“I was completely shocked, and struggled to comprehend that she encountered racism in my hometown. However, that conversation was life-changing.” - Ewan McFarlane, operations director and original book club member
Grassroots movements can stem from anywhere – including a virtual Holiday party. That’s where a single conversation sparked the entrepreneurial spirit of ITW colleagues, eventually leading to our newest ERG: the ITW MultiCultural Network.
Qamar Mahamed-Hassan, a human resources generalist at ITW Construction Products UK/Nordics, joined ITW during the height of pandemic-related lockdowns in 2020. During the division’s annual holiday party, just a few months into her tenure, the conversation evolved into racism and microaggressions. Qamar was asked to share what she experienced living most of her life in Sweden and Scotland as a woman of Somali and Yemeni descent.
After courageously sharing her own experiences with racism, Qamar’s colleagues responded with respect and humility, which led three colleagues to begin a book club discussing a book Qamar recommended: Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla Saad.
Ewan McFarlane, an operations director and original book club member who now works with ITW Construction Asia Pacific, reflected on the racist experiences Qamar had in Scotland: “I was completely shocked, and struggled to comprehend that she encountered racism in my hometown. However, that conversation was life-changing. It opened my mind on a complex topic and made me want to learn more about all aspects of diversity and what it means to be an ally.”
As the book club grew and expanded, Gaurav Pugal, a finance business partner, joined out of curiosity. His cultural lens reflected his British Indian familial upbringing. “Since joining the book club, my understanding of discrimination, racism and multiculturalism has expanded significantly,” said Gaurav. “I saw the group as a safe space where people could share what was on their minds.”
As the book club continued to expand its programming, it took incremental steps toward becoming an official ERG. As interest in discussions about racism and multiculturalism grew, the club created the Anti-Racism Committee (ARC), which could support programming across multiple businesses and locations. After hosting a well-attended Black History Month event, ARC leaders decided to begin taking steps to become an official ERG. An initial interest survey garnered over 300 responses, with some indicating a desire to serve as leaders.
What started as a conversation between colleagues expressing respect and inclusion for one another, MCN officially launched as ITW’s eighth and newest ERG in November 2024 with more than 350 members and allies. Our first ERG with origins in Europe, MCN's mission is to raise awareness to attract diverse talent and promote career development through the celebration of different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds.
When asked their advice for colleagues who want to have a similar impact, Qamar said, “You need to have a lot of passion and engage people in a way that creates safety and fosters a space of inclusivity and understanding.” Gaurav added, “Identify a strategy for how to reach your target audience. If you have strong allyship, people will be more open and honest. Through MCN, we want to bring everyone we can along with us on the journey.”
