Mariyam Cementwala, a senior policy adviser in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion for the State Department, spoke regarding department plans and policies surrounding religious diversity. RNS Photo by Adelle M. Banks<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\u201cIt\u2019s a good sign, absolutely, because it shows we\u2019re not talking; we\u2019re actually putting it on paper and sharing it with (the U.S. Office of Personnel Management) and the White House that this is what we\u2019re going to do,\u201d she said in an interview. \u201cObviously, we talk about religious freedom abroad, and we also live or walk the walk at home.\u201d<\/p>\n
When the time came for questions in a breakout session featuring Whitacre and Patton, several company representatives volunteered to work together on model policies for handling requests for religious accommodation, with hopes of developing a FAQ for managers that could be shared within their network.<\/p>\n
Students at Mormon church-affiliated Brigham Young University spoke on a panel about how they won a \u201ccase competition\u201d that showed the importance and benefits of acknowledging, respecting and incorporating the faith of people in workplaces.<\/p>\n
Grim hoped the students\u2019 victory was a harbinger for the offices of the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cRising business students just expect that they should be able to bring who they are to work,\u201d he said. \u201cSo the next generation already has that mindset.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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