HARMONY
Stay in tune
E-Newsletter - 1st Edition - Q4 2021
WELCOME Pg. 1
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION Pg. 2 - 5
LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVES Pg. 6
DEI GROUP INITIATIVES Pg. 7 - 9
AROUND US - CREATING AWARENESS Pg. 10 - 13
CORPORATE UPDATES Pg. 14 - 15
HARMONIC COMMUNITY Pg. 16 - 19
THANK YOU! Pg. 20
Contents
Hello Harmonic team,
Following the success of the APAC DEI Newsletter, we are pleased and excited to share with
you the first edition of an enhanced Harmonic Newsletter on DEI and social topics, extending
the audience to the global Harmonic team. This is an E-Newsletter by employees for employees
with the aim of keeping everyone informed of the various initiatives our employees are driving
within the company and in their communities. We aim to connect and create Harmony - do
tune in and become part of the evolving story.
Highlights in this edition include Corporate Updates, Leadership Perspective videos from Tim
Chu and Tony Berthaud, and a look at the DEI Group Initiatives over the past year.
Best regards,
Harmonic DEI Ambassadors
Welcome!
Following Patrick Harshman’s Internal Communication in June 2020, Harmonic has
established a company task force and seven Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Regional
Working Groups for dialogue and action.
At the corporate level, our corporate and DEI values have been highlighted on the
Harmonic website, and elicited team feedback including DEI sections in the latest Pulse
Surveys.
In parallel, the DEI Regional Working Groups have been pursuing both local and global
initiatives to reinforce our commitment to an inclusive and equitable workplace and to
have a positive impact on the communities in which we operate.
Harmonic recognizes Diversity, Equity & Inclusion as assets that enrich our lives and our
workplaces. As a recap, the concept of DIVERSITY includes recognizing and understanding
that each individual is unique. INCLUSION entails understanding, accepting, and respecting
our differences. Harmonic is committed to continuous improvement as a socially
responsible corporate citizen and creating and maintaining EQUITY in the workplace and
the communities that we touch.
Here is a selection of testimonials from some of the DEI working group team members
sharing what DEI in Harmonic means for them.
Diversity, Equity
& Inclusion
Joyce Quark. Sr. Field Marketing & Channel
Operations Manager (APAC Region).
The
diversity
at
Harmonic
is
definitely
phenomenal as we’ve people of different cultures,
genders, races, languages and experience. Our
team actively engages in sharing best practices
and exchanging ideas before implementing new
marketing initiatives. We are positive in our
approach to finding solutions that better our lives.
This encourages a healthy practice of respecting
our differences and works to bring us together in
the most conducive manner possible.
Swathi Balakrishna. Product Manager,
Back Office and Infrastructure (Head
Office)
Harmonic is a global company spread
across
different
geographies
where
people from different color, religions,
cultures and backgrounds come together
to build great competitive products.
Diversity is an essential factor to bring in
different points of view to cater to
different markets. For this it’s important
that everyone feels equal and respected,
irrespective of their background.
I have been with Harmonic for almost 8 years and I am grateful that I have been provided with
equal learning and growth opportunities. DEI is a great initiative by the company and provides
a platform to make a difference to the world. I wish to see more opportunities provided for
the underrepresented. Every DEI member has a story and I like how everyone wants to
contribute. It’s been an amazing year of identifying and prioritizing DEI goals for Harmonic. I
am proud of DEI and look forward to a more equal and inclusive world.
Vincent Chan. Sr. Director, Pre-Sales & Services
(APAC Region).
Harmonic provides an environment for the free and
open expression of ideas, opinions, and beliefs. As
I’m responsible for presales and services team in
APAC, I’ve seen this in action through my team. We
are passionate about our customers, our business
and our technology. We are open, we listen, we
value differences and collaborate with others
through sharing and brainstorming ideas so as to
implement processes that are seamless not only for
the sales team but also for our customers in Asia
Pacific.
Eirini Gerontidou Schneider. Senior Legal Director,
International Markets LL.M, eMBA (EMEA Region)
Participating in the Europe DEI Group is a very
interesting experience, as it gives me the
opportunity to get to know my colleagues under a
new perspective, to discover their beliefs and hear
their experiences. We all have a diverse cultural
background, live in different countries and cope
with distinct daily life realities, so sharing thoughts
and brainstorming about such wide topics as
diversity, equity and inclusion is a very enriching
experience. I strongly believe that Harmonic can
benefit from the talent that DEI project can unlock
and boost its growth potential.
As a pre-sales engineer, I was engaged with customers and stakeholders from different
countries of APAC, supported by my colleagues and management. Strong of this first
experience, I moved to Singapore, managing pre-sales and projects while interacting with a
wider community in and out of the company. I have never felt left aside, and I have always
been admiring of the support each and everyone is ready to bring to the rest of the team,
wherever they come from. Throughout my evolution in the company, I always felt everyone
was given equal chances and we were all driven by a common sense of belonging in the
workplace. This feeling continues now as a sales director, based in Sydney where I last
relocated while keeping strong ties with my peers in the rest of the APAC region and
interacting with new colleagues and partners. Working with diverse customers has helped
me understand, respect, and value other cultures. I take great pride in what I’m doing now
and am excited to continue to contribute to our success.
Stephane Barraud. Pre-Sales & Sales Director,
Oceania (APAC Region).
At Harmonic, everyone is given an equal opportunity
to learn, develop new skills, and explore different
career paths. I have been able to witness and confirm
this fact for the past 15 years, moving between
countries and departments in the company. Starting
as an intern in Beijing office, I had the opportunity to
integrate into a team where everyone welcomed my
different background, and where my colleagues
helped me discover a new culture and environment.
Leadership
Perspectives
Tim Chu providing his perspectives
on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
A conversation with Tony Berthaud
about Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
Tim Chu (General Counsel & Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Head Office)
Tim lived internationally for many years, experiencing a variety of cultures, before moving to
San Francisco, and has now been with Harmonic for 8 years. Click on the video below to hear
about Tim's personal story and his take on diversity at Harmonic.
Tony Berthaud (Vice President, Sales and Video Services, APAC)
Tony has been living and working in the Asia Pacific region for over two decades, first in
China and currently in Singapore. Click on the video below to hear Tony sharing his
experiences in this multi-racial and multi-cultural region.
DEI Group
Initiatives
This is achieved by putting them in touch with employees for a co-training programme where
volunteer employees and refugees meet up regularly over a period of 6 months. The aim is
that both participants benefit from the programme. For the employee there is an opportunity
to share an intercultural experience and dialogue and feed the curiosity of diversity. For the
refugee there is a chance to practice the French language, learn about employment codes
and build a professional network. Harmonic is proud to have 4 volunteers taking part in this
programme. All volunteers have received their onboarding training and have been assigned
to a buddy refugee – we wish our colleagues and refugees a fruitful interaction.
The mission of "Elles Bougent" (Women in Action) is to increase gender diversity within
technology companies and demonstrate that scientific and technical professions are accessible
to women. The organization supports schoolgirls and female students by offering numerous
events such as job fairs, industrial site visits and testimonial speeches, tech challenges and
events held in secondary and high schools. At the heart of these events is the opportunity for
female mentors and young girls to meet.
Our French colleagues Isabelle Durupt, Valerie Dore, Anne-Sophie Harnois, Lila Huguenel and
Claudine Le Guen have joined as mentors. They have a few activities lined up such as talks and
presentations at schools, and supporting a ‘Hackathon’ kind of challenge (mixing female
sponsors and female students) that should be taking place in early 2022 – we will update you
on the initiative in a later E-Newsletter.
During October this year, some of our colleagues in the
France office joined the refugee support programme –
Kodiko.
The programme supports refugees in their professional
integration and their job search in their country of
refuge.
In October 2021, our colleagues in the Israel office launched their
new volunteer program called “Harmonic SEEDS” (with the motto
“Planting seeds for the future”). The goal of the program is to
engage with youth from low socio-economic backgrounds, expose
them to the high-tech world, and encourage interest and a potential
technological academic track in the near and far future.
HARMONIC "SEEDS"
Our volunteers engaged with a non-profit educational organization called Taasiyeda, who in
turn has connected them with a local high school near our Harmonic offices at Caesarea. With
Taasiyeda’s knowledge and according to the high school’s needs, a yearly plan was developed
that involves our volunteers in projects such as skills workshops, technological panels, tours at
our offices, a mini Hackathon, and more.
Pictured below is Israa Abu Ras, Project leader at Taasiyeda, who joined the kickoff meeting at
Harmonic. We thank and wish our colleagues all the best with this project!
Harmonic France are also working with “FACE” (Fight Against
Exclusion), a local association based near Rennes. Their
mission is to fight against any form of exclusion,
discrimination and poverty and encourage companies to
engage in social actions and enable professional inclusion.
Their target audience is middle/high schools, universities,
and unemployed people. FACE has several programs to raise
awareness about technical studies/jobs and connects with
local businesses in the area to offer mentorship and support.
In North America the DEI team have been busy
supporting a charity called Family Giving Tree in their
annual Back to School Drive, which involved supplying
a backpack full of essential school equipment to
children who cannot afford one.
In Harmonic France, 12 colleagues signed up
to a Buddy Programme where employees
support new hires as they ease into their
new roles, in a mentoring capacity.
The 12 buddies were awarded during a
special ceremony (with both buddy and
mentor) to thank them for their efforts and
contributions. Well done to all the mentors
and welcome to the new hires!
BUDDY PROGRAMME
Our colleagues in North America responded with great generosity to the task of supplying school
backpacks and monetary donations. With amazing results - $2,883 was raised in cash donations
(the goal was $750 !) and we gave 66 backpacks in total. Thanks to everyone involved – what a
success!
Other DEI projects that our team in North America are involved in are highlighted below:
• Partnering with Portland Women in Tech (PDXWIT) for community building and educational
mentorship programs.
.• Providing internship opportunities for Norfolk State University students – a public affiliate of
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).
• Pursuing opportunities with the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME),
which provides scholarships and student grants in addition to offering a jobs board.
• Reaching out to local San Jose community groups to support them with financial opportunities,
volunteer activities, or educational events.
Around Us
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE
ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 2021
The United Nations marks international days and weeks as occasions to educate the public
on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and
to celebrate and reinforce the achievements of humanity. For this quarter, we would like to
highlight the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November
25 as a stark reminder of the prevalence of the most widespread crime against humanity.
DO YOU KNOW?
• 1 in 3 women and girls experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, most
frequently by an intimate partner.
• Emerging data shows an increase in calls to domestic violence helplines in many countries
since the outbreak of COVID-19, the so-called “Shadow Pandemic”.
• 71% of all human trafficking victims worldwide are women and girls, and 3 out of 4 of
these women and girls are sexually exploited.
• The date was selected to honour the Mirabal sisters, three political activists from the
Dominican Republic who were brutally murdered in 1960 by order of the country’s ruler.
Creating Awareness
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WHY IT MUST BE ELIMINATED!
In general terms, Violence Against Women is any gender-based act of physical, sexual, or
psychological harm. This is the most widespread human rights violation in our world today and
remains largely unreported due to the associated shame and stigma. The dreadful
consequence of “violence against women and girls” is the effect on their psychological, sexual,
and reproductive health in all stages of their life. As an example, early setbacks to their
education puts them at a disadvantage to complete schooling and in later life can manifest as
restricted access to higher education and even translate into limited opportunities for jobs.
16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER-BASED
VIOLENCE
This annual international campaign runs from the International Day for the Elimination of
Violence against Women on November 25 until Human Rights Day on December 10, aiming to
rally individuals and organizations globally to call for the prevention and elimination of
gender-based violence. The United Nations Unite by 2030 to End Violence against Women
campaign calls for global actions to support these 16 Days of Activism. The campaign theme
for 2021 is “Orange the World: END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN NOW!”
FURTHER INFORMATION
Please see these links for further information, including action that you can take to help end
violence against women, an initiative to achieve gender equality, and more on International
Days.
Around Us
LOOKING BACK AT OUR AWARENESS CREATION
INITIATIVES DURING 2021
Creating Awareness
During the past year, we created &
distributed
4
newsletters
to
APAC
employees
to
share
knowledge
and
experiences and to start raising awareness
of DEI in the APAC region. This regional
initiative has now evolved into a global E-
Newsletter!
On International Women’s Day (IWD), 13 March 2021, Harmonic responded to the call to action as
part of our company’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative. We invited our employees to raise
their hand in solidarity with the #ChooseToChallenge movement and share a pledge. The internally
shared video was created following a phenomenal response globally. Collectively, we can all help
create an inclusive company and world. Remind yourself of our collective pledge with the video.
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Women in Engineering Day (INWED), 23 June 2021, an international awareness campaign
started in 2013 to “raise the profile of women in engineering and focus attention on the
amazing career opportunities available to girls in this exciting industry". We are proud to
recognize the talent and contributions of our women engineers throughout the company, and
our ongoing global drive to bring more female and diverse talent into Harmonic. View our
corporate post about INWED on LinkedIn as well as the LinkedIn posts from our Harmonic
France engineering and Alicante engineering teams.
The Europe DEI group supported the initiative of the
United Nations to raise awareness on May 21st, World
Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
at Harmonic. You can remind yourself of the message
by watching the video.
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Corporate Updates
UNCONSCIOUS BIAS TRAINING
Our Corporate Objectives for 2021 include continuous learning to “further improve
organization effectiveness and efficiency” and strengthening our Diversity, Equity and
Inclusion. To that end, HR rolled out Unconscious Bias training across the Company in the last
quarter. The aim was to help everyone at Harmonic build a foundation for a more inclusive
culture. All our employees have now completed the training and all new hires will be required
to also complete the foundation course as part of our compliance training for new hires.
STEP PROGRAM
In Q4 HR launched STEP (Starter Training & Employee
Portal), an online portal hosted on Confluence
providing a consistent onboarding experience to all
new hires regardless of where they are hired. Our
current colleagues and managers will also find useful
guides and tips. Click on the image to explore STEP.
DIVERSITY METRICS
Our baseline female representation gender metric ratio in May 2020 was 18%. Since then, our
global female population has increased by one percentage point. To date, we have maintained
the female representation of our workforce at 19%. Functions that are outperforming the
global ratio of 19% are Product Marketing, Marketing & Communications, Finance, Human
Resources and Legal. Operations, Manufacturing and IT, as a whole, are on par with the ratio.
Even though Global Sales & Video Services globally do not meet the 19% ratio of female
representation, it is the only function where female representation has grown by 3% YoY at
the end of Q3 2021.
All functions, hiring managers and their HR partners are reminded to ensure best effort to
source and interview 2 qualified diversity candidates for each job opening as we strive to
meet our internal objective of increasing female representation and other diversity.
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The Diversity Objectives, communicated during an internal company meeting in May 2021, are:
Support us in our recruitment efforts and finding the best talent for Harmonic by referring
candidates:
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Harmonic Community
SOCIAL EVENTS
Harmonic France organized a summer
lunch at the beginning of July and
another one after the summer holidays in
September. The objective was to spend a
good time together. With COVID-19, it has
been a long time since colleagues had the
opportunity to meet up. It was really
appreciated and contributed to re-
energizing relationships!
SUMMER LUNCH
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WAR GAME
In our Hong Kong office, a group of colleagues got together to participate in a ‘war game’ in
August. Through a variety of shooting training, colleagues had the opportunity to improve their
self-leadership and teamwork spirit and develop their personal growth. In order to succeed at
the game, they needed to emphasize speed; team members cooperation to reduce the casualty
rate of teammates; establish offensive goals, such as saving hostages, destroying the enemy, or
subduing the enemy; clearly understanding the compartment of the room and when attacking
different rooms. In the process, students can personally experience some skills and attitudes
that are difficult to master outside the ‘classroom’, to achieve the goal of all-round development.
We are sure it was great fun!
Harmonic France colleagues are a sporty bunch!
As soon as they have an opportunity, they build
Harmonic teams for sports events, especially for
running races. In October, Rennes held an official
race and Harmonic had two teams participating.
Our colleagues have previously participated and
were ranked 2nd in the Company challenge
performance! Our colleagues are looking forward
to knowing the 2021 ranking! Congratulations
everyone – great result!
Not only do our colleagues in France do running
events but they also have the chance to
participate every lunchtime of the week in a
physical activity session with coaches (fitness,
boxing, running, yoga). The aim is to encourage
colleagues to move and take care of their health.
We are sure this is very much appreciated!
HARMONIC FRANCE
SPORTS EVENTS
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VIRTUAL BREAKFAST
Over
the
last
several
months
Harmonic France have organized HR
virtual breakfasts to keep up contact
with colleagues, create a social
dynamic and to know the state of
mind of French employees.
FOOD BANK
In the UK, our colleagues are busy collecting food
for the local food bank in Farnborough (near the
office) as part of the UK outreach efforts to
support the vulnerable in our community,
focusing particularly on foods required for
homeless people to transition into their new
accommodation.
DISABILITY CONFIDENT COMMITTED
Harmonic UK Ltd. has been awarded the Disability Confident
Committed certification from the UK Government. Disability
Confident is creating a movement of change, encouraging
employers to think differently about disability and take action to
improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people.
For Harmonic, this will mean taking more action to incorporate
digital accessibility, in the ways we work with each other and
also in our hiring process, to ensure disabled candidates are
given equal opportunities to join Harmonic. We plan on ensuring
language about accessibility are integrated into our job adverts,
to ensure candidates know we can make adjustments such as
larger font for visually-impaired candidates and any other
requirements they might request.
RECYCLED FACE MASKS
In the UK and in France, our colleagues are also supporting
the recycling of face masks into useful objects. Large bins
are available in both locations for colleagues to deposit
their face masks in once they’ve used them for the day.
The bins are collected, and the used masks are recycled
into chairs, tables, shelters, planters and more! Check out
the links for more information: Reworked (UK) and France
3 (France).
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