We know Commerce Bank is only at its best when our people are. For over 155 years, we’ve built our organization and culture on a foundation of shared values — taking a long-term view, collaborating as one team, acting with integrity, being customer focused, and striving for excellence. This means diversity, equity & inclusion in the workplace is integral to our success.
What does diversity, equity and inclusion mean? It means that we value our people. We’re firmly committed to engaging in the conversations necessary to make our team members feel safe, valued and respected — and truly listening so we can better understand how to serve our communities.
Commerce Bancshares’s CEO, John Kemper, signed the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion™ pledge, which further shows our dedication to creating an environment that supports and grows diverse talent, and makes an impact on the communities where we live and work, and on society at large. But that’s not where it stops.
We say that Commerce is here to help you focus on what matters most. But at the end of the day, what matters most isn’t so different for most people. It’s feeling like you matter. It’s feeling safe in the space you’re in. We want to listen to what you’re telling us matters most, so we can continue to take action and make Commerce a better place for everyone who comes through our doors.
Building diversity and inclusion in the workplace
We believe our differences make the difference. We’ve worked thoughtfully to establish a variety of programs and initiatives designed to embrace an inclusive and diverse culture — making Commerce Bank a place to thrive and grow professionally. Here are just a few examples of how we continue to build awareness:
- Observance and celebration of cultural, heritage and awareness months
- Mentorship programs to support professional development of diverse leaders and team members
- Diversity and Inclusion training: Educational workshops on topics including "Unconscious Bias", "Being an Ally" and "Creating a Sense of Belonging"
- Community alliances to advance inclusive efforts
- Employee Resource Groups to help us better understand and meet the evolving needs of our team members, customers and communities
- Feedback tools to hold us accountable and help us see if we’re trending in the right direction
We demonstrate our commitment to excellence by striving to be an employer of choice, as evidenced by being recognized on Forbes’ 2022 America’s Best Midsize Employers List for the fifth year in a row and for the second consecutive year, Commerce Bank earned a high score of 90 by the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index (CEI), the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring company policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality.
Commerce pays close attention to team member feedback on an ongoing basis to identify areas where the bank can improve. Each year, the bank conducts a survey to measure team member sense of engagement, enablement and overall satisfaction with their employment at Commerce. The 2021 engagement and enablement scores exceeded the scores of other high-performing peer financial institutions.
SALUTE is responsible for creating an inclusive, dignified, and diverse space for team members with a passion for supporting military veterans and their families. SALUTE welcomes veterans of foreign and domestic militaries, active service members, friends and family members of those who have served, and all supporters of veteran causes and communities.
