COVERSTORY
level?’” explains Burnett. “A lot of what we heard was, ‘I want to get to the next level, but I don’t look like the person in that role.’ Not seeing more women in leadership was creating its own barrier.”
Burnett says WIN got started with a series of kickoff calls, inviting women to share what would help them propel their ca- reer in the right direction and achieve the goals they wanted to achieve. The first call had approximately 75 women participate. Now, they’re up to approximately 115 women participating in calls, which represents about 75 percent of the women at the company.
The effort has also included the development of a book club to more deeply invest in important topics. The first was focused on confidence — something that Burnett says her research showed can stand in the way of career growth.
Burnett says that one of the important things they’ve learned is that you “have to take one bite at a time.” Everything about WIN has been strategic and steady. The effort started with research about what women in the company need most — and will ultimately grow to focus on recruiting women, too. But Burnett says that focusing internally, first, was key.
She also says that you have to accept that you’ll learn as you go, at least tot some degree. If nothingf
GROW has a variety of programing for the
women of BrightView. Photo: BrightView
go, at least to some degree. If nothing has ever been done like this in your company before, you’ll have to be prepared to “pivotthis in your company before,y as you learn.
has ever been done like
LandCare is among the companies making an ef ter support women in the industryt
LandCare is among the companies making an effort to bet- ter support women in the industry. The launch of the
. The launch of the Women’s
Initiative Network (WIN) at LandCare is an employe group dedicated to providing women suppor cation to help them achieve their per professional goals. Jennifer Burr pr
p esident oft organizational dev is a member ofr thef
ha e In
steering c
h ve been spearheading with
n fact, it wa Bo
needed to focus on and asking womeomen who
women who worked with us, ‘What do ou ee
needed to focuscus on an o worked w et tot
o ke do you need to ge do you need to get to the net xt
we spent a tremendous amountt of mf time res arching what areas we of time researc ng wh n eded
Bogan who first proposed the ideadea of crea n wom
idea of creating a platform where women were better supported. “Before even getting started, we spen a tremend searchiih n
w men we “Befor
we p nt
support fromt as LandCare h first fi propos reating a platf ere etter bet sur ven gettine em ndou
re eve
Initiative Network (WIN) at LandCare is an employee resource group dedicated to providing women support and edu- cation to help them achieve their personal and professional goals. Jennifer Burnett, vice president of organizational development, is a member of the steering committee alongside Karen Wlkinson, ollenberg and Jennifer
EO Mike
as you learn.” “One of
that theret
that there were some women who were reticent about WIN because they didn’ty
because they didn’t want to ft want tot y
they were being given an opportunity y
alongside KarenWiilkinson, Macey Wollenberg and Jennifer Dreyer that have been spearheading the effort with strong support from
leadership.th ongstrt In fact, it was LandCare Ct ogan who
women,” Burnett says. “They wanted to know they “They wanted to know they earned it. I understood this sentiment fully. But I also needed to make it clear that WIt
earned it. I understood this sentiment fully. But It also needed to make it clear
making sure women are considered or rolesr beca
making sure women are considered for roles and supported in their rolesr for ther
r that WINt ed fo
the right person for the job. job.
plan to support women. T e com an s GROWinitiative — which stands fo Growth in Relatio sh ps r
t
Growth in Relationships + Opportuni- ties for Women
ties for Women — has the mission to attract, promot
n — ha he ss on
attract, promote, and retain women within the compampany. All 1,400400 Brig viited
ar in G W.
“We started GROWto bringmo professionall deve opm ntt, ne
“We starte
‘What do you need to get to the next level?’ A lot of what we heard was, ‘I want to get to the next level, but I don’t look like the person in that role.’ Not seeing more women in leadership was
creating its own barrier.” - Jennifer Burnett, LandCare
24 The andsc 4 The Landscape Profess ona //March/Aprill 2021 he Landscape e Professiiona //March/Aprii 202 ofessionall March/Apr 021 Left: Jennifer Burnett Right: Caroline Weilert ed GRO essional development, networking e elo men etwork ngkin
within the company. All 1,400 Bright- View women are invited to participateView women ren are inv in GROW.
ote, and re ain womeomen d to partticiipa r ng
ght- atte
to bring more ore
initiative — which stands for ionships + Opporportunii- as the missiion to eta
men The h
y with a sttrateg mpany’’s or
b.”
Like LandCare, BrightView Holdings,htVie Inc., is another company with a strategicInc., is another companany plan to support wom n. he company’s GR
Like LandCare, BrightVew Ho r
egic
and supported in their roles because they’re the right persont
ecause hey’ olldin
N is about e th yre ngs,
is about
they were being given an opportunity just because they were women,” Burnett says.t
y were
“One of the obstacles we ran into but never anticipated wast were some women who were reticent aboutt WI feel singled out orteel singled out or feel as thoughr feel as though y just because they
f the obstacles we ran into but never
you’ll have to be prepared to “pivot r anticipated was
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