Cablefax The Magazine October 2022 - 56

Magesh Srinivasan
EVP, Network Operations
Charter Communications
THE WHY? Srinivasan supported the implementation of a " Returnship "
program that helps women re-enter the workforce after leaving for caregiving
responsibilities. In 2021, he led a Charter Inclusion Talk for Asian Pacific American
Heritage Month, focusing on diversity at the top level of the company.
He's often nominating colleagues for external programs through organizations
like WICT and NAMIC, which speaks to Srinivasan's passion for operational
excellence.
HE SAYS... " Although inclusivity continues to be an area of opportunity, we
are making improvements. We have significantly increased our slate diversity
on the recruitment front and at the same time increased promotions among
women and people of color. "
BUCKET LIST TRAVEL DESTINATION? Mount Everest Base Camp Trek
D&I CHAMPION
Charter is on the road to strengthening
employees' understanding of inclusion
and creating a culture that's
welcoming to all, thanks largely to Crichlow's
efforts. In addition to scaling
the reach and engagement of existing
internal programs such as Charter Inclusion
Talks and employee resource
groups, her team has launched an
effort to embed content focused on
inclusive behaviors into all Charter
professional development programs
targeting managers.
She joined the company in 2016 as its
first Chief Diversity Officer and set
out to assess organizational understanding
of DEI. It is her first role in
the cable/telecom space, and she's
feeling pretty good about the shift. " I
continue to be surprised by how dynamic
this industry is, and very much
appreciate and enjoy the fact that
change is constant, " says Crichlow,
who spent 10 years at Novartis Pharmaceuticals
before Charter. " I remain
energized to work with our team and
leadership to ensure that we are focusing
on the right objectives to support
our employees, communities
and ultimately provide better products
and services to our customers. "
Crichlow is proud of the progress
Charter has made, which includes the
establishment of an External Diversity
& Inclusion Council and an Executive
Steering Committee chaired by
CEO Tom Rutledge. Other key initiatives
include the development of an
Enterprise Supplier Diversity program,
led by Charter's procurement
team, that has resulted in $1 billion in
Rhonda
Crichlow
SVP, Chief Diversity
Officer
Charter
Communications
56
October 2022
business spend with diverse suppliers
over each of the last four years-not
to mention increased utilization of diverse
investment advisory firms and
funds deposited with minority deposit
institutions.
An important part of her job is community
impact, where she provides
strategic guidance on company philanthropic
initiatives. Following Charter's
completion of its signature program,
" Spectrum
Housing Assist, "
she's helped the operator launch five
new initiatives: Spectrum Community
Investment Loan Fund, Spectrum Digital
Education, Spectrum Employee
Community Grants, Spectrum Scholars,
and Spectrum Community Center
Assist. The latter is a $30 million effort
to revitalize 100 community centers in
rural and urban areas, and invest in
job training programs in underserved
rural and urban communities across
Charter's 41-state footprint.
Crichlow's commitment to DEI extends
beyond Charter's walls, with her
serving on both WICT and NAMIC's
boards. She also works with multiple
organizations, including the National
Organization on Disability and UnidosUS.
" I have truly valued the opportunity
to work closely with our industry
partners as well as with a number of
national non-profit and civil rights
organizations, all of whom have provided
me with a broad perspective on
issues impacting under-represented
populations, and equally important,
solutions and best practices to address
these issues, " she says.
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DIVERSITY
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Cablefax The Magazine October 2022

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