Supporting diversity and inclusion can be as complex or as simple as you want it to be. There is no shortage of research on the topic, and the sea of statistics, theories and processes further recognize how important diversity and inclusion are to the success of an organization.

At Express Scripts, we’ve removed the complexity to transform our company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion through thoughtful, engaging, impactful and interactive initiatives. And we did it with just three little letters – “I am.”

The goal of “I am” is to bring our diversity to life. We were looking for a fresh way to approach diversity — to refocus the discussion from what is typically viewed as diversity (gender and race) to recognizing that diversity goes beyond the visible characteristics to a true understanding of who each of us is.

The strength of our company comes from the amazing tapestry of cultures, perspectives and experiences of our employees. In the last year, our employees have taken the opportunity to share their own “I am” statements through our online mosaic.

Since the launch of this initiative, we’ve had more than 61,000 visits to the site that continues to grow every day with photos and unique “I am” statements. With statements like “I am a veteran”, “I am a mother of a princess”, “I am a marathoner – 9 times”, “ I am a newlywed”, “ I am a Child of God”, “ I am ten years clean”, “I am fascinated by differences” and “I am married to a member of the Cherokee Nation”, we have learned that our employees are proud and comfortable with who they are and want to share it with the entire Express Scripts community.

“This campaign marks a significant step forward in showcasing our diversity and reinforcing our commitment to a diverse and inclusive work environment”, says Susan Stith, Senior Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Corporate Giving. “Working for an organization that has allowed this type of initiative to take shape and flourish speaks volumes about who we are and where we are on the diversity journey.”

“Our solutions make the use of prescription drugs safer and more affordable and those solutions need to be as diverse as the 85 million Americans we are privileged to serve,” said George Paz, Chairman and CEO of Express Scripts. “We greatly value the diversity of thinking, expertise and background that our 30,000 employees bring to work every day.”

Our continued success depends on the unique skills, experiences and backgrounds of all our employees, and we’re accelerating our diversity journey through employee resource groups. This past year alone, we introduced four groups into the organization, focused on empowering women, supporting veterans and their families, making cultural connections and driving career development. We plan to launch disability and LGBTQ employee resource groups later this year.

That’s an example of what we’re doing at the macro level. On a personal level, you begin to see change with each individual interaction. During Ramadan last year, we had employees who were much more aware of and considerate of their colleagues. They understood some colleagues were fasting in accordance with religious beliefs, and decided without being asked to forgo food in their meetings.

Regardless of background, everyone wants the same thing: to be valued and respected. Sometimes, all it takes is starting a sentence with three simple letters – “I am.”