At Radius, the global leader in employee resource group (ERG) development, we know that ERGs are a powerful business resource to drive inclusion and belonging. But how can organisations leverage ERGs to build a sense of community?
Through our work with companies like Arm, we see how ERGs can help businesses to do this- as this case study from our 2025 Global ERG Impact Report shows.
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) play a powerful role in reducing barriers to inclusion and organisations that invest in their ERGs create a culture of belonging. Leading technology provider Arm leverages the power of ERGs to build a sense of community for its global employee base, as Global DEI Manager Ian Shaw explains.
Based in Cambridge UK, Arm is building the future of computing. With more than 8,000 global employees, Arm technology powers everything from sensors to supercomputers and touches more than 70% of the population worldwide.
How ERGS can serve employees globally
Arm ERGs have been in place for around 6 years and following the launch of the company’s formal DEI strategy, Arm evolved the concept of ERGs to better serve employees globally, by delineating two pathways: Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and Employee Communities.
Arm ERGs are formally supported groups that build a sense of community for those from underrepresented and marginalised backgrounds based on primary dimensions of diversity, such as gender, sexual orientation and race/ethnicity. Arm Employee Communities, meanwhile, bring employees together with common interests that align with non-primary dimensions of diversity, such as religious affiliation, language, nationality, life stage, etc.
Both ERGs and Employee Communities follow a “glocal” approach, meaning they are globally aligned to Arm’s DEI strategy. Global DEI Manager Ian Shaw says that this dual approach reduces barriers to inclusion and belonging for everyone. “Each location or chapter is consistent with the groups’ overall charter and objectives, yet their approach is adjusted for local nuances”, he says. To ensure alignment and understanding of Arm’s DEI strategy at the global level, the DEI team brings together Arm’s ERGs and Employee Communities under one collective along with other active DEI working groups.
How ERGs drive impact
Central to the company’s DEI mission, Shaw says that when Arm ERGs and Employee Communities work together, they can drive significant impact. “These groups are critically important, as they provide safe spaces for colleagues, remove barriers to belonging and promote inclusion and connection. When they work together, they can also help to attract, engage, and retain employees, elevate organisational awareness on topics that impact specific communities, and provide feedback loops to the wider business on areas for improvement.”
By amplifying the voices of diverse communities, Arm employee networks add huge value to the business internally and this is perhaps felt most strongly within the DEI team, as Shaw explains. “We view DEI as an enabler of our business strategy, and we know that data shows diverse and inclusive teams are higher-performing and more innovative. As such, our ERGs help the DEI team build inclusion into the DNA of our dayto-day work and integrate DEI broadly across teams and the business so everyone, regardless of background, can thrive and contribute to help us achieve our business goals.
How can organisations leverage ERGs as a resource?
”Arm ERGs are often leveraged by the DEI and People teams for their unique perspectives and community knowledge. They also provide consultation to key stakeholders across the business on workplace initiatives, employee orientation and onboarding, mentorship and other internal efforts.
Shaw cites many examples of how Arm ERGs have influenced change across the business, including the development of health benefit policies for transgender colleagues, led by Pride@Arm and the creation of a new accommodations process for prospective employees, shaped by the Neurodiversity@Arm ERG. Collectively, Arm ERGs are consulted when forming company-wide surveys which are used to better understand the demographics and needs of Arm’s global population.
A striking example of ERG impact can be found in the company’s Black@Arm ERG, which was launched in 2020 during a time of increased racial tension and global outrage sparked by the racially motivated murders of George Floyd and other Black victims. Black@Arm took the initiative to play a leading role in Arm’s DEI journey by increasing company-wide awareness and elevating the voice of the global Black community, as Ian explains. “For two years, they planned and executed an enterprise-wide, multi day virtual DEI conference for Arm’s global workforce – a huge achievement. The conference was well-received and attended and served as a catalyst to spark additional DEI efforts and conversations across the business.
Reflecting on the legacy of Arm ERGs and Employee Communities, Ian says that they strengthen the company’s culture of belonging and bring its core beliefs to life.
“Our ERGs are critical partners in driving Arm’s DEI strategy. Whether through their individual efforts to build community, inspire allies, and educate employees, or through their consultative work with the People team, DEI team, and business leaders, their impact is felt across the company. Arm ERGs help us foster an inclusive environment where representation matters, individuals are valued, diverse perspectives are heard, and everyone’s skills are fully utilised.”
Radius is the global leader in employee network and resource group development. The 2025 Radius Global ERG Impact Report shines a light on the impact ERGs are making for businesses all over the world.
Download the full report here and look out for our 2026 report, coming soon.
