Values & Culture
Culture of Safety
At Milk Bank WGL, we value safety above everything else. As we always say, “milk comes first.”
We must assure our final product is safe for the vulnerable babies that depend upon it. Our staff receive extensive, ongoing safety training pertinent to their areas of expertise. We depend on continuing education, staff mentorship, and collaboration to ensure the safety of our milk recipients, donors, and our staff.
Culture of Accountability
Embracing accountability contributes to the Culture of Safety. We feel that when we are accountable for our work, including errors, we contribute to process improvement and product safety.
By acknowledging areas of growth and discussing solutions, we continue to build our organization and improve the safety of our donor milk.
Culture of Respect & Inclusion
Milk Bank WGL strives to be a workplace that welcomes all staff regardless of background. Just and fair inclusion ensures that all individuals can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential. To contribute to an equitable workplace and community, we provide professional development opportunities for staff, promote from within, utilize local vendors, partner with community organizations, conduct research on health disparities, offer Charity Care discounts, and advocate for fair healthcare policies.
Culture of Service
The work of Milk Bank WGL is rooted in service to recipient families, donor families, and communities. We aim to lift others up and find meaning in our work. In doing so, we can help improve health outcomes for individuals and advance the health system as a whole. We rely on tenets of respect and equity to ensure services are tailored to our communities, including community groups with special needs.
Equity Committee
Mothers’ Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes (Milk Bank WGL) uses an equity lens to guide programs and services. As we educate our community on health equity and disparities, we want to ensure we do our best to address equity on all levels. Milk Bank WGL’s equity committee was formed to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion internally and externally.
The committee serves as advocates and leaders for employees and the communities that the milk bank serves. The committee believes in the importance of Service, Equity, and Accountability (S.E.A). Through these attributes, equity is assessed through the implementation of policies, programs, and practices to ensure that any issues or concerns are addressed and resolved.
Equity Committee Mission
Milk Bank WGL applies a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) lens to all of our endeavors in order to ensure that our organization reflects the community we serve and establish genuine, long-term community relationships.
Service
Milk Bank WGL prides itself in the education, research, and outreach that it participates in. This includes the community education, healthcare provider education, panel discussions/town hall meetings, webinars, community baby showers, health fairs, and various other gatherings. Milk Bank WGL continues to promote breastfeeding and access to donor milk.
Equity
Milk Bank WGL prides itself in having a team that reflects the communities we serve, but we also look beyond race when discussing equity. We advocate for health equity amongst underserved communities , and are constantly updating our language, internal policies (e.g. pay), programs and practices, environment and facility, partnerships, etc.
Accountability
Milk Bank WGL holds itself accountable by learning from and listening to stakeholders, being transparent, evaluating and correcting practices, upholding goals and timelines, allocating funds and time to important projects, prioritizing equity, and practicing cultural humility.
