Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Is Personal to Me
By Casline Chu
Managing Director, Southeast Asia
Regional Sponsor, Women of Kellogg
At Kellanova, respecting diversity is a natural part of life
When I joined Kellogg, one of the questions I fielded early on was whether I, as a woman, would have what it takes to do my role. I wanted to understand the perspective of the person who asked the question and was so surprised to learn that it came from a very talented female member of our staff.
It wasn’t the first time I’d been asked this question, but it was the first time in a long time. This got me thinking about how I could leverage on my role and do my part to make a difference at Kellanova. I wanted to support people to believe in themselves and understand that they can aspire to achieve anything they want. Which was why I jumped on the opportunity to be the chairperson of our regional Women of Kellanova Committee soon after.
Like Kellanova, I’m a big believer in the importance of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I). To me, it’s about recognizing that we all bring something different to our human collective, and respecting diversity as a natural part of life. Perhaps it comes from my grandmother who always told me – a Chinese girl in a culture where boys are often more valued – that education is for everyone. My forward-thinking parents, who brought up five daughters with as much gusto as their son, certainly prioritized this belief.
Today, I tell our team that it’s about consciousness. We need to make sure we bring the best candidates forward to achieve our ambitious business goals. Qualified candidates can be older or younger than us, with or without children, maybe caring for elderly parents, and they may be men, women or not identify with a gender. Regardless, it’s our job to find them and create a safe workplace that respects their perspectives. Kellanova is very good at this, which helps all of us have the courage to bring our authentic selves to the table.
Championing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
As we create opportunities for people that they may not have seen for themselves, or don’t believe they are ready for, my wish is that they have the courage to take things that come their way. One never knows where we are going until the end, so the key is to be open to making it work and have some fun along the way.
I’ve been very lucky that my gender was usually not an issue in my career, though I have been going through an extended period where I have aging parents to worry about. Fortunately, I had good managers who respected my need to balance my work and personal lives.
Today, I work hard to pay that back with our Kellanova team by embracing our differences and championing DE&I.
