Every year Google publishes a diversity report as a way to measure and incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into its workplace and beyond. The annual report is one of the largest sets of diversity data in the tech field. In a fireside chat titled, “Telling Your Story of Positive Purpose,” at From Day One’s Silicon Valley conference in June, Google’s Maria Medrano told journalist Adam Lashinsky how nine years of the report’s data helps the tech giant shape its narrative and drive constructive change.

“We’re very committed to being learners and we’re committed to sharing those learnings with people,” said Medrano, Google’s senior director for diversity partnerships and external engagement. “It’s about sharing our experiences, what we’ve learned through the conversations we’ve had. And the work that we’re doing–not just inside of the company, but also what we’re doing in our community, and what we’re doing with the products that we build.”

The annual report enables Google to track its progress with diversity measures, creating greater transparency and accountability, and informing its policies. Medrano, who joined Google in early 2021 after serving as chief diversity officer for Visa, reflected on the impact of the commitments made by the company over the last two years. Like most of Silicon Valley, Google has lagged other industries when it comes to DEI, but the company is determined to catch up.

“From my perspective, it was having an understanding of it being much broader and bigger than the usual conversation around people,” she said. “Representation, retention, attrition–it’s really around society, and how we’re building a bridge community. We’ve seen great impact on our highest numbers of representation for our Black community, for our Latino community, and also for our women, which means that we’ve put the right parties in place.”

Medrano reported that last year was Google’s best year ever in hiring. “We’ve especially taken in women globally: 37.5% of our hires were women.” The company also hired more Black and Latino employees in the U.S. “We’re growing. It’s going to take time, it’s not going to happen overnight, but we’re going in the right direction.” The key, she said, is focusing on hiring for cultural “add” instead of cultural “fit.”

“We want to add a little of everyone into the company,” said Medrano. “That’s the beauty about diversity and inclusion being collaborative. The cultural adaptation of that component of ‘adding a little bit more’–think about a recipe, add a little bit more things and there are outcomes of that. I think that’s what gives us the opportunity to think about this holistically.”

Part of Google’s push for constructive change involves cultivating relationships with community partners, including research and academic institutions. That community outreach helps the company recruit and retain talent, and cultivates meaningful collaborations.

“Communities want to support organizations, but if we don’t stay close to them, then how are they going to understand how they can support us and vice versa?” Medrano said. “The world is bringing us a lot closer, but how do we do it in a way that’s not destructive? External organizations that are really committed, they’re mission-aligned to us around what we’re doing to retain our talent, develop our talent, to extend those moments—especially for underrepresented Googlers. I spend a lot of time getting to know lots of partners in the valley that help become an extension of who we are.”

One of Google’s biggest challenges is sustaining its products even in the midst of personnel changes, so it becomes even more vital to ensure that the organization has an inclusive culture to retain talent. The pandemic brought its own set of challenges, including enacting flexible policies related to hybrid and remote work. Medrano shared her own experience of working remotely from a multigenerational household in Sacramento.

“Most Googlers globally have started a hybrid work-week model,” Medrano said. “It’s a very real conversation on ‘This is what I need, these are the days, this is what the team needs.’ We’re all grownups here. And for folks that have been remote, helping them with their anxiety. It’s having conversations, sharing our experiences, and saying this is possible. Helping people, that’s all we can do.”

For one of the world’s largest and most influential companies, its purpose is powered by its people, Medrano said. It’s about creating an environment where everyone feels like they belong.

“‘Belonging’ for us is about understanding people’s perspectives,” said Medrano. “We welcome all viewpoints, but we also balance it with respect and dignity, and ensure that no one feels that they’re being talked over or whatnot. We’re all human and we have to understand this conversation is important, and it impacts each and every one of us very personally. We want to ensure that everyone feels respected and valued.”

Samantha Campos is a freelance journalist who’s worked for regional publications in Hawaii and California, with forays into medical cannabis and food justice nonprofits. She currently resides in Oakland, California.