Chipotle Builds Virtual Community For Its Remote Workplace

NEWPORT BEACH, CA (StLouisRestaurantReview) Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) today announced it had enhanced its remote employee learning and personal development offerings to include Udemy for Business, an online, on-demand educational platform.  All full-time Restaurant Support Center employees, Executive Team Directors, Team Directors, and Field Leaders have access to Udemy for Business, which offers more than 5,500 top-rated, engaging courses on various topics, including tech, business, and wellness.  Through online educational opportunities, employee resource groups, and its Culture Committee, Chipotle provides a purposeful remote work experience for its employees.

UNIFIED

Chipotle introduced the United Network of Influencers Furthering Inclusion and Ethnic Diversity (UNIFIED) as an employee resource group (ERG) as a leading inclusive workplace.  UNIFIED is the company’s first ERG to be founded in a completely virtual setting.  Last year, it joined four additional employee resource groups that continue to offer connectivity and support for Chipotle’s Field Leaders and Restaurant Support Center employees while many work remotely.

UNIFIED aims to advance an equal opportunity environment that will support a future free from discrimination and inequality for career growth opportunities.  To achieve this goal and support Chipotle’s mission to Cultivate a Better World, UNIFIED will bring awareness, knowledge, and understanding of workplace ethnic challenges and community issues.  Key program components include:

• A minority mentorship program
• Virtual round table discussions with prominent speakers and panels
• Quarterly training that promotes diversity and inclusion in the workplace

In February, UNIFIED is hosting a virtual book club that will lead discussions on significant black literature in honor of Black History Month.  The group will provide all participating employees with a copy of the chosen book, free of charge.

“Our employees are seeking real connection more than ever before, and it’s our responsibility to cultivate an environment where they can continue to thrive and pursue their passions with like-minded co-workers, even in a virtual setting,” said Marissa Andrada, Chief Diversity, Inclusion, and People Officer.  “I am so proud of the resilience shown by our ERGs in continuing to provide essential platforms for our employees’ personal growth.”

Employee Resource Groups

In addition to UNIFIED, Chipotle has a variety of employee resource groups that are continuing to build culture and create community virtually:

PRIDE

• This group aims to foster a work environment that is inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community and to attract, retain, develop and celebrate their authenticity.
• Chipotle recently received a 100 score on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index, highlighting the best workplaces for LGBTQ+ equality.

Chipotle Serves

• Chipotle Serves seeks to enhance and engage the communities in which Chipotle operates.
• The group facilitates community improvement grants, nominated by Chipotle’s restaurant teams, to help local organizations further their causes surrounding people, animals, and the planet, delivering a total of $250,000 in grants last year.
• In February, the group is launching its 2021 Community Outreach Spotlight Sessions, where non-profit organizations will share details on their missions, and members will learn how they can support at a group or individual level.

The HUSTLE

• Humans Uniting to Support the Ladies’ Experience (HUSTLE) was formed to build a workplace where women can thrive.  Their vision is to Cultivate a Better World by creating an inclusive environment that attracts, elevates, and evolves women in the workplace.
• The HUSTLE hosts a monthly virtual book club for all members.

Chipotle Wellness

• This group aims to foster an environment that supports Chipotle employees’ mental, physical, and financial wellbeing.
• To begin the year, Chipotle Wellness has increased visibility into Chipotle’s best-in-class mental health and fitness benefits, including access to HealthAdvocate and a library of digital workout videos and live or on-demand online workout sessions.

Culture Committee

• Culture Committee aims to create spaces where everyone is encouraged to express their passions and curate new connections.