Baldwin Subaru: A Model of Workplace Inclusion

• Baldwin Subaru champions diversity, creating a workplace where everyone feels valued.
• Guided by Subaru’s Heart Pillars, it promotes honesty, empathy, and mutual respect.
• Flexible work schedules support employees’ unique personal and family needs.
• Local charity partnerships strengthen community ties and employee pride.
• Fair hiring practices ensure equal opportunities for all team members.

Baldwin Subaru, a Louisiana-based car dealership, has garnered recognition for exemplary customer service, social contribution, and an inclusive workplace culture. We measure our success not only by selling cars but also by creating a workplace that includes and values everyone.

Subaru’s iconic starry logo has been captivating drivers since 1953.  Baldwin Subaru continues this tradition. We’re committed to helping customers find the perfect Subaru—new or pre-owned—with exceptional service. We also value our employees, which helps our team consistently reach their potential. 

Baldwin Motors was founded in 1950 and has been a family-owned business for generations. In 2001, we partnered with Subaru and opened Baldwin Subaru, which is now the longest-running Subaru dealership in Louisiana.

Why Inclusive Work Culture Matters to Baldwin Subaru

Women have long advocated for fair treatment. They want support and the opportunity to thrive at their workplaces. An inclusive work culture includes “round tables” or open spaces where everyone can share their ideas and concerns. Whether through open-door policies, suggestion boxes, or regular meetings, Baldwin Subaru gives everyone a voice. This helps guide the company toward continuous inclusion.

Building a professional atmosphere that is safe, inclusive, and accountable isn’t easy. However, at Baldwin Subaru, we understand that every element of our operations contributes to its overall success. Therefore, we follow Subaru’s five Heart Pillars to help maintain a sustainable and supportive office culture.

The Five Heart Pillars 

The five Heart Pillars of Subaru are virtuous goals that inspire our team in their daily interactions with each other, customers, and the community:

1. Honesty – To remain truthful in all interactions
2. Empathy – To understand and share the feelings of others
3. Appreciation – To acknowledge and value each other’s contributions
4. Respect – To maintain fair and dignified treatment of everyone
5. Trust – To build reliable and trustworthy relationships

These Heart Pillars guide our company in creating a fair and equitable workplace. We implement strategies to ensure that everyone has opportunities for hiring, promotions, and professional development. 

The key to Baldwin Subaru’s success lies in our dedicated team. By fostering a culture of low turnover, employee satisfaction, and strong manager-employee relationships, we maintain a tradition of excellence. Our pet-friendly environment also adds to the positive atmosphere, contributing to the overall happiness and morale in the office.

Baldwin Subaru’s dedication to philanthropy is also a cornerstone of our success. Baldwin Subaru donates a percentage of every sale to non-profit organizations such as St. Tammany Department of Animal Services, Northshore Food Bank, and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, among others. Contributing thousands of dollars every year over just the past decade has facilitated sustainable social impact in our community. Naturally, this fosters brand loyalty and continued growth, allowing us to drive more endearing initiatives to customers, partners, and employees. This heart-led, empathetic approach is deeply rooted in our values.

6 Strategies for an Inclusive Workplace

Baldwin Subaru uses several strategies to create a welcoming environment where everyone feels they belong. We understand that happy staff leads to satisfied customers. Here’s how we do it:

1. Employee Benefits

Our company recognizes that the traditional 40-hour workweek model may not be practical for many employees. With the rapid pace of technological advancements, evolving work demands, and shifting cultural, social, and economic dynamics, flexibility and new approaches are essential.

We understand that individuals with children, chronic illnesses, financial constraints, or other caregiving responsibilities require a stable workplace that offers support. It’s not just women who need childcare—single fathers and grandparents caring for children can also benefit from a flexible, inclusive environment that serves their unique needs.

Understanding that these circumstances can affect anyone, we aim to provide a stable and supportive work environment. We offer flexible work arrangements to cater to our employees’ unique needs and situations.

2. Investing in Employee Growth

Baldwin Subaru believes in open communication and providing growth opportunities. Employees are more motivated to excel in their roles when they receive the tools and training they need to succeed. Investing in employees’ development excites their passion, and they bring this positive energy to work. 

3. Unbiased Hiring Practices

All good intentions start at the ground level. To foster an equitable workplace that supports underrepresented groups, a company must start by bringing awareness to business operations and hiring practices. Our company strives to widen our talent pool by looking beyond qualifications like a bachelor’s degree. Without relying solely on traditional hiring practices, we focus on skills and experiences that benefit the team.

4. Giving Credit Where It’s Due

When evaluating employees’ performance, it’s important to pay attention to sales data, goals, or other evidence-based metrics. Focusing on results determined by factual data helps executives avoid prejudice such as gender bias. Baldwin Subaru ensures that credit for work is based on factual achievements rather than personal opinions. 

5. Coaching and Mentoring

Remember that offering coaching, mentoring, or other collaborative and educational opportunities for employees helps uncover and develop talent. Offering these programs to everyone prevents senior employees from playing favorites. Furthermore, it helps promote camaraderie and close-knit interpersonal relationships that facilitate the kind of smooth working operations every leader wants. Sharing knowledge across departments is essential for preventing obstacles before they arise. When everyone understands why X needs Y through Z, they can collaborate more effectively. This also ensures tasks are understood by all involved and are completed smoothly without attempts to shift accountability.

6. Community and Collaboration

At Baldwin Subaru, we value community outreach as an important part of building connections beyond the workplace. We encourage our employees to join us for, volunteer, donation, and pet adoption events.  These activities bring together colleagues who might only see each other during work hours, fostering stronger relationships. We believe this also reinforces their enthusiasm for giving back to the community and keeps our culture strong. 

These groups not only strengthen bonds within the company but also engage with the wider community, creating lasting connections with individuals, families, and like-minded organizations.

Fostering an inclusive workplace culture benefits everyone. Elevating historically and currently marginalized groups not only helps heal past injustices but also leads us all toward a brighter future. At Baldwin Subaru, we’ve seen this firsthand—our numerous accolades and awards reflect the success of our inclusive business model and the quality of our team.