inclusion statement

Westfield's Commitment to Inclusion 

"It’s about what we choose to do, not what we have to do"


Growing up with a father who was a musician, composer and a university professor, I spent a lot of time on college campuses where the environment was incredibly diverse and inclusive. When I entered the work force, I felt a strong sense of structure and conformance. This contrast helped me realize the deep value of diversity, and this realization influences me to this day.

Now, as CEO and President, I was recently asked about my vision for diversity and inclusion here at Westfield, why it’s important and what it means for employees. Here are my thoughts:

It’s not conformity.

It can’t be forced.

It’s not about the numbers.

Instead, it’s about broad perspective

And diversity of thought.

It’s about people from different genders, cultures, races, and backgrounds coming together to solve problems and achieve goals.

It’s about caring and respecting each other.

It’s living by our core values of knowledge, trust, integrity, respect and stewardship so we can deliver on our mission of enabling our customers’ peace of mind and financial stability.

Diversity and inclusion is the blending of our collective strengths to create a strong, viable, successful Westfield. 

A dedicated effort to be diverse and inclusive helps us turn challenges into new possibilities, and gives us unique insights into the markets we serve. Diversity and inclusion are key ingredients that allow us to compete successfully and win. Inclusion enables diversity, and we must have that calibrated correctly or diversity won’t work. With the support of my leadership team, my priority is to make sure it works.

We have come a long way, and positively evolved our culture over the past 15 years. We see real life examples of diversity in action at Westfield every day: our six employee resource groups, attuned HR practices, business partner resources from around the globe, cross-functional project teams, and a diverse Board of Directors. 

It’s a journey, and we’ve made progress. As we move forward, I am optimistic for the future and what it holds as we further evolve our culture of diversity and inclusion.


Ed Largent
Westfield President & CEO