As part of our commitment to diversity, FMC sent seven participants to different parts of the developing world. Two of these volunteers recently shared their experiences with the Globe and Mail.

Melissa Ghislanzoni, an associate at FMC Toronto, spent several weeks in Botswana. Melissa was tasked with revising a deed of trust, which required lots of interaction with the locals. “They told me personal stories about ancestors, about their political struggles, the logistical challenges with revising the trust,” she said. She explains that her work there really opened her eyes to her work here and how important it is to know what her clients needs really are.

Jenn Muir, a marketing specialist at FMC Edmonton, went to the Vietnamese province of Binh Thuan. Jenn’s main responsibility was to act as a communications adviser to a community college, with the mandate of facilitating workshops and meeting strategically with management at the school. At the end of her three-week stay, Jenn didn’t want to leave Vietnam. But she returned to FMC with a renewed energy. “It was motivating for me as an employee to participate in this,” she says. “It invigorated me.”

A positive impression was left on both participants as they came back rejuvenated and with a new outlook on their personal and professional development.

Chris Pinnington, FMC’s chief executive officer, saw the program as a chance for the firm to show its commitment to diversity, but also saw it as a real business need. “There’s a pretty important business dimension to all of this, in terms of being responsible to our clients and aligning ourselves with their expectations of diversity,” he says.

For further information, please read Rasha Mourtada’s Globe and Mail Article, “Talent Without Borders“ (March 10, 2010).

Please read a related National Post article, Going AWOL in Africa, featuring Emma Williamson on her Leave for Change experience in Maun, Botswana (April 10, 2010).

Follow FMC member’s journeys on the Leave for Change Blog.