About Us Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

A Commitment to Inclusion

We want to build the construction industry to be more diverse and inclusive, offering an equal opportunity for all individuals to excel in their careers.

The JEDI Team

Sam Clark, Robert Lalonde, Jen Huebel, Lyn Hewitt, Dan Korte, Janice Suchan, Traci Brower, Zack Reed, Casey Schick (Not Pictured: Ellen Shirreffs, Levi Perry, Esteban Sequeira, Mohammad Saghir, Genessis Suarez, Robyn Anes, Ryan Olszowy, Steve White, Jarrett Moquin, Joe Spiess, Denise King, Jeremy Barr)

Our Diversity Statement

We commit to build a better future for our employees, clients and partners by managing projects that positively impact our environment and the communities we live in. We will not tolerate racist, sexist, homophobic, ageist, or ableist behaviors. We celebrate the similarities and differences among our workforce, knowing that our best work will come when our workforce reflects the world around us. We are proactive in fostering equity in pay and leadership, ensuring that every employee has the opportunity to bring their true, authentic self to work in an environment that values and respects their individuality and contributions. Additionally, we are dedicated to hiring the most qualified individuals, recognizing that their skills and expertise are essential to our collective success.

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Justice, Equity
Diversity and
Inclusion (JEDI)

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, (JEDI) are the principles we live by that ensure all stakeholders are treated with respect and given opportunities to participate in the company's decision-making processes. In practice, this means Clark Construction Company is committed to create a culture that values diversity and promotes inclusivity.

Justice

Justice means addressing and remedying any existing inequalities or injustices that may have resulted from past discrimination or exclusionary practices. Promoting justice at Clark is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and effort. It involves creating policies and practices that are fair and inclusive, and regularly reviewing and updating these policies to ensure that they are effective in promoting equality and combating discrimination. It also involves actively listening to and addressing the concerns of all employees and working to create a culture of respect and inclusion.

Equity

Equity involves ensuring that all employees have the resources and support they need to succeed and advance. This may involve providing additional support or accommodations to employees who face additional barriers to have equal opportunities to grow and contribute to our collective success.

Diversity

Diversity refers to the qualities that make individuals unique, such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical ability, neurodiversity, religious and political beliefs, socioeconomic background, and educational level. In the context of JEDI work, diversity is often understood to refer to the range of ways in which people differ. Our aim is to increase diversity within our company, and to foster an inclusive environment that is welcoming and respectful of all individuals, regardless of their differences.

Inclusion

Inclusion for us at Clark is about creating an environment where all individuals feel valued, supported, and able to fully participate in the company’s success. By actively promoting inclusion, we can create a culture of belonging and engagement for all individuals, regardless of their background or identity, where every individual can be their authentic selves and have a voice at the table.

JEDI Initiatives

Walking the Talk

Our JEDI Committee annually updates a strategic plan to set aggressive goals. Here are just a few of the recent initiatives we’ve committed to.

FULL PARTNER LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAMS

The Full Partner Leadership Training program educates Clark’s leaders at all levels to develop leadership and culture-building strategies to create belonging, build trust & collaboration, and bring well-being to our teams. We send leaders through this program on an annual basis.

EQUAL PAY

We stand by our salary policies and put procedures in place, and utilize a third-party auditor that ensures equal pay practices.

CONSTRUCTION INCLUSION WEEK

Clark commits a full week every October and appoints an internal committee to guide a robust curriculum for the entire company.

Learn More

SUPPORTING JEDI EDUCATION

We’ve created a library and share resources and reading materials, and encourage focus group discussions. We have advanced JEDI training available, including third-party certificate programs.

W@W

W@W or Women@Work is our employee resource group that provides women additional training, support, mentoring, and camaraderie to navigate our male-dominated industry.

ACE MENTOR SCHOLARSHIP

We have created a scholarship to financially support and mentor students through internship opportunities in construction management and engineering.

WOMEN’S EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

On a yearly basis, we send several emerging female leaders to Executive Leadership training to build confidence, leadership skills, provide networking opportunities, and how to be an inclusive leader.

ACE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

Clark is one of the founding members of the Capital Region Chapter of the ACE Mentorship Program. Clark is also heavily involved with the Southeast Michigan Chapter of ACE and the West Michigan Chapter, including board-level and volunteer participation. ACE is a free, award-winning, after-school program designed to attract high school students into pursuing careers in the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering industry, including skilled trades.

AGC DEI LEADERSHIP

To continue our work and bring change to the Construction industry as a whole, Sam Clark, CEO, and Janice Suchan, Senior Vice President, have taken roles on the Michigan AGC DEI Committee. Sam Clark also served as the Chairman for the national AGC DEI Committee.

JOBSITE & WORKPLACE CHANGE

We’ve made changes to our onsite portable toilet policy: 1 toilet for every 10 workers; 1 separate toilet for women. We’ve also purchased PPE specifically designed for women.

SUPPLIER DIVERSITY PROGRAM

Our company actively solicits diverse subcontractors and suppliers for every project we manage. In addition, we take a carefully focused approach to crafting bid packages that are scaled and directed at smaller businesses to encourage bidding. We advertise our bid packages with the appropriate agencies and publications to help us reach an audience that reflects the communities where we build.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

Two years ago, we formed a strategic partnership with White Construction, a SBE/MBE construction company based in Detroit, Michigan, to expand our commitment to Supplier Diversity. We have created a strategic long term Joint Venture.

CRAIN'S BEST PLACE TO WORK

We evaluate our team through the Crain’s Best Places to Work engagement survey, as well as planning with our DEI consultant.

JEDI FOCUSED POLICIES

Our policies, including flexible PTO and parental leave (maternal and paternal) allow our employees to focus on family and be present for key events outside of work. We understand that the disruption to career path and effects of parental leave can be most damaging to the careers of women. We take care to ensure upward mobility for all to ensure both personal and professional goals are achievable.

JEDI TEAM

Contact Us

We are open to talking more with your organization about what we’ve been doing and we’d love to help.

Janice Suchan, AIA

Senior Vice President /
JEDI Committee Lead

Contact Janice

Sam Clark

CEO /
AGC National DEI Committee
Chairman

Contact Sam
Play

Project Engineer Casey Schick
discusses her experience with
Clark’s JEDI Committee

The JEDI Committee has given me the knowledge and the courage to speak up when things are not as they should be.”

Casey Schick
Project Engineer