A Rallying Cry for Our Future: Culture, Speed, and the Power of Voice

As we approach our 125th anniversary, Day & Zimmermann stands at a crossroads between legacy and possibility. It’s a moment to honor our past, and even more so, to declare how we’ll shape our future.

The pace of change today is relentless. As Bill McDermott once said while leading SAP,

“The world is moving fast, but today is as slow as it will ever move.”

That truth is now undeniable. AI is accelerating everything, from innovation to decision-making and if we’re not willing to challenge the way we’ve always done things, we risk being left behind. The methods and mindsets that brought us success in the past won’t carry us forward. We need new thinking, and we need it now.

Let the Tenets Be Your Guide

Last year, I shared a blog about how our cultural tenets are not just aspirational, they are a catalyst. They are the blueprint for how we grow, innovate, and lead in a fast-moving world. But reading them is not enough. We need every employee to know them, internalize them, and use them as the foundation for bold change.

Our tenets call us to embrace collaboration, act with agility, be edgy (challenge the status quo), and have a passion for winning. They challenge us to move faster, collaborate more, and speak up when something is holding us back. They are not just ideals, they are how we create the culture that accelerates the next generation of thinking.

We have urged every employee to recommit to learning and living these tenets. This is how we transform from a company with a rich history into one with an unstoppable future.

Employee Voices Are Critical — Engagement Survey Launching Soon

In the coming weeks, our employees will receive an invitation to participate in D&Z’s upcoming employee engagement survey. This is their opportunity to help shape how we move forward. We want to understand how our employees see our culture evolving, where we’re doing well, and where we need to go further, especially when it comes to accelerating change.

We can only move the needle if we do it together. Employee voices matter, and this survey is a moment to make it heard, not just for feedback’s sake, but to help build the next era of D&Z.

Diversity: Our Enduring Advantage in a Changing World

We know the world is uncertain right now. But one thing that has never wavered at Day & Zimmermann is our commitment to diversity. We didn’t wait for a trend or a moment, we built our systems, our teams, and our standards around the belief that diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences lead to better solutions. Diversity is a core value, and with Opening Doors and other programs, we are also building inclusive environments to make sure all of these diverse voices are heard. Our programs have long been grounded in legal rigor and ethical clarity, designed not to meet a quota but to deliver excellence to our customers.

So no, we don’t need to slow down. Because we’ve always had inclusion and diversity built in, for the right reasons. And that gives us the strength and clarity to keep moving forward with confidence.

The Time Is Now

The pace of change is not a threat, it’s a test. And the companies that pass it will be those that are bold enough to change fast, smart enough to center their culture, and brave enough to listen to every voice.

Let’s drive our future forward by embracing our tenets, lending our voices through our employee engagement survey, and upholding our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion. These are the pillars that will propel our progress.

We have the foundation. We have the people. We have the legacy. Now let’s build the next 125 years, together.