New Relic’s Diversity and Inclusion Journey

Kristy Friedrichs, the Chief People Officer at New Relic, reflects on her initial months at the company, highlighting the importance of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) in fostering a creative and agile workforce that reflects a broad spectrum of backgrounds and perspectives. New Relic has established a Diversity Council to analyze and address cultural, racial, gender, and minority demographic trends within the organization, with efforts focused on improving diversity through talent acquisition, implementing unconscious bias training, and fostering an inclusive environment. Despite some progress, such as a slight increase in the representation of women and Black employees in technical roles, the company acknowledges there is considerable room for growth. Friedrichs emphasizes the need for a culture change that integrates diversity metrics into all processes, advocating for continuous discussion and measurement as part of everyone's responsibility. New Relic plans a "year of action" with initiatives like sponsorship programs and inclusion training to enhance their D&I efforts, aiming to embed these values deeply within the company's operations and culture.