OT-2405
April 19, 2024

 

Remarks by AIT Director Sandra Oudkirk
at AmCham-AIT DEIA Celebration Forum  

April 18, 2024

(As Prepared)

AmCham President Patrick Lin, AmCham Board Chair Dan Silver, distinguished guests, colleagues, friends, good morning!   It is wonderful to be here today for the inaugural AmCham-AIT Taiwan DEIA Celebration Forum and to kick off what I know will be a long-term, impactful collaboration between AmCham, AIT, and the U.S. business community in Taiwan to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in our workplaces and beyond.   This is an issue that is close to my heart.  The seeds of this initiative were planted at last year’s Hsieh Nien Fan dinner.  At that event, I outlined a vision for AIT, AmCham, and U.S. businesses to engage in meaningful discussions and share best practices on how to empower our workforces, retain top talent, and create a climate where all voices – especially those that have been historically marginalized – are valued, celebrated, and empowered.   Today, I’m proud to see that vision for a better, more inclusive future taking shape.   It is powerful to see all of you gathered here today with a shared purpose: to demonstrate your support for pushing this initiative forward and for prioritizing DEIA within your organizations and your communities.   I believe that this is precisely the right time to launch this collaboration.   In 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order that stated that all U.S. federal agencies must provide resources and opportunities to advance DEIA.   Within the Department of State and other U.S. foreign affairs agencies, recognition has been building for years that an organization that better represents America in all of its facets leads to stronger, smarter, and more creative foreign policy.   One of our main challenges has been the need to translate those ideals to environments overseas — each with their own unique societies and cultures.  This is a challenge that the U.S. government, civil society and the business community share.  We have a lot to learn from each other.   It is also exactly the right place to launch this initiative.   Taiwan is, as we all know, a regional and global leader in promoting human rights, freedom, and equality.  It remains the only place in Asia that has legalized same-sex marriage, and has the highest rate of female participation in elected office in Asia.  I knew that if this initiative could succeed anywhere, it would be in Taiwan.   Through the success of this initiative, we have the opportunity to model for the region and for the world how the public and private sectors can partner to create diverse, inclusive, equitable and accessible workplaces and the benefits they can bring.   Over the past year, we have made significant strides in this collaboration.  From welcoming AmCham’s “NextGen” leaders to AIT to discuss DEIA, to the first-ever joint AIT-AmCham marching contingent in the Taipei Pride Parade, to Lavender Thursdays networking events, to support for several successful Women in Tech events, we are, together, actively working towards creating inclusive spaces, celebrating diversity, and empowering historically marginalized voices.   Within AIT, our internal DEIA work is guided by the pillars of intentionality, transparency, and accountability.   We have focused on intentionally bringing DEIA into everything that we do, from inclusive hiring, to supply chain diversification, to ensuring our facilities are accessible to all.   We have conducted surveys and listening sessions and have created anonymous feedback channels that allow us to better understand and respond to the needs of our diverse community.   By integrating DEIA into the performance criteria of American officers, we are holding individuals accountable to these important principles.   Looking ahead, we have ambitious goals for the future.  We want to continue collaborating with AmCham and with all of you on DEIA-related programs and trainings.  We also want to create more opportunities for knowledge sharing on how to translate U.S. standards on DEIA and Equal Employment Opportunity into the Taiwan cultural and regulatory context.   As the Director of AIT, one of my strategic priorities is strengthening the trade and investment and people-to-people ties between the United States and Taiwan.  We at AIT and the Department of State believe that advancing DEIA is central to achieving this goal.  By embracing these tenets, we not only do smarter and more creative work, but we can also better handle the challenges of tomorrow.  We can also ensure that everyone has an opportunity to contribute and develop their talents. Including all voices ensures the best possible outcome – you never know where the next great idea is going to come from.   I encourage all of you, and your companies, to join us in this effort.  In the words of esteemed advocate for disability rights, Hellen Keller, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Let us continue to work together towards a more inclusive and equitable world.   Thank you, and I look forward to the enriching discussions ahead.