Celebrating Diversity Through Food and Culture

On 25 February, the Derrycourt Engage Committee hosted Taste of Home, an event designed to bring our team together through the universal language of food, music, and culture. Colleagues were encouraged to bring dishes, songs, and fun facts from their cultural backgrounds, creating a vibrant and engaging experience that highlighted the rich diversity within our company.

 

The event was more than just a feast; it was a chance to connect, share, and learn. Music from different countries played via Spotify, enhanced the atmosphere and sparked conversations about traditions, favourite meals, and the meaning behind certain dishes. 

Sharing food is a powerful way to foster relationships, it opens the door to conversations about home, heritage, and experiences. 

Derrycourt Taste of home, diversity and inclusion

Sharing traditional food is sharing a part of your background that each should be proud of. taste of Home brought people together and helped us relax from our workload.

Derrycourt Team Member

The Importance of Taste of Home
Events like Taste of Home align with our core company values of People Engagement, Diversity and Inclusion, Team Building, and Work-Life Balance. At Derrycourt, we have evolved into a truly multicultural organisation, with our workforce representing 84 different nationalities. With such diversity, it is essential that we create opportunities for employees to feel valued, included, and celebrated.

Building an inclusive workplace is not just about ticking a box; it is about embedding diversity and inclusion into our company culture. By doing so, we address some of the significant challenges in our industry, particularly in attracting and retaining top talent. Encouraging employees to embrace and celebrate their heritage fosters a sense of belonging and strengthens workplace relationships.

Following the Taste of Home event, we received incredible feedback from our team members:

I love the vibe in the office when everyone is excited to show others a little more about their culture.
Team Member
The involvement from the entire office was really good. A short, quick event that brought everyone together.
team Member
The atmosphere was great. People engaged with each other who would not normally even talk.
Team Member
I learned so much about different cultures and their famous foods. I also realised how proud people are of their heritage.
Team Member
I learned about Sarmale and Coddle – so interesting!
Team Member
I liked more foods than I thought I would!
Team Member

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
In 2024, we introduced the Diversity & Inclusion Training module, an initiative that has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants. Employees on the sites we work on all over Ireland have completed the Diversity & Inclusion training online. This training, delivered via the Derrycourt Learning Academy, is designed to create an environment where individual differences and contributions are recognised and valued. Developed by our Learning and Development Department the course empower employees in respecting and appreciating each other’s differences.

Looking Ahead
Taste of Home is just one of the many ways we are fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace at Derrycourt. By continuing to celebrate our differences and encourage conversations, we create a workplace where every employee feels valued, respected, and included. We look forward to hosting more events like this in the future to further strengthen our culture of diversity and unity.