Issam Kaisse, Nielsen: Filling a need for Arab employees by starting a new affinity group

Issam Kaisse is a first-generation immigrant to the United States from Morocco, and he speaks five languages. Since he’d grown up living all over the world, he thought he would adapt to life here easily.

“I quickly realized when I came to the U.S. that it was different being an Arab immigrant. It was difficult to adapt at first…I could not relate to any ethnic group.”

His first shock in college was being asked to fill out his ethnicity on a form. He didn’t fit into any of the categories. He also discovered that many Americans knew very little about Morocco.

When he started at Nielsen seven years ago, he joined several affinity groups, which Nielsen calls “business resource groups." Unfortunately, none of them was the right fit. 

He approached Nielsen’s DEI team and proposed a new group for employees of Arab descent called Marhaba (Arabic for “hello”). 

At the first meeting, Issam talked about Ramadan and how Muslim people celebrate this month-long period. He was careful to note that just because you’re Arab doesn’t necessarily mean you’re Muslim. Issam explained that at least 400 million people of Arab descent live in 22 countries. 

Issam is grateful to be working for Nielsen because it’s a diverse company that encourages employees to express their opinions and suggest ideas. However, he notes the lack of Arab representation on the management team, as with most companies. 

Issam emphasizes that we don’t just need companies that value diversity; we also need employees willing to play their part.

“If you want to be part of a cycle and want to be part of the change, you have to speak up. And that's why I reached out to the diversity and inclusion team and said, ‘let's make this happen.’”

Marhaba consists of employees of Arab descent, but also others who are not. Issam enjoys educating people about Arab countries and culture, so that’s a big part of the BRG.

After sharing about the purpose and rituals of Ramadan on his kickoff call, Issam noticed a change. 

“People started asking me, ‘how's Ramadan going?’ or ‘Are you getting ready for Eid?’ And that was for me the happiest moment, because it made me realize I made an impact within the organization…and that's the purpose. The end goal is educate and share knowledge and provide the real meaning of being Arab.”

He also discovered other employees in the company who are also of Arab descent and even from Morocco.

Very few other companies have affinity groups for people of Arab descent. I asked him what advice he has for other companies who want to set up similar groups.

“Build the idea. Challenge it. Make sure you can answer questions…propose the idea to family and friends who aren’t from the same cultural group…”

He advises that company leaders listen to their employees, give them a way to express their thoughts and ideas, and look for ways to help them thrive and grow.

I alternate the Companies That Care podcast with my original podcast, Finding Fertile Ground, which shares personal stories of grit and resilience. On both my podcasts I strive to highlight voices from historically excluded populations, people who don't always get a platform. 

I help professional services companies avoid BORING by making communications painless and boosting employee engagement, productivity, and brand recognition. I turn lackluster, jargon-filled, or technical prose into clear dynamic narrative. Look us up on fertilegroundcommunications.com. 

Fertile Ground Communications LLC is a certified women-owned business enterprise, disadvantaged business enterprise, and emerging small business.