About Our Diversity & Inclusion Action Council
JWI is committed to doing our part in the fight for social justice. We know that change happens one step at a time, and our first step was to launch the Diversity & Inclusion Action Council (DIAC) in 2020. This council of a diverse group of employees led our company through a journey of discovery and a personal road of growth. We established three committees to do our part to effect change and live out the DIAC purpose statement, which is:
The JWI Diversity & Inclusion Action Council is a team comprised of open-minded individuals who are courageously pioneering paths and building bridges in our communities. We’re making progress on our promise to actualize JWI’s commitment to fighting systemic racism and discrimination. We’re committed to advancing and initiating actions, programs, and policies that support cultural awareness and allyship to minimize social inequities.
We commit to being respectful, uncomfortable, empathic, encouraging, and active through our teamwork with one another by consistently showing up, educating ourselves, collaborating, and being responsive in our endeavors to one another and our communities.
We believe our work on Mentorship, Scholarships, Company Culture and Belonging will involve creating opportunity where it may not exist, being courageous, having vision, and innovating to achieve our goals that make a difference for the JWI family, now and in the future.
JWI Diversity Scholarships
JWI is the proud sponsor of two scholarships that memorialize our ongoing efforts to encourage a more diverse workforce in our industry. We have partnered with the following foundations of two industry-leading organizations to sponsor annual scholarships:
Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) Foundation—JWI sponsors a $5,000 annual scholarship. The J.A. Watts, Inc. Diversity in Aviation Scholarship is for students of color who are pursuing a career in construction within the aviation industry. Eligible students for this scholarship must be U.S. citizens entering their undergraduate junior, senior, fifth year, or master’s program, pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or Architecture.
ACEC Research Institute Annual Scholarship—JWI sponsors a $5,000 annual scholarship. The J.A. Watts, Inc. Diversity in Engineering Scholarship will award funding to students of color who have been traditionally underrepresented in the field of engineering. Students must be U.S. citizens entering their undergraduate junior, senior, fifth year, or master’s degree program, pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in an ABET-accredited engineering program or in an accredited land-surveying program.
Our impact is dependent on action, making the work of the DIAC committees essential to our mission:
JWI Family Portrait Committee
We are agents of change, and our purpose is to paint a new JWI portrait by including and empowering THE best people from all walks of life. We will form pathways in our industry for the next generation of diverse leaders by providing scholarships and engaging with diverse student organizations to expand upon our recruitment blueprint. We will educate and create an allyship within our existing team. We will measure our success by how we interact with one another and strengthen our culture of belonging by continuing to listen, learn and understand.
Mentorship Committee
As the Mentorship Committee engages with youth and young adults and expose them to our industry, we challenge ourselves to continuously learn and grow. As we look to the future and expand our JWI family portrait, we have endless possibilities for growth which will separate us in the industry. We will show up to every meeting ready to speak up; showing respect, being uncomfortable, having empathy, participating, and encouraging each other because we believe our work is important. We will also align with other D&I committees to understand their direction and shared goals. This is how we do our part as a company and individuals to end systemic racism and discrimination.
Connections Committee
The Connections Committee will facilitate, promote, and amplify the efforts of all of our DIAC committees and, in turn, do our part to advance the overall goals of the DIAC to promote equity and allyship at JWI and within the industries and communities that we serve.