Wickliffe-based specialty chemicals producer Lubrizol Corp. has named its first chief diversity officer.
The company said in a news release on Wednesday, May 19, that Cheree Aspelin has taken on that role and will "continue to advance the company's organizational capability by further embedding diversity and inclusion (D&I) across Lubrizol's workforce, culture, systems and processes." Aspelin also will hold human resources leadership responsibilities for "culture, talent management, talent development and organization design and effectiveness," according to the release.
Aspelin has worked at Lubrizol since August 2015, most recently serving as senior director for culture and inclusion efforts. She previously held leadership positions at BP and JPMorgan Chase.
The company in the release characterized the addition of the chief diversity officer position as "a significant step in Lubrizol's ongoing D&I journey."
Eric Schnur, Lubrizol's chairman, president and CEO, said in a statement, "We are committed to building on the strength of our culture to ensure a truly inclusive environment where talented people can be their absolute best. ... We are building a more capable company as a result, and Cheree's appointment to chief diversity officer furthers our commitment and will meaningfully advance our progress."
Lubrizol said its approach to diversity and inclusion "rests on three pillars," which it described as follows:
• Owned by the Organization: "All Lubrizol employees have a shared accountability to drive toward a more inclusive work environment," according to the release. "The company's global D&I Council, Inclusion Advocates and Employee Resource Groups provide examples of shared ownership to raise awareness and offer opportunities for greater connection."
• Measured to Track Success: The company said it adopted gender-based goals in 2019, "committing to increase the percentage of women in senior leadership roles. In 2020, the company expanded its diversity and inclusion goals to address two additional areas of impact: increasing the representation of Black employees and Black senior-level leaders within the U.S. and expanding the geographic diversity of senior-level leaders across the company."
• Embedded into Systems and Processes: The company "has been updating and improving HR processes, including new ways of working related to internal job posting, candidate assessments and increased workplace flexibility options with the intention of attracting, retaining and promoting the best talent to help us achieve our business goals." Lubrizol also said it has "re-engineered its university scholarship and recruiting programs to ensure it is reaching more students traditionally underrepresented in the industry."