9427333_PPB_Sep20

With Change Comes Growth Sonic Promos President and CEO Seth Weiner, MAS, discusses how his company became involved in the conversation about diversity, equity and inclusion, and how other companies can get started. Seth Weiner, MAS, president and CEO of distributor Sonic Promos in Gaithersburg, Maryland, saw the mounting importance of diversity, equity and inclusion as it relates to the workplace. He also realized the impact that related practices and strategies will have on the future of the promotional products industry. As a result, Weiner and his team started educating themselves on the topic—such as training in unconscious bias—and formulated a new plan. He shares with PPB more about Sonic Promo’s recent developments. PPB What are some of the strategies that Sonic Promos is using to develop a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace? Weiner Our clients have been the main factor in ensuring that we have a strong DEI workplace. Next, we have built a team that is focused on valuing people, ideas and thoughts. In May, there was a vocalized call by our team to implement an action plan that we could follow to improve where we currently were. This included everything from how and where we source talent, setting forth social justice initiatives for the company as a whole, supporting team members in their own social justice initiatives, as well as investing in and diversifying our supply chain with minority-owned and socially responsible companies. PPB What are some of the ways that Sonic Promos has been educating its team in this effort, and how it relates to the workplace? Weiner Just like a promotional item is not the only piece of a successful marketing campaign, the same can be said about DEI training and education. It is one part of the process. You cannot participate in three 30-minute sessions and think that you are now diverse and inclusive. At Sonic, we initially made training and education an available resource. This is a challenging and sensitive topic. To make change, it requires a person to look inward, something that not everyone is comfortable with, especially if told to do so. Education comes in many forms, and that is the best approach. Training, volunteering, listening to speakers. A collaborative approach will resonate with the most people. FIVE MINUTES WITH Seth Weiner President and CEO, Sonic Promos 82 | SEPTEMBER 2020 | THINK