Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Benefitting Milwaukee and its diverse community
When the Wisconsin Center District was given the green light to expand and modernize Baird Center, its leadership committed to ambitious diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) goals for the project to ensure the convention center was a source of pride for all Milwaukeeans and that the people living in the community would economically benefit from the project.
The commitment to disadvantaged businesses
The Wisconsin Center District (WCD) voluntarily set ambitious goals for the inclusion of businesses owned by people who are part of economically and/or socially disadvantaged groups in the construction of the Baird Center expansion and modernization. Significantly above industry standards, the WCD committed to having at least 25% minority-owned businesses, 5% women-owned businesses, and 1% disabled veteran-owned businesses contracted to provide labor and services for the construction.
Ultimately, the expansion and modernization project far exceeded the goals set at its onset. Instead of hitting a total of 31%, the project achieved a total of 42.8% of the businesses being owned by disadvantaged individuals or groups.
* Disadvantaged business inclusion performance monitored, and data provided by a third-party.
Economic Inclusion Statistics
25.3%
Minority-owned businesses
16.5%
Women-owned businesses
1%
Disabled-veteran-owned businesses
Built for Milwaukee, by Milwaukee
The project also committed to a residents-preference program where at least 40% of the on-site construction labor hours were performed by workers living in Milwaukee’s most disadvantaged zip codes. Additionally, the Wisconsin Center District set a workforce goal of having at least 31% of labor hours worked by minority (25%), women (5%) and disabled veteran (1%) tradespeople.
The results of the laser-like focus on diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the project set a new standard for large scale construction projects in the Milwaukee community.
* Resident-preference program and workforce inclusion performance monitored, and data provided by a third-party.
Workforce inclusion numbers
41.3%
Resident Preference Program (RPP)
41.3%
Minority workforce
4.5%
Women workforce
1.2%
Disabled veteran workforce
