Employee spotlights

The African American/Black Employee Resource Group: Creating candid conversations and meaningful connections

February 26 2024

When Ian Gregory joined Principal® in 2019, his purview felt small. Based in our Raleigh, North Carolina offices, Gregory, a client services manager in Benefits and Protection, made plenty of connections within his specialized department and office.

But after a colleague introduced him to the African American/Black Employee Resource Group (AABERG), his view of Principal quickly expanded. “AABERG gave me an opportunity to learn about people outside of my space,” says Gregory.

AABERG, one of eight employee resource groups at Principal, brings together employees around the company—virtually and in person—to engage in real-talk conversations, hear from leaders around the company and community, and drive change and opportunity. Members can stay engaged through hybrid events (such as celebrating Juneteenth and Black History Month) as well as an open chat and digital space to find and share events and ideas.

Creating space for courageous conversations

For Gregory, one AABERG event stands out as a turning point for him: A virtual meeting celebrating Black History Month in which members broke out into small groups and held guided discussions around navigating being a person of color within Principal and outside of our walls.

“There were people on the call who didn’t look like me and were asking questions about and wanted to learn more about what it's like being a person of color within the environment and navigating corporate culture,” Gregory says. “They wanted books to help them understand and were active in asking questions.

“To hear that those folks are open and want to connect removed the mental barrier for me to think, OK if I want to connect with someone in Principal, I can do that.”

Jessica Corbin, a senior internal auditor who joined Principal in 2022, also found AABERG to be a channel for connection, especially being full-time remote from Ohio. “I’ve found it a safe place to meet other people, share my experience, and find opportunities for education and volunteerism,” she says.

Giving you the 'runway' to expand your network

The real conversations and exposure to leadership AABERG provides has given Gregory the “runway” he needs to feel comfortable reaching out to colleagues to learn about other roles and career paths within Principal.

“It helps by putting folks in leadership roles in front of you—and you know their names. You can then take the opportunity to build that bridge,” Gregory says. “I can reach out to them and say, ‘hey I saw you were a part of the AABERG meeting,’ as opposed to blindly reaching out.”

Corbin has had similar feelings when reaching out to colleagues in areas she’s auditing. “Meeting people organically before asking them for something is a good way to come in,” she says.

To Gregory, the group is a consistent resource that he believes you get out of what you give.

“Your attitude is your altitude,” he says.

Meet Jessica C, a member of the African American / Black Employee Resource Group.

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The African American/Black Employee Resource Group: Creating candid conversations and meaningful connections

Join our talent network community.

Know your rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal (dol.gov)

If at any stage of the employment application process you need a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, contact Human Resources at MyHR@principal.com or 1-866-524-6947. Read our employment policies for more information.

You can find our U.S. workforce privacy notice here.

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