DEI Employee Spotlight: Surabhi Vibhuti (Women’s History Month)

Surabhi Vibhuti
Director, Development

• Business Unit: Technology
• Location: Radnor
• Start Date: January 2017

What does diversity, equality and inclusion mean to you? 

Diversity, equality and inclusion is very close to my heart and is the essence of my belief for humankind. Having grown up in India, which is a diverse nation, I had the pleasure of growing up in different parts of the country, which was a great experience and exposure to diversity within India itself. This experience was enriching and helped me realize the fact that regardless of color, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, everyone is a human being at heart and at their core they have the same basic needs and emotions. Being treated with respect and kindness is important to every human being and those are aspects I try to practice in all interactions. When I came to the U.S. in 1996, I was exposed to global diversity and through all the interactions with a globally diverse environment at school and at work, and the conclusion I arrived at is the same: we are all human beings and very alike at the core, hence, including everyone and treating everyone with equality, regardless of their diverse background is key in making the world a better place at large.

What are your hopes for DEI at eMoney? 

At eMoney, I have experienced a very collaborative and respectful environment, which is incredible. There is, however, a lack of diversity, specifically in the development organization in the U.S. I really hope we can hire more women into the development organization too. We have initiatives in progress to promote and make that happen with PX and events at colleges where dev managers like Sam Bewley participate and encourage young women to apply to eMoney. I hope to play a part in bringing about that change. I’m hoping for DEI to become a part of our core culture and value, like all the other competencies we have valued for a long time. Starting with management, I hope to increase more awareness and for DEI to become a primary consideration and thought in everyone’s mind like other core values which we excel at here at eMoney.

How should people view celebrations like Women’s History Month?

They should view them with enthusiasm and pride for the courage that women demonstrated as they fought for the right and equality for women. The month marks a significant milestone towards DEI and is a source of motivation for all future generations of young girls and women.

Who are some women you admire and/or view as role models?

There are many women who I admire as role models, but I will mention 3 of them because of the impact they have had on me since I was a young girl:

• Mother Teresa for truly having demonstrated all aspects of DEI as she worked with humans across the world to give them a better life with no barrier of any kind, a true humanitarian to the core.
  
• My grandmother is another woman I admire because she inculcated the values of equality in diversity as we grew up in India and led the path for all us women in the family to be career-oriented and walk shoulder-to-shoulder with the men in the household and in society. She believed in the Gandhian principles of equality and no discrimination based on color, cast, religion or race. We grew up with those ideals as our guiding light, which is why the DEI initiative is also so close to heart for me. She was a woman of strength, very knowledgeable and way ahead of her times and a great source of inspiration.
  
• My mother, a true symbol of determination and strength, who ensured that her daughters had the best education and grew up as independent young women without any constraints. Her faith, trust, encouragement, and support were key to our success and continue to be. She is a constant source of inspiration for me and my sisters!