Making Waves: Supercharge your Inclusion and Hire with Intention

Earlier in September, we gathered to experience Dreamforce — the AI event of the year! Whether in-person in San Francisco or by tuning in from Salesforce+, we saw hundreds of thousands of Trailblazers eager to learn, connect, and get inspired.

Dreamforce was the place to see our Partners and Workforce Development Community come together and share their commitment to driving ecosystem growth through a lens of diversity and inclusion. This year, Salesforce Talent Alliance teamed up with Salesforce Partner Deloitte Digital, to highlight our joint initiative, Wave.

This joint program between Salesforce and Deloitte, announced last year at Dreamforce, is a commitment to skilling 10,000+ individuals from underrepresented groups into the Salesforce ecosystem by addressing the mentorship and experience gaps between Trailhead certification attainment and job readiness. At Dreamforce this year, Erica Adams, Global Talent CoE Leader, Deloitte, Ike Nwokoye, Manager Deloitte, and Maria Alvarez-Zarrilli, Employer Talent Programs Salesforce Talent Alliance presented on how the rollout of that programming has been built to challenge the status quo, proceed with intentionality, and align the purpose of the mission for what is possible with today’s tools and opportunities.

• Rethinking the Why - The first step in creating innovative inclusion programs is to question the status quo. Deloitte Digital took a critical look at its existing practices, identifying potential barrier points such as the existing restrictions in hiring non-degreed talent. By looking at the relevance of those requirements against the pathways and needs of the marketplace as well as the equity considerations surrounding the barriers,we were able to identify places to challenge the "it's how it’s always been done" mindset Deloitte Digital is opening the door to change by rethinking they “why” behind the barrier and evaluating them with an equity and inclusion mindset to support growing an ecosystem that better represents our global communities.
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• Aligning Purpose with Possible: Deloitte and Salesforce already were aligned on individual purpose-driven journeys, i.e- both as partners of the OneTen coalition and with commitments to Tent.org. This partnership allows us to leverage the strength of our aligned values and companies and harness the resources to accelerate learner journeys. Through the power of Trailhead learning, coupled with Deloitte Digital practice expertise, then with bringing on Clicked to facilitate peer-supported mock experiences, we were able to offer a meaningful pathway for learners provided by OneTen and beyond.
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• Equity with Intention: Building innovative inclusion programs isn't just about assimilating diverse talent; it's about genuinely welcoming the whole person and a willingness to rethink the status quo of the workplace and workforce . The Wave’s approach emphasizes representation and active listening. Most notably in the category of intention, many of the leaders building the logistics of the Wave program are themselves graduates of similar programs. They not only bring their experience as Deloitte consultants, but their invaluable lived experience perspective to the build of the programming. This inclusive approach embodies the principle of "building with, not just building for" communities, ensuring that inclusion efforts are grounded in authenticity and intention.

We are proud of this partnership, serving as a testament to the power of rethinking, aligning, and intentionally building inclusive programs that reflect the diversity of the world we live in. As we navigate how the AI revolution will create 11.6M new jobs and $2T in revenue within the Salesforce ecosystem by 2028, we look ahead to a bright future of building more programs grounded in this inclusive, and equitable approach with our key ecosystem champions.

Do you have an ecosystem talent impact story to tell?

Submit your company's success story for a chance to win a $200 voucher code for your organization.*

Eligible employers will have a chance to be randomly selected to win a $200 voucher code. Your story could have the chance to be shared publicly through a Salesforce blog, Talent Alliance LinkedIn Live, a part of Salesforce promotional material, or be featured in a Salesforce in-person or virtual event, such as Dreamforce.

All stories must be about a talent program, initiative, or workforce partner relationship or show 1 new to ecosystem hire within the operating fiscal year in order to be considered a valid entry into the Sweepstakes. Please note that these legal terms and conditions* apply. Not eligible for the Sweepstakes? We still want to hear your story, so submit it today!



*No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. The Sweepstakes Drawing Period runs from July 1, 2023 12:00 AM ET to January 31, 2024 11:59 PM ET. Open to companies registered in U.S. (incl. D.C.), Australia, Canada (excl. Quebec), France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Ukraine, and U.K. Must be 18+. See Official Rules.