CORNING, N.Y. (WETM)- With approximately 6,000 employees in the Southern Tier, Corning Inc. is the largest employer in the region, and they’ve made a commitment to diversity in the company for longer than you may think. “Corning has had a formal commitment to diversity for over 50 years,” says Dana Moss, Corning’s Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer.  

The groups they focus on are women, African American employees, and more. “It’s about creating opportunities for our Asian employees, Latino employees, for members of the LGBTQ community, for veterans, those with disabilities, so on and so forth,” says Moss. 

But the corporations’ efforts go beyond their building. Dr. Millicent Ruffin, Director of Community Affairs in the Office of Racial Equality and Social Unity says, “I would say that we are equally committed to ensuring that the creation of a safe place where people feel seen and feel respected, exists in our community as much as we’d want it to exist within  the four walls of Corning.” 

The Office of Racial Equality and Social Unity is one of the newer ways Corning Inc. was active in taking initiative in the betterment of work-life for their employees. 

“The Office of Racial Equality and Social Unity was formed last July with the purpose of taking that extra step to create equal access to opportunities and to help collaborate with organizations already active in the community to help close socio-economic disparities,” explains Dr. Ruffin. 

“This month in particular is an opportunity for we as a company, as well as the employee resource group focused on this community to also showcase and highlight how important the LGBTQ community is to Corning,” says Moss. If you drive by Coring Inc., you will see them proudly flying a pride flag.

Corning Inc. is a leader in the community, taking the initiative to focus on and value diversity and inclusion, and they are hoping other businesses and companies follow suit, Dr. Ruffin says.  “We are working with the deliberate intent to have a ripple effect.”