Sonoma County’s Quattrocchi Kwok Architects recognized in Diversity in Business Awards
Provide a brief overview of the business/company, as well as its core activities. Quattrocchi Kwok Architects provides comprehensive master planning and design services for K-12 and higher education, historic renovation and community facilities in Northern California.
Describe the business/company’s initiatives or programs focused on diversity, equity, and belonging. In 2020, our employees (also the firm’s majority owners through our ESOP plan) made this a formalized pillar of the company by establishing a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council, expanding policies and creating a process for holding the firm accountable to our goals of creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and making a positive impact in our community. This group spearheaded our social justice initiatives, including the submission of an application to participate in the International Living Future Institute’s JUST 2.0 Program. This was — and remains — an actionable commitment to review and strengthen our social justice and equity policies and practices.
DEI Council also worked with QKA Leadership to develop a strategic plan for more inclusive hiring practices and set up community outreach to schools aiming to expose students in communities with significant numbers of underrepresented groups to careers in architecture, engineering and construction.
Share examples of employee resource groups, mentorship programs, or training opportunities that promote diversity, equity, and belonging. At the initiative of several of our young professionals, QKA established a formal mentoring program — “the JV Team” — intended primarily for junior staff but open to everyone, and especially to anyone pursuing architectural licensure. The JV Team organizes study groups for architectural exams, are the recipients of presentations by senior staff on aspects of the practice that they may not be exposed to in their everyday work, and supports each other as they learn.
How does the business/company engage with external organizations or communities to promote diversity, equity, and belonging? Since our work is solely focused on school design, a good deal of that is in underserved communities, so we are always delighted to participate in career days at schools we’ve designed in such communities. We think it helps attract a more diverse selection of talent to our profession.
What steps has the business/company taken to address any challenges or areas for improvement? We have taken a number of steps to make our hiring and recruiting processes as inclusive as possible including expanding our interview panels to involve a more diverse group of employees in the hiring process. Our HR Manager has worked with our DEI Council to review our job descriptions and interview questions to ensure the language is as inclusive as possible.
