Celebrating Multicultural Backgrounds

When we combine our different nationalities, cultures and identities, we create an undeniable synergy – where the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. We can be authentic and true to who we are in all aspects of our work and life.

Black Initiatives Group (BIG)

The mission of BIG, one of our seven SAS Employee Inclusion Groups, is to empower Black employees to bring their full selves to work, to highlight their contributions and talents and to inspire young Black talent to pursue careers in STEM.

BIG acknowledges the limitations of the term “Black,” and extends its mission to encompass employees who identify as Black, African, African American, West Indian, Copper Skinned, Indigenous, American Indian, Afro- Latinx or of African descent. In addition, BIG encourages all employees – including those who do not identify with any of the above identities to participate in BIG to learn, grow and progress racial equity and inclusion.

BIG has been instrumental to enhancing SAS’ culture by fostering an environment where Black and non-Black employees can have these difficult conversations in a productive way. Every week since June 2020, BIG hosts an open, virtual meeting – famously called “BIG Friday” – that addresses topics like company happenings, industry trends, career develop­ment and world events, all from the Black perspective. Several hundred employees attend these live, weekly sessions. And throughout the week, the dialogue continues.

SAS International Connection (SASIC)

With employees in nearly 60 countries around the world, diversity is our strength. We embrace individuality and seek out people who can add something unique to our culture.

Established in 1995, SAS International Connection is based on an innovative but simple idea: to pull together the international backgrounds and talents of SAS employees. More than 25 years later, this group is still dedicated to fostering, supporting and promoting international inclusiveness at SAS.

SASIC not only helps promote the various cultures represented at SAS, but also provides cultural resources that have greatly supported the company’s globalization efforts. The group’s members have aided many departments, including Human Resources, Marketing, Documentation, Research and Development, and Education. Specific efforts have included translation of documents and assistance with testing and debugging in different languages, as well as cultural understanding and support.

SASIC hosts events that highlight global holidays and celebrations including Lunar New Year, Diwali, Holi, Ramadan, Día de los Muertos, and more!