My mentoring client Hanna Vanhala wrote about her experiences of DEI mentorship. Read Hanna's story below.
I am Hanna. I work as an HR Manager at Vilpe. Vilpe Oy is a company from Mustasaari that produces air ventilation and roof products. We employ about 100 people in Finland.
I needed Heidi’s help to develop my personal skills and our organisation’s diversity and inclusion practices. I knew we had a strong base on which to build because, as a company, we strive to act in a sustainable and ethical way. I wanted to ensure we progressed in the right direction systematically in these important topics, and I needed the support and insights of an experienced expert. I chose Heidi as my mentor due to her experience and expertise.
Working with Heidi was inspiring and very fruitful. During the first meeting, we created goals and a schedule for the upcoming cooperation. This practice worked well and gave me positive pressure to progress on topics within the agreed timelines. I received clear and actionable advice from Heidi, which I was able to apply in practice immediately. Heidi was always well-prepared. Our meetings progressed according to the agreed schedule, but the plan also had flexibility to suit my needs.
During our mentorship, I learned a lot about the best practices of diversity and inclusion and how we could improve our organisational culture and practices. My understanding and know-how of DEI developed. I also gained a willingness and desire to learn and understand more about this topic. I got really useful tips from Heidi for creating and implementing a Code of Conduct for my organisation. We also worked on my organisation’s DEI vision and discussed the DEI angle of our ESG strategy.
I felt an excellent chemistry with Heidi in our work. Heidi is easily approachable and a good listener. Our discussions were always constructive and very inspiring. Heidi was also excellent at applying her expertise to various organisational settings.
Sparring has helped Vilpe to kickstart our DEI journey. I got valuable viewpoints on leadership and DEI practices from our mentorship. I think the most important benefit is the expansion and development of my own thinking.
I am definitely considering mentorship from Heidi in the future. As it often happens, when you learn something new, you also learn what you don’t know yet. I learned that the DEI journey is long and there is a lot to do, but we have made a good start. I believe that sparring with Heidi will be useful for me in the future, once we have progressed on the actions we have planned for now.
I recommend DEI mentoring by Heidi to all organisations or leaders who want to improve their DEI practices. Heidi offers expert, personal, and practical support, which can significantly advance both individuals’ and organisations’ DEI journeys. I encourage sparring even just for expanding your own thinking.
Hanna Vanhala
HR Manager
Vilpe Oy
To read more about my DEI Mentoring service, see here.
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