Harnessing the power of allyship to promote an inclusive workplace
As we celebrate Pride Month, Xylem continues our commitment to advancing a high impact culture that fosters inclusion so all people feel they belong. Xylem is honored to be recognized as an Equality 100 Leader in LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion by Human Rights Campaign Foundation, receiving a 100% score in the organization’s Corporate Equality Index over the past four years. We continue to look for new ways to build on this momentum and promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) across our company and beyond.
One key area of focus is allyship, which we define as actively supporting and advocating for those who may not have the same systemic power as others in certain areas. Making Waves spoke with three leading voices on allyship at Xylem – an external allyship instructor for Xylem, a Xylem colleague who has benefited from allyship, and a Xylem leader who is an active ally – about how Xylem is advancing allyship through skills-building, mentoring and reverse mentoring, and other initiatives.
Dr. Mary Hemphill
Leadership Expert & Coach
External Allyship Facilitator for Xylem
Q: How do you define allyship at work?
A: In today's rapidly evolving workplace landscape, allyship is about more than simple advocacy. It's about actively standing beside and uplifting colleagues, especially those from marginalized groups. True allyship combines active listening with positive intent, understanding diverse perspectives, and taking tangible actions to support inclusivity and equity. It means using one’s privilege to amplify others' voices in rooms and spaces of influence. It also means challenging biases privately and publicly, and fostering a psychologically safe culture where all team members feel valued and empowered to show up as their genuine selves.
Q: Where have you seen allyship have a positive impact in the workplace?
A: I've witnessed allyship profoundly transform workplace dynamics, especially in environments where inclusion is actively pursued. In one instance, a team leader took the initiative to educate themselves and others about the unique challenges faced by one of their colleagues from an underrepresented background. This individual was intentional and proactive by digging into credible digital resources, leaning on trusted friends as a sounding board, and self-reflecting on where they stood on the topic. This proactive approach enhanced team cohesion and drove innovation, as diverse voices and ideas were actively sought and valued. The ripple effect was clear: improved morale, heightened engagement and a more robust, creative problem-solving process.
Q: How is Xylem's focus on allyship skill-building (especially for people leaders) evolving and helping foster inclusion and belonging?
A: Xylem's commitment to allyship skill-building sets a powerful precedent for fostering an inclusive and belonging-centric workplace culture. In addition to launching unique allyship training specific to people leaders, Xylem is offering a monthly global DE&I series entirely focused on allyship for all colleagues in 2024.
This series aims to shine a light on the topic of allyship, make it accessible to all and create spaces for unashamed, vulnerable conversations where we all are learning, unlearning and relearning.
This approach not only helps to dismantle systemic barriers, it also creates a supportive environment where everyone feels seen, heard and valued – and it’s a critical way to drive meaningful, lasting change.
Q: What tips do you have for being an ally?
A: There are many ways to strengthen your allyship skills and build a culture of allyship. Here are four tips that stand out:
Deep listening: Being an ally starts with truly listening and understanding others' experiences. This journey is about learning and appreciating marginalized groups' unique perspectives and challenges. By listening deeply, we build the foundation for genuine support and meaningful action.
Consistent commitment: Allies do not take breaks. Standup for justice and equality every day, not just when it is convenient or popular.
Self-education: Constantly educate yourself. It’s essential to learn about the histories, struggles and triumphs of marginalized communities. This is without expecting them to educate us in their marginalization. Seek out resources, engage in discussion and remain open to new knowledge.
Collective accountability: Allies do not operate in isolation. It’s crucial to find and collaborate with others within your group to hold each other accountable. This collective effort amplifies our impact and ensures consistency and effectiveness.
Kenny Khoo
Managing Director, Eastern Europe South, Xylem
Q: What does Xylem's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion mean to you, and how is the company’s work to cultivate allyship making a difference?
A: Creating a safe space to be your authentic self is so important to foster a positive work environment. Xylem’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion enabled the creation of our LGBTQ+ and Allies Network within Xylem. This amazing employee network group has created a space for employees to be empowered to make real changes in our organization. I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to be a co-chair of the LGBTQ+ and Allies Network for several years. Working together with our team, we were able to help Xylem earn the highest rating possible in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for four years in a row – and I couldn’t be prouder. Xylem’s steadfast focus on promoting inclusion and allyship is helping ensure that all our employees can be their best selves while doing good for the planet. It’s incredibly exciting work to be a part of.
Q: Can you talk about your career journey at Xylem, and how allyship made a difference for you?
A: I’ve worked in the water technology sector for nearly 20 years, but joining Xylem was a big leap for me. We are the world’s largest pure-play water technology company, and recently joined the Fortune 500. Being a part of an organization with Xylem’s broad reach and expertise has opened so many opportunities to expand my experiences in the water industry. I started in the Treatment segment of Xylem working on strategy development and later added partnerships and mergers & acquisitions to my responsibilities. The Europe leadership team was extremely supportive in opening doors for me to step outside my comfort zone and take a chance at moving from Canada to Eastern Europe for a new opportunity.
I took an opportunity to become the Managing Director in Romania to establish our new office and build a local team. Now, I am responsible for several Eastern European countries, helping customers leverage our technologies to solve difficult challenges like water loss due to aging infrastructure and energy and cost inefficiencies. I appreciate all my peers and leaders who have been allies to me and supported my growth within Xylem. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. And it also takes allies and mentors to raise leaders.
Q: What allyship initiatives at Xylem are you most excited about?
A: I’m excited about Xylem’s continued work to increase our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts through our employee network groups and ongoing training. Diversity and inclusion is a critical driver of innovation and vital to our work to solve the world’s water challenges.
When diverse voices are heard and encouraged, the best ideas surface and bold thinkers are given the space and support they need to take those ideas forward.
As we develop the next generation of leaders, we’re working to ensure we provide opportunities for everyone to excel and to define their own career journeys, whether it is to focus on their current roles or advance to the next stage of their careers.
Q: What tips do you have for being an ally?
A: Being an ally is a journey for most people. It’s about being open-minded and learning about the lived experiences of other people. Everyone can be at different stages in being an ally, so the most important thing is to be willing to learn and change, not only for yourself but for the people around you. I encourage people to be active listeners and to rally together for a common purpose. Some practical actions to take can be things like having a diverse slate during recruitment for positions within the company. Being an advocate for doing the right thing and challenging your own biases ultimately creates an environment for everyone to succeed and deliver on our mission to build a more water-secure world.
David Alban
Vice President, Chief Counsel, IP & Innovation, Xylem
Q: What does allyship mean to you?
A: Allyship, to me, starts with acknowledging my own privilege and biases. First, I must recognize the lens that colors my worldview, and how that lens can create gaps in my knowledge and opinions. Then I need to make space for – and actively support and advocate for – people who do not have the same privileges as I do and amplify the voices of those who have been typically underrepresented. In other words, allyship is about making invisible biases and gaps visible and identifying concrete steps to create positive, inclusive and lasting change.
Q: Why is being an ally a critical element of how you lead?
A: If we want to advance our work to help customers and communities around the globe solve their water challenges, then we must go together.
This means that, as a leader, I need to actively support my team members, particularly those who have been traditionally underrepresented.
Failing to do so may lead to getting stuck, missing creative solutions to problems, or failing to see the consequences of our actions.
Q: Can you share an example of allyship in action?
A: This year, one of our leadership team’s priorities is to increase the number of female inventors we have at Xylem, including the number of female colleagues who are listed as inventors on patent filings. To obtain a patent, an invention must be new, useful and non-obvious. New and useful is typically easy to understand, but what defines “non-obvious” can be more subjective and can cause many inventors to discount their innovations and not move forward to obtain a patent. We have been working with diverse inventors from across the company to help them recognize the unique value of their inventions and leave it to our legal team to define what is non-obvious or not.
Q: What tips do you have for leaders who want to hone their allyship acumen and become active allies at work?
A: Here are four ways for leaders to deepen their allyship skills and effectiveness:
Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t let the fear of failing to be a perfect ally stop you from trying to step up and take concrete action. We may get things wrong, but that shouldn’t stop us from trying.
Admit you don’t know and listen to others. There can be a lot to learn about people’s different perspectives, experiences, upbringing and social perspectives. Ask questions and listen to the answers.
Look for small concrete actions you can take in your area: What are things within your area of control that you can do to amplify underrepresented voices. Where do you see gaps and what can you do now to (a) make those gaps visible and (b) work to close the gaps.
Use your voice: Make sure that you are showing up and calling out any inappropriate biases. If you see something, say something. Allyship is about speaking up and taking action.
For more on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Xylem, check out our 2023 Sustainability Report.