THE CHALLENGE
A lack of engagement with, and product offerings designed for, black and brown small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Strategy
Launch an initiative and product set focused on closing the wealth gap and resulting in easier dissemination of business loans to black and brown owned businesses.
Tactics
Implement The Runway Project, a CD/loan product which was fully integrated into the bank then utilized to deepen the relationships with communities and institutions of color.
Outcome
- Two million fund for black and brown businesses
- Millions of positive media impressions featuring coverage from TechCrunch, The Boston Globe, American Banker and more
- Regional programs exceeded all benchmarks resulting in a national roll out of the program slated for 2021
THE CHALLENGE
An extremely diverse workforce often segmented by position within the organization causing friction and segregation within the company.
Strategy
Create a learning experience for all employees to understand the ubiquity of bias in a fun and active way.
Tactics
Lexicon Legwork, an implicit bias scavenger hunt around Las Vegas that uncovered the prevalence of white culture in the city.
Outcome
The company’s most successful employee engagement vehicle engaging over 61,000 employees.
THE CHALLENGE
Biomed Realty needed to present an ED&I strategy to the city of Cambridge outlining how it would authentically support the local creative community.
Strategy
The Urban Labs created and executed a plan to engage and deepen Biomed Realty’s relationships with the local network to begin the co-creation of a new culture for Kendall Square.
Tactics
Dive deep into the Cambridge arts community, meet with non-profits, artists and the general community, listening, envisioning and co-creating. Through their input and that of hundreds of residents in East Cambridge and beyond, 585 Third Street utilized innovative urban planning and accessible cultural programming to reflect the rich diversity of Cambridge. All of which was heavily informed by the active feedback and lived experiences of communities of color, especially those within the Cambridge arts community.
Outcome
12 meetings with the Mayor’s Arts Task Force, 200 plus open house attendees, 175 plus arts and community stakeholder conversations all driving the creation of a 50K sf theater and programmable public spaces, zoning was unanimously approved by the Cambridge City Council.
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