DEI Mission Statement
At Metra, our mission is to provide reliable and safe transportation to all riders in the region. We achieve this through an outstanding team of colleagues who come from all walks of life and offer valuable ideas and perspectives — creating an inclusive environment and resulting in innovative solutions for our service.
To foster this, we have developed a comprehensive diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategy to guide our efforts and to weave DEI into the very fabric of how we conduct and run our business. This involves, but is not limited to, training every Metra employee on DEI awareness, developing a DEI scorecard, and holding managers accountable for establishing and maintaining a diverse workforce and inclusive work environment.
Diversity and equity require the “best” from us and inclusion requires “all” of us. It is a forum in which we celebrate our differences and embrace our similarities. At Metra, we are demonstrating our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by actively participating in APTA’s Racial Equity Commitment Pilot Program. Click here to learn about the program.
Our Workforce
Align Workforce Diversity with Available Labor Force (Gender)
Align Workforce Diversity with Available Labor Force Q2 2023 (Race)*
*Labor market defined by the Chicago six-county region. Availability weighted by job category prevalence as a share of Metra’s workforce. All Other includes American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders, and those having two or more races.
Employee Training
Our goal is for all Metra employees to gain an awareness of basic DEI principles and objectives by participating in our DEI Awareness Workshop and to continue their DEI education with additional workshops in 2024 and beyond. These workshops provide employees with the knowledge and skills to help Metra build a more inclusive culture.
We are using a consultant that specializes in DEI to guide us through all aspects of creating an inclusive culture, including training for staff- and management-level employees, determining KPIs to measure our progress, and creating communications around the initiative.
Putting DEI in our DNA
As a part of its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Metra is implementing an initiative to build a sustainable and inclusive agency.
“This is a very high priority for Metra and our Board of Directors, and we are fully committed to this initiative, “ said Metra CEO/Executive Director Jim Derwinski. “We understand the importance of fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and may contribute their talents. The outcomes will make us a better and more productive agency.”
Metra is following a two-year pilot program developed by the American Public Transportations Association that provides APTA members with a tangible roadmap for advancing racial equity within their organization as part of a comprehensive framework for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The roadmap includes:
- Making the initiative a strategic priority and business imperative.
- Performing a cultural assessment.
- Analyzing demographic transactional data to inform our strategy.
- Testing existing policies, programs, and practices.
- Providing dedicated resources and engagement.
Metra’s DEI initiative, being conducted in conjunction with consultant R.J. Harris & Associates, aligns with APTA’s roadmap. It will include training for almost 3,000 employees; ongoing communication, holding leaders accountable for changing how we function; and tracking our progress in support of the mission. Already, more than 2,000 employees have participated in the first phase of training.
