACDBE program is designed to create a level playing field and allow disadvantaged business enterprises to compete fairly for Department of Transportation-assisted contracts.
Our robust ACDBE program features more than a dozen active contracts nationwide, including many brand names you’ve likely noticed at our airport operations.
The mix of small business and national brand relationships includes Tabatha Carr with Good Girl Chocolates (Austin-Bergstrom International Airport & Tulsa International Airport); Edgar Chase with Leah’s Kitchen (Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport) and Prince’s Hot Chicken, along with Jeffries Hospitality (Nashville International Airport); Katy Ann Gerdes with Angel Food Bakery (Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport); and Maryann Ferenc with Mise en Place (Tampa International Airport).