My Journey as an ERG Chair at Taboola

Four years ago, I joined Taboola as an account manager. The team across the company was incredibly welcoming, but I quickly noticed that, as a Black woman, I was a minority – and those people in the company that did share my experience of being a cultural minority were outside of my team.  

I wanted to find a way to connect with them and support one another. I knew the positive impact Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) had made in my previous company, where I was able to build strong relationships with others that came from similar backgrounds and create spaces I could truly bring my authentic self to work. I decided to pitch Taboola’s first Employee Resource Group. 

First, I needed to figure out what function I wanted my ERG to serve within the organisation. I started by doing some research on how other ERGs in the industry were formed and even set up meetings with ERG leaders in other organisations, such as Bonita Samuels from Mediacom, to ask for advice and understand the value ERGs have brought to their organisations. 

I then needed to identify allies within Taboola. The Managing Director for Northern Europe at the time, Marc Thomas, and Stacey Delaney, then the UK Country Manager, were both incredibly helpful in advising me on how to pitch the idea internally. Finally, I pulled together a deck and 6-month plan to present to senior management and  TaboolaInCulture was born.

I organised the ERG’s mission around 3 central pillars: Celebrating Culture, Diversity in Recruitment, and Professional Development. 

Fostering Inclusion through Cultural Exchange 

From celebrating Windrush Day with a vibrant Caribbean Dance workshop to hosting educational panel discussions about Black History, TaboolaInCulture regularly runs events that celebrate the diversity within our London office. 

These events provide a space to celebrate the cultural heritage of those from different backgrounds. Being able to speak freely about your culture in the workplace is something that many people do not have the opportunity or privilege to do, and we wanted to give this space to employees at Taboola. 

Cultural events have also had a positive impact on the company culture overall. These events help create conversations and foster understanding between employees from different backgrounds, giving everyone a broader worldview, increased empathy, respect, and inclusivity for other cultures, ethnicities and religions. 

Knock-On Effects

When I created TaboolaInCulture, it was the first ERG to exist at Taboola. Four years on, we now have 7 thriving ERGs at Taboola, including TaboolaPRIDE, TaboolaNoir and TaboolaHER. 

We host regular ERG Leadership forums to work together and share best practices, amplify our reach, and learn from the experiences of others. We have also collaborated and built partnerships outside of Taboola to amplify our reach beyond just the Taboola office. 

We kicked off 2023 with a collaboration between TaboolaHER and TaboolaInCulture, partnered with Like Minded Females, a diverse talent consultancy. Since launching we recorded 4 podcast episodes, hosted an International Women's Day event, and shared jobs to their diverse job board, helping us showcase Taboola as an inclusive environment and attract more diverse talent. 

A Call to Action: Join the Movement

I started TaboolaInCulture as a fresh-faced account manager, within 6 months of starting at Taboola. Thanks to the research I did and people that supported me, I was able to create a resource that has immeasurably changed the culture of the company and created space for our employees to bring more of their authentic selves to work. 

I urge those who see a need for greater inclusion within their own organisations to step up – whether you’re a leader, an employee or an ally – and know that your initiative can make a huge difference in improving your organisation and our industry as a whole.