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The Five Stages of DEI Maturity

• Ella F. Washington

Many organizations take big actions in the realm of DEI because of something they see another company do—such as publicly declaring themselves champions of people of color or setting an ambitious top-down DEI strategy across the firm. However, these grand stances usually fizzle out, leaving leaders frustrated and saying, “DEI work is too hard. It takes too long to see results.”

The fact is, DEI isn’t a short-term project, and a company making big moves before it has the right culture and structures in place is likely to fail, leaving marginalized employees and customers no better off and giving companies a reputation for hollow promises.

Academic research and the author’s experience working with firms on DEI strategy suggest that companies tend to follow predictable stages on their DEI journey. In this article, Georgetown professor and organizational psychologist Ella F. Washington describes the five stages: aware, compliant, tactical, integrated, and sustainable. She also includes questions for leadership teams to ask themselves. Understanding what stage your company is in can help you decide where to focus your energies most effectively and keep you from getting stuck.

How to move from promises to results

Idea in Brief

The problem.

Companies looking to make progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion goals often make big declarations or try to implement ambitious top-down strategies before they have the right culture and structures in place. Such efforts often fail, leaving marginalized employees and customers no better off and giving companies a reputation for hollow promises.

Academic research and the author’s experience working with firms on DEI strategy suggest that companies typically move through five stages: aware, compliant, tactical, integrated, and sustainable.

How to Use It

Knowing what stage your firm is in can help you decide where to focus your DEI energies most effectively and what questions your leadership team should be asking to keep you from getting stuck.

Since the murder of George Floyd, in 2020, I’ve spoken with countless CEOs and chief human resources officers as they responded to the racial violence they witnessed that summer. And I’ve noticed a pattern: Leaders first tend to express deep concern and then ask if their company is instituting all the best diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. They are eager to know what other companies are doing and how their own efforts stack up. Many firms take action because of something they see another company do—such as publicly declaring itself a champion of people of color or setting a top-down DEI strategy across the organization. But these grand stances usually fizzle out, leaving leaders throwing up their hands and saying, “DEI work is too hard. It takes too long to see results.”

The fact is, DEI isn’t a short-term project, and a company making big moves before it’s ready will most likely fail to meet its objectives, leaving minority employees and community members continually marginalized. Moreover, doing so can give the organization a reputation for hollow, performative promises. Many companies that rushed to meet the moment in 2020, for example, pledged thousands of dollars to build racial equity but did not have a structure in place to support the implementation of new initiatives. As a result, they still haven’t made any progress in improving their employees’ and communities’ lived experiences.

There is good news, however. More than 40 years of academic research and my experience helping hundreds of companies on their DEI journeys have shown me that companies tend to follow predictable stages on the DEI journey in sequence. When they understand which stage they’re in, they can focus their energies on the right activities, making their DEI efforts more successful and making it more likely that they’ll keep progressing.

In this article I describe the five stages: aware, compliant, tactical, integrated, and sustainable. For each one, I include questions for leadership teams to ask themselves to focus their efforts and keep moving forward. Although there’s no one-size-fits-all DEI solution, a typical journey through these stages includes connecting top-down strategy and bottom-up initiatives around DEI, developing an organization-wide culture of inclusion, and, ultimately, creating equity in both policy and practice.

[   Stage One   ] Aware

For many companies, the process of being intentional about DEI begins with a trigger—for example, a lawsuit, being called out by investors, or a traumatic experience such as George Floyd’s murder. That gut punch of awareness can prompt soul-searching and a genuine desire to change course.

Companies entering the aware stage generally fall into one of two camps: successful older organizations that have never prioritized DEI or start-ups so deeply focused on survival that they’ve neglected to create strong human-capital practices. After a wake-up call, both camps often make high-minded public statements about their attitudes and intentions toward DEI. But what’s really needed at this point is for them to be honest internally—especially within the leadership team. Leaders should ask themselves:

Why does DEI matter to us personally? Understanding colleagues’ personal experiences of diversity or discrimination inside and outside the organization builds a necessary foundation of shared understanding and trust for further strategy work and for speaking with the broader organization about these topics.

Where do we want to go? Setting a collective internal vision for the company’s DEI work will help point you in the right direction as you get started. Leaders will have differing ideas of what DEI should look like, especially when they come from a broad range of backgrounds. So they must first agree on a vision of where to focus: Diversity of employees, having a better relationship with the community, building a more inclusive culture, and fixing the brand’s reputation are all appropriate goals. Ultimately, companies should be doing all these things, but when they are just starting out, they need a specific target.

A company making big DEI moves before it’s ready will most likely fail to meet its objectives, leaving minority employees and community members continually marginalized.

When setting goals, companies should take particular care to avoid benchmarking themselves against companies that may be at a later stage of DEI maturity. For example, the ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s, whose cofounders are the longtime social-justice activists Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, boldly stated, “We must dismantle white supremacy” on its corporate web page and social media accounts in 2020. That is laudable, but if a company hasn’t already built the structures and culture to act on such a stand—as Ben & Jerry’s had—it will appear performative. Instead of making sweeping statements, companies in the aware stage should choose a narrower, more tactical goal.

Iora Health, whose mission is to “restore humanity to health care,” is working to transform primary care. Since its founding in 2011, the Boston-based organization has opened 48 practices in 10 states and reduced hospitalizations of its patients by more than 40%. (It has since been acquired by One Medical, which Amazon recently announced plans to buy.)

In June of 2020 Iora’s cofounder Alexander Packard was shaken by the news of George Floyd’s murder, and he knew that it was affecting his teams as well. He spoke candidly with four Black leaders in the organization, asking questions about race and racism, subjects he had never broached with them before. He was surprised to learn that many Black and Brown employees had never felt supported at the company. He had always assumed that Iora’s mission—which led it to serve many people in marginalized groups—meant that it didn’t need an intentional approach to DEI, but he realized that wasn’t the case.

I led Iora’s full leadership team in a two-part conversation about its DEI vision. During the first part, leaders spoke of their experiences with race. Some acknowledged that they had been largely unaware of issues of race and privilege; others shared deeply personal experiences from their childhood and professional life. The second part of the conversation built on the emotional momentum of the first. The leaders admitted that they weren’t sure they were all aligned on the kind of diversity efforts they were looking for. They shared their own visions of what DEI should mean for the organization and then worked together to define what DEI would look like at Iora. They determined that for them, it meant serving a diverse patient population—including patients who might harbor racial biases—as well as supporting their Black and Brown team members. Navigating that tension has formed the basis of their DEI policies ever since.

[   Stage Two   ] Compliant

Companies need to meet many industry and government requirements for diversity, such as EEOC laws in the United States. Additionally, businesses that have been subject to DEI lawsuits may have agreed to certain settlement terms. Some companies might pursue voluntary compliance and compare their DEI goals with those of competitors. At the compliant stage the thinking is typically, We do DEI because we have to. It’s worth noting that a company could be compliant without ever going through the aware stage, but it would be ill-equipped to proceed any further without the foundational work done there.

Nearly a third of companies today find themselves in the compliant phase, according to a study of more than 10,000 knowledge workers in the United States, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom (see the exhibit “A Snapshot of Companies’ DEI Progress”). This is partly good news: There is certainly a benefit to compliance. Regulations and requirements can spark meaningful changes in organizations because their terms and goals are so concrete. Whether it’s talent selection, performance reviews, or diversity training and mentorship programs, companies are given specific direction on change. They often set up scorecards and use performance scores to determine leaders’ bonus compensation. And doing the work to fulfill the specific terms of a compliance settlement can help an organization rebuild a reputation tarnished by poor DEI practices.

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Still, it’s notable—and concerning—that many companies become stuck in this stage. Just because a company is compliant doesn’t mean its diversity initiatives are mature or connected with the organization’s overall strategy. Many leaders of firms in this stage have not done the soul-searching needed to make real changes to their cultures. And although their diversity numbers may be good at the frontline level, employees from minority groups may still feel unsupported or unable to advance. Furthermore, research has shown that without an inclusive culture, a diverse workforce will not yield the tangible benefits of teamwork, creativity, better problem-solving, and so on. To go beyond the compliant phase, leaders should ask:

Where can we set goals that are bigger than our compliance targets? Companies that have managed to move past this stage have used the requirements imposed by regulations not as end goals but as springboards for further efforts. For example, they push themselves to exceed their metrics for success or keep incentives in place long after regulatory requirements expire.

How can DEI help us to meet our other goals? Moving on from the compliant stage can be challenging because it requires the wholehearted buy-in of senior executives and managers who may never have experienced the kinds of discrimination you’re trying to fight. To get them on board, show them how DEI efforts can help your organization achieve its specific mission, values, and goals. While there is a risk that highlighting the business case for DEI obscures the ultimate ethical point that everyone should be treated with respect and have an opportunity to succeed, history has shown us the limits of moral conviction around DEI in the workplace.

In the 1990s the Denny’s chain of fast-food restaurants was mired in numerous racial-bias lawsuits and scandals. After first contesting the suits, Denny’s eventually settled with a large payout and a consent decree, which required the company to create written antidiscrimination policies, inform the public of those policies, provide training to all employees, and monitor and report any future incidents.

In 1994 Denny’s hired April Kelly-Drummond to lead its diversity initiatives; under her guidance the company surpassed the terms of its consent decree. For example, the settlement mandated that all employees attend diversity training within 90 days of joining Denny’s and attend a second session within 270 days; Denny’s tightened those requirements to 75 days and 225 days. In fact, the company’s strong performance led to its release from oversight by the Office of the Civil Rights Monitor a year early. After its release, Denny’s didn’t let up: It even placed a toll-free number in every restaurant to encourage others to help identify problems. The company also tackled bias in hiring beyond the scope of the original decree, broadened its recruitment efforts, and built a promotion pipeline. Further, it instituted an incentive structure around DEI goals. For example, 25% of senior management’s incentive bonus was tied to the advancement of women and minorities.

In the 30 years since the lawsuits, Denny’s has gone above and beyond the consent decree’s original mandate, and its whole culture has changed. The chain has recaptured sales, repaired its reputation in local communities, and been named one of Newsweek ’s best places to work.

[   Stage Three   ] Tactical

Organizations in the tactical stage have moved beyond meeting the rules imposed on them and are fully engaged in executing their own DEI initiatives, which tend to be bottom-up. These companies might have flourishing grassroots efforts such as employee resource groups (ERGs) and teams that institute their own DEI processes—perhaps community guidelines for handling microaggressions or appointed devil’s advocates in meetings to make sure diverse opinions are heard. There may be some top-down strategy or programming, such as a celebration of Pride month, but it is largely executed independently by individual managers. Companies at the tactical stage are on their way to changing their cultures: Employees at all levels may engage in tough conversations about bias and give one another feedback; groups may take care to improve diversity of thought in their decision-making.

Yet companies in this stage typically still lack a strategic DEI approach that drives the entire business. Uncoordinated efforts mean that one area of the organization may champion DEI efforts while other areas ignore them. Consider Nike: Its 1988 “Just do it” campaign famously featured commercials for all customers regardless of age, gender, or physical fitness level, and the company publicly supported Colin Kaepernick in 2018 after his protests against racial inequality and police brutality. But Nike also has a troubling history of DEI offenses. In 2003 the company settled a racial-discrimination lawsuit filed by 400 employees, and in 2018 it faced a gender discrimination lawsuit alleging unequal pay for women and a hostile work environment. As we might expect with a company in the tactical stage, Nike’s DEI efforts have been uneven, excelling in some customer-facing units but proving woefully inadequate in other areas. To better align their organizations, leaders should ask:

What’s our strategy? You need to start defining an overarching DEI strategy that brings all your company’s efforts together. Still, don’t shoot too high: Companies that are most successful in implementing a new DEI strategy home in on a short list of priorities that can be connected to short- and long-term goals and metrics.

Where do we need to standardize? Do different units approach basic practices such as hiring differently? If some departments have made progress in creating an inclusive culture, learn from them and replicate their policies.

How can we connect DEI work up and down the organization? A feedback loop between team members, managers, and senior leaders is critical to the success of a DEI strategy. Executive buy-in can help clear cultural obstacles within a company and build a communal sense of responsibility for programs. Holding regular meetings between senior leaders and the leaders of grassroots efforts like ERGs can give you a good sense of whether your DEI efforts are improving corporate culture.

What is our full sphere of influence? Your company touches people beyond its employees: Take a close look at the impacts of discrimination or inequity across internal and external stakeholders, including employees, customers, partners, suppliers, shareholders, competitors, and your community. Look for ways to reduce existing inequities and build inclusion with those stakeholders as well.

The productivity-software firm Slack, which is in the tactical stage, has taken a decentralized and often employee-led approach to its DEI efforts. The company has encouraged employees to create an array of identity-based communities, and thus its DEI efforts are in large part the work of ERGs.

The work of DEI is never done. Without continued vigilance, even organizations in the sustainable stage can slide backward.

To ensure that these groups are more than social venues or places for commiseration, company leaders have made a concerted effort to regularly connect with them. Their monthly meetings uncover employee concerns and give ERGs early insight into the direction of the company and an opportunity to influence that path. ERGs also serve as a testing ground for new process ideas. ERG sponsors, meanwhile, are better able to understand the needs of employees and can give the groups greater exposure across the organization.

Slack has now begun to standardize some DEI processes. After the company created guidelines for interview questions to ensure that each candidate was treated similarly, regardless of the interviewer, the number of women in technical roles grew by almost 5% in a year. And Slack has brought its DEI gains to its larger sphere of influence with the introduction of Slack for Good, an initiative that aims to increase the number of people from historically underrepresented communities in the technology industry.

[   Stage Four   ] Integrated

Once an organization has aligned internal and external efforts and connected top-down and bottom-up efforts, it has reached the integrated stage. An integrated organization has defined its DEI strategy, developed a culture of inclusion, and taken a close look at the impacts of discrimination and inequity across its internal and external stakeholders, seeking to address those challenges. Companies in this stage can truly say, “DEI is part of everything we do.”

Despite this achievement, humility is the most common attribute of companies in this stage. For most, reaching this level has required experimentation to learn what works and what doesn’t. Leaders of companies with long-standing and celebrated DEI programs must be modest enough to change course if what they are doing isn’t working.

Leaders also worry that their success or even their efforts may be short-lived. DEI advances can often be linked to a particular event, to favorable market conditions, or to a particular leader’s passion. To move on from the integrated stage, leaders must ask:

What systems and structures do we need to create? The current passion for and attention to DEI needs to be encoded in the way that the company works so that it persists beyond one leader’s tenure or the current market cycle. The company needs to build programming that removes the burden of continuing the drumbeat for DEI from the shoulders of people in underrepresented communities themselves.

Why not? To move into the sustainable stage, companies must challenge the status quo and do things that simply weren’t done before. They must also regularly evaluate the effectiveness of what they are doing for its impact on people and the business.

A common assumption I encounter in my work is that minority-owned businesses don’t need to put as much effort into DEI. This assumption couldn’t be more wrong, for many reasons. DEI goes beyond representation alone. Every organization, no matter its demographic makeup, must be intentional about the equitable nature of its systemic structures, such as hiring and promotion, and must focus on making the culture diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

Uncle Nearest is a whiskey distillery founded by Fawn Weaver, a Black woman who was inspired when she read the story of Nathan “Nearest” Green, an enslaved man in Tennessee who applied water-filtering techniques he had learned in West Africa to whiskey and became the first master distiller for Jack Daniels. Weaver launched a new distillery to honor his name; in a few short years it became the fastest-growing whiskey brand in the country and is now the best-selling African American–owned and African American–founded spirit brand of all time. Weaver built the company from the start with a clear DEI strategy, a goal to change her larger industry, a culture of confidence and self-expression, and a requirement for diversity in hiring.

But when Weaver tried to fulfill her vision for diverse recruitment, she couldn’t find enough Black talent to hire. “One of the things I realized was that if I wasn’t getting résumés of African Americans, then nobody in the industry was,” she explains. “So the question became ‘How do we get more African Americans interested in the spirit business? How can we be creative about building this longer-term pipeline?’” Weaver broke traditional hiring rules to achieve her goals: For example, she left positions open longer than her competitors did—up to two years—to maintain demographic diversity on her teams. Her willingness to challenge the status quo and think big has helped her to establish Uncle Nearest and ensure that its mission and commitment to DEI will outlive her tenure at the company. Uncle Nearest, founded in 2017, is still a new company, so it’s hard to say it has reached the sustainable stage yet, but it is on its way.

[   Stage Five   ] Sustainable

Organizations whose DEI efforts are deeply embedded in their corporate DNA have entered the sustainable stage. Their DEI efforts pass stress tests such as economic challenges and changes in leadership, and their leaders have a mindset of continuous improvement.

Take the technology giant Intel. In 2015 then-CEO Brian Krzanich announced a $300 million five-year plan to bring the company’s workforce to “full representation” by 2020, initiating programs such as a $4,000 bonus for employees who successfully referred candidates from marginalized groups and a $5 million partnership to develop a high school computer-science curriculum for the Oakland Unified School District. In just six months the number of female and minority hires had surpassed the initial 40% goal for the year. Over the course of Krzanich’s tenure hires from underrepresented communities increased by 31%, and Intel’s female workforce increased by almost 43%.

But in 2018 Krzanich resigned after violating a non-fraternization policy with a colleague. Such a charged change in leadership could have meant an end to the policies championed by the outgoing leader. But Intel’s next CEO, Robert (Bob) Swan, continued to set ambitious DEI goals. For example, in 2020 Intel pledged to increase the number of women in technical roles to 40% and to double the number of women and underrepresented minorities in senior roles by 2030. Swan left Intel in 2021, but that hasn’t slowed Intel’s commitment to DEI. According to its Corporate Sustainability Report 2021–2022, the company extended its Inclusive Leaders program and integrated the inclusion content into its Manager Academy training, which it began rolling out to its 13,000 managers. In 2021 it required all hiring managers to receive training in inclusive hiring practices. Further, it has initiatives in place to “increase the number of women hired for technician, engineering hardware and software roles” and has tied increased representation of women in technical roles to an annual performance bonus goal for all employees in 2022. DEI has become integral to its culture.

The work of DEI is never done. Without continued vigilance, even an organization that has designed systems and structures to remain sustainable through change can easily slide backward. True commitment to DEI requires continuous improvement by reassessing strategies and initiatives as the organization grows and as the world changes. For example, if you open your first-ever office in India, you will have new DEI challenges to solve. The same is true if some event in the world shines a bright light on inequity that you hadn’t known was there.

Regardless of which stage you’re in, knowing where you are on your DEI journey can help you focus on the right questions to keep moving forward.

Ella F. Washington is the author of The Necessary Journey: Making Real Progress on Equity and Inclusion (HBR Press, November 2022), from which this article is adapted.

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• Ella F. Washington  is an organizational psychologist; the founder and CEO of Ellavate Solutions, a DEI strategy firm; and a professor of practice at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. She is the author of  The Necessary Journey: Making Real Progress on Equity and Inclusion  (HBR Press, November 2022) and  Unspoken: A Guide to Cracking the Hidden Corporate Code  (Forbes Books, May 2024). 

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It's never too late: HR's guide to starting your DEI journey, shared by 14 leaders

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These leaders share their advice for organisations that have not yet prioritised DEI, ranging from one thing they can do to get started, to practices and beliefs that need to stop immediately. 

It is never too late to start focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). As such a complex and extensive topic, it may understandably be daunting — even confusing — for many organisations to even begin to address. After all, DEI is a continuous process that is deeply rooted in all aspects of the way a company runs. 

As a guide, 14 leaders share with Arina Sofiah their advice for organisations that have not yet prioritised DEI, ranging from one thing they can do to get started, to practices and beliefs that need to stop immediately. Read on for some inspiration!

Shiyun Wan, Government Affairs and Public Policy Manager, PPRO

Businesses that haven’t yet taken steps to prioritise DEI should not panic – it’s never too late to start!

A great first step toward tackling inequality in the workplace is educating HR and decision-making staff on unconscious bias that aids discrimination . This is an extremely valuable exercise because, while many people might not realise their biases, they influence both the way teams are structured, and the roles and responsibilities of those within a team. For example, a result of unconscious bias might be that women are the ones being asked to order coffees for meetings, or book meeting rooms, rather than men. These types of tasks are easily divided between teams, and raising awareness that this is happening is the first step an organisation needs to take to tackle the issue.

Something that organisations should also stop in order to be more diverse, is to remove names and genders from CVs and job applications . This will help to rid the decision-making process of unconscious bias, and ensure candidates are selected on the merit of their experience, rather than their gender, race, religion, or economic background.

Kaja Natland, Regional President Asia Pacific-Japan, Organon

At Organon, we believe women are the foundation of a healthier world, and that gender equity is critical to women’s health and prosperity. Our commitment to gender equity reflects a whole-of-company approach and guides the creation of a responsible and sustainable business. For example, our highly experienced board of directors is 70% women, setting a new standard for diversity . We are committed to listening to women and working in partnership with others to implement change.

For example, on International Women’s Day this year, we provided paid time-off for our employees worldwide to focus on their health or the health of the women in their lives . We are asking organisations to join us to raise awareness of the inequity in women’s health and be part of the solution. When women rise, we all rise — and when women are healthy and empowered, so too are their families and communities.

Andy Sim, Vice President and Managing Director, Singapore, Dell Technologies

Today, DEI is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ but a business imperative for organisations to attract and retain talent, spur innovation, and drive business growth. Recognising this is the first step for organisations to change mindsets and prioritise a DEI strategy – and this must be driven from the top. Companies should also stop viewing DEI as the sole responsibility of the HR team, but instead a company-wide commitment to cultivating inclusion . For example, at Dell Technologies, we’ve set ambitious goals to have 50% of our global workforce and 40% of our global people leaders as those who identify as women by 2030.

For those starting from ground zero, begin by building awareness around DEI. One way to foster inclusivity is to introduce programmes to help employees understand and appreciate their differences. In line with our 2030 Moonshot Goals to cultivate inclusion, we educate employees on unconscious biases and how they impact inclusion through our Many Advocating Real Change (MARC) foundational course. This programme offers team members a judgment-free space to examine their beliefs and cope with challenging subjects directly and honestly .

Rachel Lau, Managing Partner, RHL Ventures

Start now. DEI has great benefits in encouraging natural creativity and innovation.

Be proactive in the ways you hire, and promote the workforce. But ideally, examples are led from the top, a robust diverse group with different ages, backgrounds, and gender on the board level will be critical to set the tone of the business. If we keep doing the same thing again and again, then we will fall behind. The only way forward is to change and disrupt the ways we do business.

Do not have biases, do not judge, do not put labels. Be open-minded, learn, grow, accept different ideas, listen to other viewpoints. Challenge, be creative, be bold in the way we look at problems , how we capitalise on the diversity of human talent, and leverage on the beauty of our differences.

Diversity, not conformity, is the way for us to innovate. The person who can't change is the person who is left behind .

Mae Cheah, President for Asia, TRAFALGAR

Real diversity is recognising that people aren’t a set of attributes on a spreadsheet and that every voice is unique . It’s this approach to diversity that leads to inclusion, and where an organisation should start if they are starting out on their DEI journey.

DEI initiatives should be prioritised in any organisation to reap the rewards of having a broader talent pool, more innovative ideas to make better business decisions, and fostering a happy and healthy workplace culture that leads to more productive employees and overall business growth.

However, DEI also needs to be reflected in the way an organisation does business. We at TRAFALGAR strive to make our guided tours as diverse and inclusive as possible. Recently, we also began offering Women's Only Tours to help women share the joy of travel with other women, all while exploring the world and inspiring each other along the way.

Integrating DEI practices isn't difficult at all. To successfully integrate DEI practices, you need to create allyship up, down, and across your organisation , ensuring that everyone has a voice, a genuine sense of belonging, and is encouraged to be part of the DEI journey. All it requires are dedicated leaders who champion the cause and integrate it into the organisation across all levels.

Phoebe Yan, Partner, Litigation, Paul Hastings

DEI is incredibly important and it makes a huge impact internally and externally. Organisations, particularly ones with a multinational presence, should incorporate citizenship programmes and other pro-bono activities, to encourage both global and regional DEI programmes.

One thing that a company can do right away to promote equity and diversity for women in the workplace is improve their child support systems for their employees . These can include offering flexible maternity and paternity leaves, allowing parents more flexibility at work, offering more support for pregnant employees and their family members returning after childbirth, and so on. We need to change the idea that having a child will unduly affect female employees’ ability to contribute meaningfully to the business.

Too much emphasis on career devotion, such that it presents both female and male employees with what appears to be a binary choice of "work vs. family," has led to many talented professionals giving up their careers too soon. The company culture needs to change so that it can retain talent who pursue families and are lost to this false binary choice .

Jennifer Gibb, Group Director, Human Resources, Singapore, International SOS

To get a kickstart on diversity, equality, and inclusion in the workplace, it is important to guide managers, implement ways to measures change, then assess progress. Critical to success is to demonstrate commitment from top leadership. By making diversity a discipline within the organisation, people will be educated and guided towards change, rather than being forced to adapt their behaviours . Our experience has shown that diversity initiatives should be implemented at the middle management level rather than at the top.

For example, m entoring and training promising female talent at the middle management level will ensure your promotional talent pool reflects diversity, and demonstrates commitment from the organisation. Employees who see the progress of such initiatives will also be inspired by change, and naturally buy into this long-term journey with the organisation.

Shefali Sharma, Head of People & Culture, Toku 

If organisations want to attract a younger talent pool, DEI is a must-have — not a preference.

Research shows that more diverse companies are more innovative internally and externally, and that diversity significantly impacts corporate outcomes and retention rates.

Organisations need to localise their DEI initiatives. Not prioritising DEI can lead to fewer applications for positions, resulting in a competitive disadvantage. Overall, DEI looks very different in a market like Asia as compared to the West. Most companies hire people based on the markets they work in across APAC. It's challenging to have a one-size-fits-all approach in a multi-cultural environment, especially in a country like Singapore which has always been a melting pot of different cultures for decades. Companies need to know how to tap into Asia's rich diversity and be self-aware of effective inclusion programmes and the ROI.

Companies need to ensure equitable and inclusive structures are put in place to support a diverse work culture. This is because finding the "right culture fit" has become increasingly crucial for jobseekers. If companies don't already have a safe space for existing underrepresented groups, they won’t be able to attract more diverse employees and retain them.

Here are a few things I believe are critical:

First, prioritise and assess corporate accountability and empower employees to drive company culture. This helps foster a sense of belonging and needs a top-down approach. Organisations can initiate an employee survey or pulse check to find out what the DEI gaps are that need to be addressed (e.g. Gender? LGBTQ? Ethnic/Religious minorities?)

Organisations can also launch an internal culture club to serve and hear from underrepresented groups better and increase the leadership team’s awareness of the different backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences within the company.

There must also be a P&C team in place to identify DEI needs . The team will also be responsible for enforcing anti-discrimination policies and protocols and conducting internal training to educate employees on topics such as how to be culturally sensitive, how to engage in inclusive conversations, and so on.

Companies need to stop posting job and company descriptions that don’t reflect what goes on behind the scenes .

It's essential to promote transparency and open communication. This also means making changes at the organisational, leadership, and individual levels to show they are committed to creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace.

Deb LaMere, Chief Human Resources Officer, Datasite

Making diversity and inclusion a priority in the workplace is a continuous process . To create change and new dynamics, there must be ongoing conversation and discussion. Last year, we initiated a series of quarterly Datasite employee diversity and inclusion events, including panel discussions, and are looking forward to more this year. In addition to this, leaders can take other small and daily steps, such as public recognition , to support a culture where employees feel seen and connected.

For example, one of our female product managers led her team in the development of a new application that was named a 2021 BIG Innovation Award winner. We spotlighted her achievement on social media and internally to show that having diverse leaders and employees is not only something we value but also gets results.

Clare Lin, Senior Director HRBP APAC, Yahoo

Many organisations’ DE&I programmes are often not part of the company DNA and, at times, done to tick a box. Relying on short-term diversity programmes to bring long-lasting impact, while well-intentioned, can create an illusion of inclusion and lead to more harm.

Organisations need to start from within. The process begins with evaluating the status quo to address underlying issues that genuinely resonate and enact real and meaningful change. Start with education, and implement clear policies that tackle unconscious bias — a significant but invisible barrier for women . At Yahoo, we have embedded DEI&B in everything we do, from hiring to development and employee engagement. Our DEI&B Employee Resource Group focuses on fostering strong, inclusive communities that celebrate diversity, amplify inclusion, and drive innovation through talent and representation.

Break the silence, recognise bad practices transparently, and empower change, whether top-down or bottom-up . Sometimes all it takes is one voice and action to start a chain reaction.

Deborah Woollard, Group Chief People Officer, MyRepublic

Start by building a shared understanding and agreement around what DEI means within your organisation. It is never possible to focus on all aspects of DEI all the time. Instead, double down on creating practices that build a culture based on inclusion rather than traditional diversity areas. If you can embed inclusive practices into your work practices, you will be on your way to building diversity in all aspects of your workplace. And most importantly bring in a diverse range of employee representatives to help you shape those practices. That way, inclusion is owned by all and not just dictated by a few.

The start of any DEI journey begins by acknowledging that we all have inherent biases and deeply-held beliefs. Building self-awareness around these biases and beliefs is a critical first step for any company seeking to make progress with its DEI agenda. Start creating space for open dialogue and a chance for your teams to share their experiences and to listen to others' perspectives with trust and openness . There are many great DEI programmes available that can serve as a good starting point to build a baseline of understanding and provide a good foundation from which to start creating open dialogue and discussion.

Equality and equity tend to be used interchangeably but actually have different meanings . Equality seeks to provide the same opportunities, support, and tools to everyone regardless of their individual circumstances. This does not result in fairness for all as it fails to take into consideration the unique circumstances an individual may have which makes their needs different.

Instead, we should be looking to create equity. We should customise our tools, practices, and support to address individual needs and circumstances so that everyone has the chance to succeed and reach equal outcomes. That is what makes a true DEI strategy successful.

June Chui, HR Director, Asia Pacific & Japan, Pure Storage

The impact of DEI, or the lack of it for companies, has existed for many years before the term was coined. If the essence of DEI isn't already in a company's DNA, they would likely have experienced lower employee engagement scores underpinned by a lack of belonging, sense of purpose, pride, and commitment.

DEI is not only important to drive higher engagement and productivity with current employees. It is equally important in impacting the success of talent acquisition and how the company engages with its partners and customers. It's important for companies to remember that DEI isn't just an inward-looking happiness index but also an important factor in long-term sustainability .

It can be daunting to create a full-fledged, multi-faceted DEI plan all at once. Think about how you can create an all-inclusive culture where all employees are encouraged and allowed to thrive. Start small with one to two focus areas that you see a direct impact on the business , which can easily be executed in areas that employees care about. Create diversity metrics as a first step, but also ensure that you are building your foundation around Inclusion and how you would create a work atmosphere without unconscious bias and be accepting of new diversity and equality initiatives.

Stop equating DEI to just a ratio of female and male employees. DEI is about encouraging the representation and participation of diverse groups of people. This includes not only people of different genders, races and ethnicities, abilities and disabilities, religions, cultures, ages, and sexual orientations, but also those with diverse backgrounds, experiences, skills, and expertise.

Mukta Arya, Chief Human Resources Officer, APAC, Societe Generale

For organisations that have not yet prioritised DEI, my advice will be to really analyse the issues facing the organisation in terms of DEI (could be traditional such as gender, cultural, or related to diversity in thoughts, social background, etc.), using organisational HR data on demographics, attrition, retention, succession planning and more, understand and quantify the difference it can make to the business if worked on. It should start from the top and senior management and then go down the path of establishing a diversity council and networks with wider involvement.

One thing that organisations should stop doing is following other organisations and adopting the "best practices" . It can work sometimes but not all the time as each organisation is unique with different issues related to diversity and potentially different solutions.

Sharon Tan, Director of Human Resources, W Singapore

At W Singapore – Sentosa Cove, we remain committed to inclusivity and equality, and that sense of acceptance is in our DNA. Having a diverse and inclusive workforce brings about positive differences like innovation, creativity, and other opportunities that, in turn, support overall business objectives. Being an inclusive employer also brings positive employer branding which impacts the organisation’s employee value proposition and will improve its talent acquisition and retention efforts.

Organisations can begin by introducing DEI initiatives in their recruitment efforts. Exclusion of having to ask about an applicant’s race, gender, age, religion, and marital status at the recruitment stage , can be the first step towards building a DEI programme. Additionally, it is important that any DEI initiatives being introduced should be sustainable, with key stakeholders aligned . In my opinion, organisations should stop stereotyping employees or applicants. This would allow more opportunities to explore and gain different insights and new probabilities.

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5 steps to create your DEI roadmap

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Donovan Chiu

Writer, Culture Amp

“Today, diversity and inclusion efforts are a given,” writes a Forbes Insights report . In their survey of 321 executives working for large global enterprises, Forbes reported that nearly every company in the survey (97%) had formal diversity and inclusion strategies in place. Despite these promising statistics, Harvard Business Review found that 75% of global employees from underrepresented backgrounds reported that they didn’t feel like they’ve personally benefited from their organization’s DEI initiatives.

Meanwhile, in the EMEA region, Russell Reynolds Associates found that despite 63% of European executives reporting that their organization has a DEI strategy, 20% of these organizations are still in the early stages of their DEI journey and treat DEI as a compliance issue. More than a third of organizations (37%) have not even begun their journeys.

Mercer found that many organizations have not yet prioritized DEI in the APAC region, making DEI a critical opportunity for attracting top talent and stakeholders. In addition, PWC’s 2020 Diversity & Inclusion Benchmarking Survey found that ​​83% of organizations in APAC feel that DEI is a stated value or priority area.

Looking at these numbers, it’s clear that companies worldwide recognize the importance of DEI but are still struggling to understand what it takes to embark on a successful and meaningful DEI journey.

In this blog, which is based on the webinar “ DEI toolkit: Starting your Diversity, equity, and inclusion journey ,” we’ll go over the basics of DEI and sketch out a general roadmap that can help guide your DEI journey. We’ll also offer best practices that you can implement in your organization at any stage to help secure DEI success.

Understanding the basics of DEI

Before setting out on your DEI journey, it’s important to ensure that you understand what DEI is and align your understanding of its three core components: diversity, equity, and inclusion . Here is how we define and differentiate them:

• Diversity is defined as the range of human differences, including but not limited to gender, sexual orientation, disability, and age. For most organizations, diversity is the first step to DEI, as it addresses who employees are, but not how their work experiences differ.
• Equity is the concept that all employees deserve access to the same opportunities to grow, develop, and achieve while also acknowledging that there are advantages and barriers faced by certain groups that create imbalances. As not everyone comes from the same starting point, equity recognizes that organizations need to adjust practices to meet people where they are.
• Inclusion is the act of ensuring that employees of all identities feel welcomed, valued, and actively engaged. An inclusive workplace ensures that each individual feels like they’re a part of the collective and that each member is given the same rights and opportunities.

Two other key concepts are necessary for understanding DEI. The first is belonging - whether or not an employee feels secure, supported, and empowered to be their authentic self at work. A key outcome of inclusion, “belonging” directly impacts how engaged and committed someone feels at work.

Finally, there’s intersectionality . According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary , intersectionality is defined as: “The complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) combine, overlap, or intersect especially in the experiences of marginalized individuals or groups.”

In other words, different aspects of a person’s identity interact and intersect in unique ways. These different identities can reduce or compound the (dis)advantages somebody faces at work and in society. Building a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive world requires policies and practices that acknowledge employees’ whole selves.

In that sense, intersectionality can be thought of as a critical framework that organizations should apply to every DEI endeavor.

Now that we’ve established the basic foundation of DEI, let’s go ahead and map the DEI journey.

Mapping your DEI journey

A “typical” DEI journey consists of five “phases,” or “stages.'' An organization looking to take on DEI can be at any one of the following stages:

At this stage, there is very little collected data or employee feedback on DEI. Most organizations will find themselves at this pre-data phase. They will usually stay in this phase until someone in the organization (typically HR) takes a proactive step to make DEI part of its culture and priorities. In the pre-data stage, the organization has yet to secure executive buy-in from senior leaders.

Once executive buy-in has been secured, an organization moves into what’s known as the “explore” phase. At this point, organizations will start collecting data and employee feedback. However, many will struggle because they don’t know what questions should be asked or what data or metrics are relevant. This part of the journey will usually consist of collecting demographic information from employees and running surveys to understand their employees.

Once your organization regularly collects data from your employees and understands the employee experience, your organization can move into the “adapt” phase. In this stage, organizations begin to seriously engage with their DEI data and assess their current policies and programs. Organizations may start to build out a DEI strategy and draw up an action plan that addresses high-impact areas and issues.

As organizations continue to mature their DEI strategy, they’ll move into the “assess” stage, where they actively measure their DEI programs’ return on investment (ROI) and whether their actions drive a positive change to the organization.

Once organizations have established proficiency across the earlier stages (Pre-Data, Data, Assess), they can proceed to the “advanced” phase. At this point, an organization can expand its DEI approach to other aspects of the employee experience, such as performance management and employee development.

It’s important to note that there is no “right” or “wrong” place to be in your DEI journey because every organization is unique and has to start somewhere. Some organizations may find themselves moving along this journey sequentially, while others may get stuck and need help to move forward.

All that being said, this roadmap is meant to be a general overview of a typical DEI journey and should not be taken as specific instructions that guarantee DEI success. The key is understanding where you are in your DEI journey, where you want to go, and what the path forward requires.

Best practices to take on your DEI journey

DEI isn’t the responsibility of one person or team, and we shouldn’t treat DEI that way either. Rather, DEI is a responsibility that should be collectively shared and prioritized by every employee within your organization. As you go through your journey, consider the following best practices:

• Understand who your employees are . Accurate information and data on your employees are necessary for setting a solid foundation for any DEI work. Keep in mind that data from human resource information systems (HRIS) may not always be accurate. Incorporating self-reported demographics can help mitigate the shortcomings and fill in the gaps existing in your HRIS data.
• Conduct Inclusion surveys to understand the employee experience differs across demographics. Pay close attention to participation rates, large spreads in scores, and areas that are known to typically affect people from underrepresented backgrounds, such as “voice” and “fairness.”
• Choose the right methodology for your organization. Every organization is unique, and what works for one company may not work for the other. For instance, you may find that starting with an engagement survey before sending out a complete inclusion survey works best for you. Other organizations may find that regular pulse surveys are more suitable for their company.

Whichever approach you choose, setting clear expectations with your employees on why and how the company will use the data will ensure that you are building is sufficient to take meaningful DEI action.

Putting your DEI roadmap together

As you go through your DEI journey, remember that data is the foundation for taking meaningful action. Conducting surveys and collecting feedback is key to understanding what your employees are going through, what initiatives will be most impactful for driving equity and inclusion, and measuring the success of your programs. With the right insights, you can map the way to a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.

Launch your DEI journey

Set yourself up for success with tips, insights, and best practices for getting started with and measuring DEI.

What’s next

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• Published September 1, 2022
• 15 Minute Read

5 Powerful Ways to Take REAL Action on DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion)

8 Things to Consider When Starting Your DEI Journey

by Brian McComak | May 3, 2022 | Hummingbird Blog

Diversity, Equity,  and  Inclusion (DEI) work means something different to everyone – which means you’ll never know everything you need to know and you’ll never have all of the answers.

DEI work also requires a desire and commitment to understand others. It requires you to reflect on your story and how it may help you understand the lived experience of others. There will be moments of discomfort that lead to greater awareness. 

Recognizing those realities, it’s okay to have trepidation as you begin this work. Those uncomfortable feelings mean that you’re doing something different – and DEI work requires doing things differently. That feeling of discomfort is also a sign that you’re learning and growing.

When I started my career in human resources over 20 years ago, I was an out gay man who went back into the closet as I stepped through the doors of that first corporate job. I, fortunately, had a mentor who helped me understand that it was okay to be “me” and that I didn’t have to hide to be successful. 

We’ve all felt excluded at some point in our lives. It doesn’t feel good. I do this work because I want everyone to have that feeling of being included , to know they belong just as they are, and can also be successful bringing their unique self to work. 

I hope that sharing how I approach this work, paired with some of my learnings along the way, will help you get started on your DEI journey.

A few of my lessons learned include…

This work is full of moments where you celebrate success while also acknowledging that there is more work to do. I discovered early on that it was necessary to infuse that balance in communications openly and transparently. 

I also discovered that one of the central principles of this work – the importance of including diverse perspectives in ‘the’ conversation – means you don’t have to know it all. Instead, you need to be open to listening, learning, and asking for help – which requires leaning into vulnerability and empathy.

I don’t have all the answers, and I believe most DEI practitioners will share a similar sentiment. We are simultaneously driving changes in workplace cultures while continuously learning about ourselves and other humans. 

My DEI Approach:

Along the way, I’ve developed an approach that takes everyone at an organization on the DEI journey and results in significant change – if leaders are committed and everyone gets involved. 

1) Make It Visible. Share your commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion openly with your employees. Own where you are on the journey. If you’re just starting, acknowledge it. If you’ve made mistakes, own them and apologize. If you’re going to try new things, say it. Employees are often understanding and forgiving when they can trust company leadership. Ongoing and transparent communication is essential here.  

2) Invite Conversation. Find opportunities to engage in dialogue with employees to understand their perspective on DEI at your company. Architect formal discussions to share ideas and learn from your people while also allowing for informal moments of conversation. Host focus groups. Hold listening sessions. This part of the work is crucial. Data is essential, but this work is inherently human and can’t be fully understood without hearing from the people in your organization.

3) Analyze Data. Complete a DEI analysis of your engagement survey results or conduct a formal DEI Assessment. Participate in external assessments like the DiversityInc Top 50, Women in the Workplace, Bloomberg Equality Index, HRC’s Corporate Equality Index and the National Organization on Disability – Disability Employment Tracker. This data will help you identify areas of success, help you benchmark and identify best practices, and highlight areas of opportunity where you’ll want to focus energy. The data will also provide insight that leads to identifying your next steps.

4) Build Partnerships. This work requires a partnership between the DEI team and teams across the organization in human resources, corporate responsibility, corporate philanthropy, communications, marketing, and public relations. The CEO and senior leadership team must be committed to the work. As your DEI efforts take root, I also suggest you find champions outside of the DEI team who will be influencers and play a leadership role in your efforts. This work is more successful when everyone at the company plays a role in creating an inclusive environment.

5) Try New Things. Whether starting a formal pilot or just trying something new, be open to possibility and what you might learn. Piloting programs is a great way to gauge what works at your company and what resonates with your employees. Creating an environment where everyone feels they belong often takes breaking out of the mold and trying different things. And it’s okay if they don’t work. Progress over perfection should be your guide here. 

6) Understand Your Business Case. Why are you doing this work? Is it because it’s the right thing to do? Is there an issue that sparked the conversation? Is there a business imperative? It might be all of the above. It’s likely all of the above. The “why” is essential though, as it will help define where you initially spend time and energy. You can also find helpful info online with metrics that illuminate why a commitment to DEI – that is fully realized with actions – drives tangible value for any business. 

7) Design Your Strategic Roadmap. Define your guiding principles, strategic pillars, and activities. Define roles and responsibilities. Remember, this work is a long-term play. You won’t be able to do it all without involvement from leaders and employees across the company, and you definitely won’t be able to do it all right away. Identify your priorities as you build your plan. Areas I’d suggest exploring early on are DEI foundations training that includes unconscious bias (which helps create a common language and understanding), engaging employees in employee resource groups, and forming an inclusion advisory council.

8) Set Measurable Goals . Creating an inclusive culture can feel overwhelming – like you’re trying to cross the ocean in a paddleboat. However, it’s essential to know where you’re heading and what you’re prioritizing. Setting goals will give you direction, help you know that you’re making a difference, and allow you to track your progress. 

Most importantly, I believe it’s important to take that first step forward. You’ll make mistakes and learn along the way. That’s okay. If you’re committed to driving real, tangible change and to realizing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive company, you’ll find your way.

Helpful Reminders: 

Ask for Help. One of my favorite parts of the DEI community is that people are willing to share and learn together, which accelerates the difference we’re making. 

Give Yourself Time. This work builds organizational muscle. There will be things your organization is ready to do and things that need more time. Trust your instincts here.

Communicate. Leverage your change management experience (or involve someone who has that experience). This work drives cultural shifts and requires ongoing transparent communication.

Be Curious. This work requires continuous learning. Take a course to learn about DEI. Listen to podcasts from people with different backgrounds than you. Read articles from reputable sources (like HBR).

Invite Feedback. I am fortunate to have a diverse group of professionals at Hummingbird and in my community of colleagues, advisors, and mentors. I invite them to challenge me and help me see perspectives that I’m missing. As I mentioned earlier, these moments aren’t always comfortable. Nevertheless, I’m grateful to have people in my circle who respect me enough to help me do better.

You may have additional thoughts, ideas, or perspectives.. I’d love to hear from you. I’ve learned a lot over the years, and I know learning is a lifetime commitment. But we are better together, and I hope this blog gives you helpful suggestions when starting your own DEI journey. 

Oh, and wherever you’re starting your journey. I’m glad you’re here. Welcome. Let’s make workplaces better, together.

Brian McComak

CEO / Founder

he / him / LGBTQ+

Brian McComak is a consultant, speaker, author, and facilitator with over 25 years of experience in DEI, HR, culture, change management, internal communications, and employee experience. He is an openly gay man and a person with a disability who shares his lived experiences in service of fostering workplaces where humans thrive.

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Five Lessons from Our DEI Growth and Transformation

The pandemic and racial reckoning made more visible disparities that many in philanthropy had not been attuned to.

This blog was collaboratively written by the Kenneth Rainin Foundation’s Executive Team

A few years ago, the Kenneth Rainin Foundation embarked on a mission to explore how we could play a role in building a more diverse, equitable and inclusive future. Like many other foundations on this journey, a core part of our process has been documenting and sharing what we’re learning, and just as important—the actions we’re taking. In another update , the Rainin Foundation’s CEO, Jennifer Rainin, wrote about what we’ve accomplished. Today we are sharing some of the key lessons that helped us advance and deepen our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) effort long term.

Some organizations in our philanthropy and grantee communities are deepening their DEI commitments; some are just getting started. We’ve seen the value of learning together along the way. In that spirit, we hope these lessons can not only shed light on our growth thus far, but also help enrich others’ equity work, however early or far along it may be.

Lesson One: Leadership is essential to sustain DEI efforts long-term.

Though it includes rewarding moments, confronting racial inequity is also heavy and ongoing work. We learned an important lesson along the way: sustaining change in an organization requires an active and consistent commitment from the top. Many of the questions that emerged at the outset were strategic ones that required looking inward—What could equity look like, internally and externally? Who would be involved in the work? We took some important steps to address these questions over time. For example, at the recommendation of an equity consultant, each of us on the Executive Team created a personal DEI commitment statement to outline specific actions we will take and to model the vulnerability and curiosity we expect to see across the organization. On our Equity and Opportunity blog , Foundation leaders share how they are addressing equity.

These steps helped leadership set the tone that DEI was an institutional priority. And they set an expectation that everyone in the organization would carry the work together, which distributed ownership of the work. Envisioning a collaborative, collective DEI process has helped us sustain the effort over time. It’s not uncommon to hear from people of color that they sometimes feel they carry a disproportionate emotional burden. Our intention is to encourage all staff, especially white colleagues, to lighten that burden by participating, advocating for, and supporting their non-white colleagues.

Four years in, we’re so proud and inspired to see our entire staff actively involved in the DEI process. Our Employee Experience Advisory Group, which grew out of initial DEI and Culture internal work groups, allows staff to stay involved in advancing DEI initiatives and setting priorities. The group is voluntary, meets monthly and sends out meeting recaps, which allows flexibility for everyone to stay engaged in the work even when they cannot attend every meeting.

Lesson Two: There isn’t one DEI expert.

At the start of this work, the Foundation hired a DEI consultant, and the conversations that stemmed from that process clarified how each of us, with our own lived experience, approach DEI work from a different place. This reality presented several challenges. One was a need at times to reconcile viewpoints between experts and participants. Another was a need to ensure that we were giving attention to all voices, not only the loudest. Coming up with a shared language around the work meant having numerous staff conversations about how each of us experienced racism, and how that was rooted not just in a national history, but a personal one. It also meant getting comfortable with the discomfort. Interacting on such a personal level was new territory for us and many of our colleagues, and it has taken time and continued effort to build the relationships and trust that nurture a safe space for intimate conversations.

A consultant gave us ways to open and guide these conversations, but ultimately, the work was internal, both organizationally and individually. With time and effort, our understanding of one another expanded, as did the questions and processes we needed help with. We learned two key lessons about working with consultants along the way. One was that there is no such thing as an all-in-one DEI expert, and finding the right expertise evolved over time. It also helped to partner with a consulting firm familiar with philanthropic organizations, because they understood our structure and were well equipped to help us build a framework that felt tailored to our mission.

Lesson Three: Everyone starts this journey from their own place.

It’s worth reiterating: Each person examining equity in their life and in their work is starting from their own place. This means not everyone in the organization will internalize the value of the work in the same way, at the same time. It’s inherently personal and the nature of the work means we’re learning how to be in relationship with one another in real time. As leaders, we see that it is important to make space for different perspectives, and to look for opportunities where disagreement and discomfort can generate curiosity and openness.

At the Rainin Foundation, creating that space has taken many different forms. Co-creating and prioritizing a learning agenda helps us embrace and deepen our understanding of the work each of us needs to do. Movie screenings and book club meetups offer ways for us to socialize and bond while complementing our learning agenda. To share one example, our partnership with SFFILM funds narrative feature-length films that address social justice issues, so watching these films (including Fruitvale Station , We the Animals , and Miss Juneteenth ) together as a staff sparked insightful conversations about racial identity and inequity. Some of our staff also participated in conferences such as Othering & Belonging , and later relayed what they learned. These experiences create touchpoints for each of us to connect, build trust, and ultimately reach a shared understanding.

Lesson Four: Mistakes are key opportunities to deepen the work.

This journey is far from perfect or easy—and that’s part of the point. As our staff works to build trust and engage in difficult conversations, leadership and facilitators play an important role in creating an environment where everyone can speak honestly, openly and from a place of empathy. We haven’t always gotten it right, and we’ve learned that mistakes are not just inevitable, but an essential part of growing and seeing each other.

Each moment of tension—either as a group or between individuals—gives a chance to adjust our approach. Together our staff created meeting agreements to establish a set of ground rules for how we aspire to interact with each other. Everyone participated in a full-day workshop and shorter, ongoing trainings on “ Crucial Conversations ,” a methodology for staying in dialogue when the stakes (and emotions) are high. We also made one-on-one coaching sessions available to assist staff members with learning more about specific topics, including unconscious bias, DEI terminology and how to move from a judgement to inquiry mindset. One highlight has been articulating a collective DEI vision statement , which helped all of us build not only a shared understanding but also served as a guiding star. The underlying lesson here is the value of sitting with discomfort as it surfaces and working through it over time.

Lesson Five: Keep communication open and consistent.

An important recurring theme, especially for us on the Executive Team, is the value of proactive communication. This work is long-term, so documenting and sharing the conversations and learnings as we go is crucial to setting clear goals and expectations, and keeping the lines open between leadership and staff. We’ve found that communicating through a variety of methods and regular touch points is key to make the Foundation’s progress visible and to keep the momentum going. These include all-staff emails, updates and report outs during all-staff meetings, shared documents and designating a note taker who can follow-up after each meeting.

Of course, communication goes both ways. Several tools help us solicit anonymous feedback from staff to gauge satisfaction and understanding. To name a few: online surveys, Zoom polling and collaborative platforms like Easy Retro. Ultimately, these tools have worked well because our collective efforts to practice openness, empathy and curiosity are nurturing a culture of trust.

Our Work Continues

All of us at the Foundation remain fully engaged in equity as a core value of our mission. This is long-term work that is helping the Foundation become a more effective organization and partner as we move closer to our vision of a more diverse, equitable and inclusive future —where Bay Area artists thrive, Oakland children unlock their extraordinary potential, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients live healthier lives. We look forward to sharing more progress and lessons as we continue to grow and transform.

Laverne Matías is Director, Employee Experience and Culture for the Kenneth Rainin Foundation

Dr. Jennifer Rainin is the CEO of the Kenneth Rainin Foundation

Shelley Trott is Chief Program Officer for the Kenneth Rainin Foundation

Lauren Webster is the Chief Financial & Administrative Officer for the Kenneth Rainin Foundation

The views and opinions expressed in individual blog posts are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the National Center for Family Philanthropy.

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Diversity & Inclusion

Personal experiences drive passion for dei and helping others boost their careers.

Updated: Feb 7, 2022

A Background in Helping Others Get Ahead

Heeding a call to action, promoting dei at cox enterprises.

• Talent practices are reviewed and continually improved to drive talent and promotion best practices and executive diversity based, in part, on retention and exit interview feedback. 
• Cox has implemented new enterprisewide supplier diversity investment and development goals across its divisions and has developed initiatives to help diverse-owned businesses grow, thrive, and compete through tools such as continuing education programs and investment in underrepresented funds and businesses.  
• A holistic DEI training road map for all employees empowers them to champion inclusion and diversity and provides enhanced resources and tools.  
• Government Affairs and Community/External Relations identifies specific company actions to make a difference in racial discrimination, criminal justice, and quality education, as well as to map out participation from the corporate level to individual employees. 

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Diversity is not ‘a journey.’ Here’s why soft language in DEI may actually make it more difficult to achieve hard results

The word “journey” is overused in the corporate world–and it’s easy to see why. Saying you’re on a journey implies your job isn’t–and perhaps never will be–done.

Indeed, in business, you are in fact never done. The world evolves. Your market evolves. Your customers evolve. We evolve. The context that surrounds us–from people to processes to technologies–is perpetually changing. But evolution requires that milestones are met, that periodic objectives are clear, and that deliverables and impact can be quantified. So words matter–a lot.

When it comes to emphasizing action on diversity, equity, and Inclusion (DEI), “journey” is far too squishy of a word, especially if your DEI objectives represent a strategic imperative. If a journey seems and feels endless, do you ever arrive? Does it imply that you are wandering toward some abstract destination instead of being focused and purposefully driven?

While DEI is typically regarded as an issue of employee representation, it’s much more than that. In fact, DEI is central to the future of every business and organization. It must be a part of each organization’s growth strategy. 

Consider this fact from Catalyst : By 2060, the majority of women in America will be women of color. With that context, DEI looks less like a touchy-feely byproduct of HR-driven compliance and must become an imperative for any organization expecting to survive and thrive in the years and decades to come.

For the future, DEI is integral to your brand identity. It must be embedded in your marketing and advertising. It can fuel your innovation and growth engine. And it is central to your talent: If your frontline employees don’t reflect your customers, that’s a problem. Similarly, if your board and executive team don’t reflect the ever-evolving market, you’ll be at a disadvantage.

Against this backdrop, we can’t afford to wander. We must forge ahead with a defined mission and comprehensive measurements, coupled with impactful milestones. There should be a clear destination that you are moving towards with intention, speed, and focus. 

DEI is an evolution that leads to a revolution. Incremental, measurable goals serve to enable your team, culture, and company to achieve a greater breakthrough. This is not an aimless journey. It’s an imperative that requires purpose, progress, and prescriptive actions.

Since it is measurable and, in some cases, visual, DEI is also a way to motivate and inspire.

The rising crop of Gen-Z customers, employees, partners, and constituents has a clear idea of what they want from an organization. The generation that will soon represent one out of every three people on Earth has repeatedly expressed that it values DEI more than those who came before. This generation also puts a premium on purpose.

Gen Z wants to be part of something bigger (as do a lot of members of other generations). They want something more than a job. Accomplishing stated, quantitatively measurable DEI goals is one of the most visible ways to show these workers that there is a purpose behind their work.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the premise of a “journey”, as in moving from Point A to Point B. The word itself is less of a problem than what it obscures if it’s used as an excuse for lack of progress, or a replacement for real milestones.

If your employees or team justified their lackluster numbers by saying they were on a journey, you’d see it for what it is: an excuse for not getting the job done. Indeed, in some badly managed organizations, “journey” has become a preferred term because when they analyze their diversity numbers, they realize how bad they really are. Putting the emphasis on the concept of a journey can help justify their meager accomplishments.

The changing face of both America and organizations worldwide is a hint of what’s to come. An ever-growing number of employees want to work at a place that looks like that larger world–and customers want to do business with those companies. To do anything less will create a visceral impression your organization is behind the times, or worse: That it’s perhaps unwelcoming to broad swaths of society.

A real commitment to DEI isn’t a never-ending journey to an abstract destination, but rather a competitive advantage that is integral to your culture. It’s a way to help you define the future faster and more effectively–a future that’s filled with significant impact and growth.

Anne Chow is the chief executive officer of AT&T Business, leading an organization of over 30,000 employees serving 2.5 million business customers worldwide, representing over $35 billion in revenue. She is the co-author of the best-selling book, “The Leader’s Guide to Unconscious Bias.” In March, LinkedIn named her one of the Top Voices for gender equity.

The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.

More must-read  commentary  published by  Fortune :

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• American businesses are coming home . Innovators in logistics will reap massive rewards
• Web3 is not dead. Here’s  what the crypto space will look like in 2030
• Scary headlines about food shortages are misleading. Here’s why
• I was a senior executive at  WeWork before it imploded . Here’s the one behavior that could have saved the company

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10 Ways Employees can Support Diversity and Inclusion

By Robin Pedrelli

Robin Pedrelli, co-founder and partner of VisionSpring, Inc

In most organizations, diversity and inclusion is best approached with a top-down, bottom-up strategy. While it’s imperative that D&I efforts are supported by the CEO and actively engages leaders, one cannot discount the impact of employee involvement. Engaging employees at all levels is the most effective way to reach critical mass and communicate the import of diveristy and inclusion. Often employees are eager to join in the process but lack the know-how and confidence to take action. It is important to let employees know that there are many ways to contribute and support D&I efforts and does not necessarily require expertise in the field.

This article offers some concrete tips that are designed to engage employees at all levels within the organization. Remember it is important to commit to the process, value the thoughts and ideas of everyone, and celebrate along the way.

How Employees Can Support Diversity and Inclusion

• Know the diversity goals and vision of your organization and its connection to the overall business objectives. Commit to the process by understanding how diversity impacts your role, and how your role impacts the success of the diversity initiative.
• Participate in employee engagement surveys and respond as openly and honestly as possible. Finding an internal champion with whom you can comfortably express concerns and/or elicit advice can be instrumental in supporting your efforts.

Actively engage in the diversity effort. You can take part in or start an Employee Resource Group, or volunteer to chair or serve on committees that organize diversity-related events and activities. Consider becoming a mentor, mentee, or part of a co-mentoring relationship. These activities require a commitment of time, but represent a valuable opportunity for personal and professional development.

• Become culturally competent. Take the time to learn about different cultures, races, religions and backgrounds represented by your colleagues. Ask your coworkers to share some of the customs and practices associated with their cultures. Become familiar with diversity-related terms and, if you err, apologize and ask for help.
• Treat people in a way they wish to be treated rather than the way you wish to be treated. Common social activities and practices that are comfortable for you may not be comfortable for everyone. Do not tell offensive jokes that may alienate those who are different from you — even if they are not present at the time. Most importantly, be respectful always. Diversity exists everywhere — not just in the office. Take these diversity principles into your community and your home.
• Drive positive change in the organization. Be a spokesperson for diversity issues that are not necessarily your own. Any organization will find it difficult to ignore the powerful voice created when groups representing different diversity dimensions unite.
• Welcome ideas that are different from your own, and support fellow teammates. The creativity that comes with diversity can help you generate new ideas or improve a process already in place. It can also make work more interesting, engaging, and fun.
• Understand the diversity elements you personally bring to the organization. Diversity comes not only in the form of culture, race, and gender but also includes elements such as socio-economic background, education level, geographic location, sexual orientation, thought, and many others. Each of us brings to the table a lifetime of experiences and knowledge. Each of us is different and adds value to the organization because of these differences.
• Commit to continuous improvement. Be willing to learn, accept feedback, and listen to the concerns of those around you. Even the most enlightened individual can find opportunities for growth.
• Communicate and educate. Diversity work is a journey, not a destination. It takes time, patience, and perseverance. Be tolerant of coworkers who do not yet appreciate the value of diversity or who may not always behave respectfully. Often, negative behavior comes from ignorance rather than malice. A willingness to educate can go along way.

Robin Pedrelli is the co-founder and partner of VisionSpring, Inc. VisionSpring, Inc. is a WBENC certified, women owned and operated diversity and inclusion consulting firm offering fully integrated strategy development, workforce planning, training and continuous learning solutions to leverage diversity and inclusion to drive innovation and improved business outcomes. We provide customized strategic solutions that address the specific needs of each client and blend workforce, workplace, marketplace and community related goals.

123 Comments

However, several students missing admission in order to their Dream College as well as university but not buying the essential attention to write down That essay, a admission essay.

Thank you, Ms. Robin Pedrelli, for your Guest Blog. Unfortunately it does not mention “disability” or the “disabled” as a component of the D&I spectrum. And, mention of disability at the web site as accessed today (October 27, 2014) for your company VisionSpring, Inc. was limited to its online calendar for “FEBRUARY 2013 – CULTURAL COMPETENCE,” viz., Articles/White Papers on “Including People with Disabilities in D&I Efforts,” plus Research on “Costs and Benefits of Workers with Disabilities” and “Effective Strategies to Recruit and Retain Employees with Disabilities.” To integrate disability, especially mental disability, into your article, perhaps your approach #10 would be where to start, such as with communicating with and educating those who initially are unwilling to work with the disabled or with certain categories of the disabled, with disability being understood, for example, in terms of U.S. statutory laws like the ADA of 1990 and the ADAAA of 2008, plus the corresponding provisions in the CFR.

I believe this entry is outdated, the law has been dramatically changed thru time my friend. To integrate disability, especially mental disability, into your article, perhaps your approach #10 would be where to start, such as with communicating with and educating those who initially are unwilling to work with the disabled or with certain categories of the disabled, with disability being understood, for example, in terms of U.S. statutory laws like the ADA of 1990 and the ADAAA of 2008, plus the corresponding provisions in the CFR.

Once an organization has successfully modified their recruitment and hiring practices to reach a more diverse audience, the next step is to successfully engage and support them as employees.

Why bother with the notion of inclusiveness and I say notion because the newly appointed Judge will soon tear it down with guidance from #45. Any strides made will soon disappear.

For diversity practices to be successful, you also need to facilitate an inclusive work culture.

Does anyone there know that the root word for diversity is DIVIDE ? This is truly a divided or diverse country. We are divided by color of the skin, language, religion and culture. Diversity is not what made this country great it was Unity. Comments from a black perspective.

Unfortunately, my experience in diversity resulted in off shoring and loss of jobs locally. That was easily predicted by the employees but the management lied and many lost jobs. Diversity is only the beginning of off shoring and job losses, layoffs etc.

Diversity on unity

We are still not there yet, but more and more groups are lobbying for it

Being culturally competent is I think the most practical for me, I've been working with the most diversified work place in the country and this what works best.

Communicating with and educating those who initially are unwilling to work with the disabled or with certain categories of the disabled, with disability being understood, for example, in terms of U.S. statutory laws.

Treat people in a way they wish to be treated rather than the way you wish to be treated. Common social activities and practices that are comfortable for you may not be comfortable for everyone. Do not tell offensive jokes that may alienate those who are different from you — even if they are not present at the time. Most importantly, be respectful always. Diversity exists everywhere — not just in the office. Take these diversity principles into your community and your home.

If we couldn’t measure the impact of our diversity and inclusion efforts and programs, it would be a hard sell among company executives.

One way to build awareness of diversity and foster greater inclusivity is to be aware of and acknowledge a variety of upcoming religious and cultural holidays. When closing out a team call or meeting, if the audience isn’t too large, ask how people plan to celebrate the holiday. Use your company’s intranet to help employees be aware of and keep track of multicultural religious or holiday celebrations. Be respectful of these days when scheduling meetings, and understand that employees may have different needs and require flexibility.

Diversity has always been an issue for some people especially in the workplace. It does not seem like people welcome different culture into their lives because it is different from theirs. As someone who loves to learn about new cultures and loves to indulge in new atmospheres, it is easy and exciting to meet new people who are different from myself. I think the ways you have addressed would help so much if that instance came along, however, including diversity in a business' agenda is not always the case.

Our recommendation for people who do survive the first day and then week, is to see through a whole year before making any decisions about whether to stay in the long-term. It is important to experience a full cycle of the business and its operations.

Similarly, the very early days in your own new business have many pressures, excitements and issues with which to deal. We have been there and are thriving; we can help you address the pressing problems and open closed doors.

The difference between inherent diversity and acquired diversity is something I’ve never thought of, but when you consider the differences between different generations, for example, it makes sense. Thanks for sharing this.

Know the diversity goals and vision of your organization and its connection to the overall business objectives

When closing out a team call or meeting, if the audience isn’t too large, ask how people plan to celebrate the holiday. Use your company’s intranet to help employees be aware of and keep track of multicultural religious or holiday celebrations. Be respectful of these days when scheduling meetings, and understand that employees may have different needs and require flexibility.

we are all different each others but we are the same. I would emphasize that the term races should be remove in common language and I support the human. the term "race" has the connotation of competition and neglect other group. Therefore, let us support and value all humans regardless the color of their skin and recognize we are all one race, which it is human. Thank you Mitogo T. Opira, Diversity Supervisor JBS FOODS -Plainwell, Michigan

You know what? This is more common than we think, I work in construction in Canberra and we got lot of these happening in a daily basis, take for example a friend, George unsuccessfully applies for a position with a construction company. When he telephones the company’s personnel manager to ask why he did not get the position, George is told: ‘We’ve employed people from your country before. You lot simply don’t share our work ethic’.

Li-Huei unsuccessfully applies for a job as a receptionist with a large hotel. When she calls the human resources manager to ask why she did not get the job, she is told that the manager doesn’t want to employ a receptionist with an accent. Nobody knows George and Li, since they didn't make any report or share their stories, but yes it is there, happening.

Great article. Ignore the naysayers

Some companies struggle to understand what D&I is or it’s potential value.

Others understand the subject but haven’t yet implemented or updated relevant policies.

Spurred by a growing social consciousness, businesses are slowing making a more concerted effort to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Always know the diversity goals and vision of your organization and its connection to the overall business objectives.

Great article Robin, the workplace should be a great place.

I am glad someone like you understands the employees' needs at work. Nobody understands employee's sentiments but another employee.

Diversity and inclusion are nightmares for new employees. This article is such a big help, that there exist a community to help.

Not as easy as it sounds though, George is told: ‘We’ve employed people from your country before. You lot simply don’t share our work ethic’.

Li-Huei unsuccessfully applies for a job as a receptionist with a large hotel. When she calls the human resources manager to ask why she did not get the job, she is told that the manager doesn’t want to employ a receptionist with an accent.

Glad that there are employers that have concerns with their employees. Adjustment is not easy. It takes time.

I think it's super important to try to learn about other cultures and where people come from! We all have a different worldview. If we try to understand and come together, we can do much more good than if we ignored it or only supported one way of thinking.

One of the best tactics, albeit a pretty expensive one, is to set up a trip and travel abroad to a diverse culture. Travel expands the minds and emersing yourself in a new culture and opens you up to so many experiences.

The landscaping business is notorious for not being very diverse in their celebrations or their choice of employees. As a representative of this industry, I am striving to take my company in a different direction. When we go to schedule any landscaping contracting jobs or lawn care jobs in Edinburg, TX I am making it my personal goal to reach out to every individual customer and asking what needs they have and to be sensitive to special holidays they may be celebrating! I know it's just one location and one business but if we all did this, we would make a larger impact!!

Research shows that even just the presence of physical diversity results in better performance and for companies that are data-driven, that extra performance boost can be extremely motivating,” Clark says. “It’s also the fact that companies that lack diversity are being called out publicly, and may even be losing business, not to mention falling behind when it comes to recruiting. Even Google is starting to show signs that their lack of diversity is affecting them.

Engaging people at every level is the hallmark of good leaders in not only business but life. Great post!

Awesome post!

I remember segregation. I remember race riots. All I can say as an old man who got tired of prejudice in this country is that I am so happy that this is now how the culture turned out. I am very proud of this country.

In our company we have often found that diversity is exactly what creates progress. In a sales driven world we have to understand that not all people think the same way we do. In our own mind our ideas are best when what truly matters is what the customer thinks. Having diversity in the work place is what gives us that perspective and allows us to be the best employer and business we can be.

Diversity and inclusion is a company’s mission, strategies, and practices to support a diverse workplace and leverage the effects of diversity to achieve a competitive business advantage.

It is important to strive to treat all individuals with mutual respect. Of course, this can be easier said than done, but through our service visiting customers' homes, we always do our very best to provide high quality care to each person, despite any background differences.

Thank you for sharing. Diversity and Inclusion are so crucial to the success of any business. These tips are very valuable, I especially like #9, everyone should continue to improve, especially in this area.

The last thing a business owner wants to deal with is being accused of not having a diverse enough business. Be inclusive of all people and you'll have a successful business

Diversity is one of those things that I think is moving in the right direction, but especially at the upper levels of management is still something that needs to be mitigated. I think we should all be aware of cultural biases and strive to be more than what our base assumptions tell us to be. Great insightful post.

The last thing a business owner wants to deal with is being accused of not having a diverse enough business. Be inclusive of all people and you'll have a successful business and thanks

I love #9. We need to foster good environments around learning and growing. You can always learn something!

We love all of our employees. We believe that if you can work you can work.

I think number 4 makes a lot of sense and we should definitely respect your co-workers and build better relationships, improving your work experience with them in the long run. Thank you for the great article!

These are great pointers for businesses!!!! Love this article!

Out of the 10 ways, what I really like are the numbers 5, 8, and 10. Thank you for sharing this content and it is in deed very helpful especially if you can really see the diversity in your working environment.

I feel like we're continually finding parameters to divide ourselves by and creating all these group identities vying to be included in some way. When are we going to understand that we're all the same thing? We all breathe the same air, drink the same water, and are all ultimately compost. Why let your identity be defined by some random factor that you had no choice in assigning to your self (skin color, orientation, disability, etc…)?

Number 5 is right on the spot, we need to try to put ourselves in other people shoes

As a budding business owner these are incredibly important topics to consider. It's ironic how even 6 years after the article was first published we still struggle mightily with diversity and inclusion. Thank you!

All 10 points are easily actionable – what a great article

I'm moved by this statement: Often, negative behavior comes from ignorance rather than malice. A willingness to educate can go along way.

Anyway, thank you for stating those 10 remarkable points. That's all what we need.

Education is key. People are underestimating its compound effect.

Realistic optimism, She has everything that a good quality of CEO should have.

Possessing the ability to adapt to diverse backgrounds and skillsets can be a huge asset. When work environments promote collaboration adapting to work will others can be a great tool.

Totally agree that education is one of the most important things in life.

This was my favorite truth – "Often, negative behavior comes from ignorance rather than malice". A positive attitude for progressive growth and learning. I appreciate your article.

Education is key to life itself for everyone.

ofcourse education is a most powerful tool fo the development of oneself

We employ people from all walks of life. I am glad I took the time to read this as it is a reminder about how to find and keep the best employees

Diverse and inclusive companies drive innovative results. Yet the tech industry still struggles with diversity and inclusion, often failing to attract diverse talent due to inclusivity issues in the workplace. For organizations looking to shape up their diversity and inclusion programs and policies, the change can be challenging — and rewarding.

Excellent Blog! hoping the same best work from you in the future as well. I Thanks for sharing. Great websites!

Great companies aren't afraid of diversity. They embrace the diverse opinions that come with it and how that innovation can help drive positive results in the future.

Thank you for bringing up this topic. I really think that diversity is important in a company. Doesn't matter how big a company is. Get out of the comfort zone and have employees with different background. It's really interesting to hear from other sides.

I have read your article..Great content .. Thanks for posting it.

Love this. My company does do a good job in making it known they're diverse but having an executable plan makes it all the best. To be honest, diversity is super helpful. It brings out different experiences from different people – that's the good part. It teaches people how to interact, work and grow from those who grew up differently.

Thank you for your recommendation about how employees can support diversity and inclusion. This will be helpful since most of the companies are experiencing a lot of employee turnover or attrition. In this way, it can be minimized. In handyman services Delaware, employees are involved as well as our clients in reaching our goal that is to provide the best handyman service.

Definitely supportive of diversity, and all that it's suppose to do. We aim to hire and work with all qualified individuals among various backgrounds for our auto detailing company. It makes us appreciate of what we can learn from others.

I have been trying to figure out how to do this better within my own tree service business, you bring up some key points. Thank you.

Very good info

Great article! As the owner of a concrete company in Olathe, KS I can absolutely relate to this. Building a positive and sustainable culture as a business actually isn't hard. Treat people as equals, with respect and dignity while compensating them fairly for their skills. I love my team, they are some of the most loyal and hard working humans I have ever been around or had the luxury to work with.

"Commit to continuous improvement. Be willing to learn, accept feedback, and listen to the concerns of those around you. Even the most enlightened individual can find opportunities for growth"

This is so true. We have to accept feedback to grow!

Choosing a positive attitude is one of the most powerful things we can take.

Humbleness and willingness to learn is one way to support diversity.

Es importante tener en cuenta las minoridades sobre todo en el mundo del trabajo!

#9 is right in line with what we strive to do at our company. We always want to learn and grow so that we can be better for our customers and employees. Glad to see other people are doing this too!

Really great ideas!

This is a fantastic blog and can only be supported

Keep up the great work with what you do.

Enjoyed Reading Your Post.

Great article. I especially felt like the "become culturally competent" and "the commitment to continuous improvement" points were astute. It is not difficult to take an interest in other cultures, and can help bridge the gap between what feels "normal" to one person, and unusual to another. As long as people are committed to improving in the arena of diversity inclusion, it can be done.

Thank you for sharing this post. As an employee of Boston Hood Cleaning, this article is a great help.

Great work, keep up the effort.

We state that diversity should be respected and we counter that with inclusiveness but what we are actually becoming is an ultra sensitive divided culture. We need to desensitize, harden our feelings such that every little thing doesn’t bother us or becomes an insult. Then we need to melt together our philosophies and learn to build on our individuality to become an effective team player.

One thing thing that is often overlooked in diversity and inclusion protocols is the layout and design of the workplace. A good workplace strategy will take into account diversity requirements so that a new office design or refurbishment actively encourages diversity and inclusion.

I agree with Dan in the fact that we are becoming a very sensistive divided culture. Especially when it comes down to politics. I find it funny the general population ultimately wants the same thing but our egos are to great to where we would rather choose a side as opposed to coming together and finding a solution.

We are all people with different experiences and cultures, everybody needs to understand that there are going to be differences amongst people. This does not mean that we need to cater to every individual; that leads to issues.

Diversification is needed but it should never triumph the individual skills on the field that is required to get the job. It certainly increases the cultural aspect of the team as more people from different background are able to express their aspect on problems.

Some diversity can be beneficial but diversity for diversities sake can cause more harm than good, i want the best people on my time, not those with the right skin colour. And besides, if its just diversity of skin colour, why not go form diversity of eye colour? Of Hair colour?

We are huge proponents of diversity and inclusion. This is becoming on of the top priorities in this country, which is very encouraging to see. We are a far shot from ideal state, but we are doing our respective parts to move in the right direction.

Diversity matters if you are doing some cultural event. If you are in the workplace, the person who has better skills in a particular issue matters to me the most.

Great job everyone for coming on board with this. It will revolutionize the workplace.

Oh right on thanks!

One way to build awareness of diversity and foster greater inclusivity is to be aware of and acknowledge a variety of upcoming religious and cultural holidays. Let's respect each other. 🙂

Best regards!

I thought that this was a great foundational article about diversity and inclusion. There are many facets to diversity and inclusion and she gave GREAT insight to each one. We can now branch off and include the disabled although within certain "groups" if you are a minority THAT IS A disability or handicap that ostracizes many from participating within the GROUP. I think that she touched on that.

Nice article, I think just following the golden rule is the best way to respect others diversity and differences.

I think the word diversity wont exist if everyone knows respect and understanding. Everyone should learn to come to their senses, all love. Thanks for the article!

you also need to facilitate an inclusive work culture.

For diversity practices to be successful we need to build inclusive cultures.

Much more needs to be done to increase diversity in companies. THey should be held accountable if they fail to do so.

Engaging employees at all levels is the most effective way to reach critical mass and communicate the import of diveristy and inclusion. Often employees are eager to join in the process but lack the know-how and confidence to take action. It is important to let employees know that there are many ways to contribute and support D&I efforts and does not necessarily require expertise in the field.

Hi there! Great article! In my opinion, diversity in the workplace is essential to create a thriving business, especially when it comes to employee engagement. Workplace diversity encourages creativity and innovation because every team member, from leadership to frontline employees and mobile workers, brings their own unique backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to the table.

Thanks again! Wonderful article! Excellent information, congratulations!

By creating accessible digital environments, it helps to support and accommodate the diversity of users, including people with disabilities, different ages, cultures, and languages

Thank you so much to writing this wonderful blog. It’s really worthwhile.

Carry on writing such useful stuff. Home Renovations Contractor

I truly appreciate how the article highlights the importance of educating ourselves about different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives, as well as actively seeking out and celebrating diversity in our workplaces.

It is also encouraging to see how the article emphasizes the importance of being an ally to marginalized groups and standing up against discrimination and bias.

I firmly believe that everyone has a role to play in creating a more inclusive and equitable society, and the suggestions provided in this article are a great starting point for individuals to take action. I especially appreciate the emphasis on being respectful, empathetic, and open-minded in our interactions with colleagues and peers, as this is crucial in building a more inclusive and welcoming workplace.

Coggno Workplace Diversity

Thank you so much for writing this amazing blog. very insiteful

a v.v important element or factor for de&i is mother tongue or (language). in other words,multilingual factor

an important factor in de&i is mother tongue or(language) and it should be utmostly considered w/out doubt

Communicating is a successful strategy. Listen and communicate with customers and be professional, persuading, and educated accepting mistakes is not losing your ego is called maturity. Local citations

This article brilliantly highlights the crucial role employees play in promoting diversity and inclusion. The practical tips provided are actionable and underscore the importance of personal commitment, cultural competence, and continuous learning. It emphasizes that fostering diversity is a collective journey, urging everyone to contribute and celebrate the value each individual brings to the organization. Far & Wide Land Surveying of Fresno

This is becoming such an important topic for everyone to discuss. Each and every person should be valued, respected, and upheld to the same standard as everyone else. It’s encouraging to see articles like this. Continue the good work.

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DEI: A journey, not a destination

• Skip Prichard
• 16 January 2023
• Organizational culture
• Social justice

Last month, we received a very special honor . In a worldwide survey of technology organizations, Computerworld ranked OCLC first among midsized IT enterprises worldwide for demonstrating excellence in advancing workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

It’s gratifying to see our years of work in DEI acknowledged. Recognition like this is a milestone, a marker—and an opportunity to consider the questions that need to be answered as we continue our journey toward a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.

It’s a journey because we cannot claim we have arrived. Persistent reflection and action are required to keep moving forward. We can share what has been achieved so far. What more needs to be done? What can we learn from each other?

In 2020, I shared a blog post calling all of us to action. On this day when we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I’d like to provide an update on where we’ve been and what we’ve learned.

Center on people

At OCLC, centering DEI values in our organization means putting people first. Putting people at the center of our work requires us to have the wisdom to understand and accept that we all have different experiences. It requires both curiosity and humility to respectfully explore those differences. Some of those conversations can be challenging, but they’re necessary so that we start with a shared understanding of where we are and where we need to be.

Here are some of the people-first strategies in our DEI work:

• Focus groups. In 2022, dozens of people participated in our DEI focus groups to help us, as an organization, understand what creates a sense of belonging at OCLC. What did people feel we were doing well and where did we have opportunities to grow? This effort followed an organization-wide employee opinion survey through which we regularly measure DEI progress. What did we learn? We heard that the combination of our technology services and a mission to serve libraries gave people a personal connection to the organization. Inclusive benefits and flexible work policies helped people feel they were seen as individuals. A culture of kindness nurtured collaboration and a strong sense of belonging. We also learned that the “niceness” characterizing our culture could make it hard to dig deep in tough conversations. And, we heard that the pandemic and remote work made it harder for new associates to connect and belong.
• Working groups . In 2020, we established a staff-led Advancing Racial Equity Working Group to provide OCLC leadership with an assessment and series of recommendations in six key areas: culture, membership, leadership, products and services, staffing, and research. That group has evolved to our current DEI Working Group with an expanded focus on people, policy, and programs that support diversity both seen and unseen, as well as equity and inclusion initiatives to ensure all are welcomed, supported, and valued.
• Employee resource groups (ERGs). There’s a powerful bond when we connect with others who are living our same experience. Groups like JumpStart (earlier-in-career) and OWN (OCLC Women’s Network) are two of our ERGs. An important learning here is that groups need to be led by passionate and dedicated people rather than organized as a corporate program. The degree of activity and impact is directly linked to champions who want to engage and lead.
• DEI understanding and competence . All our associates engaged in learning on unconscious bias and how to identify inappropriate or harassing behaviors. We also have a full catalog of DEI courses available for self-paced learning for team members along with a special focus on Black history, native American culture, LGBTQ pride, and several others throughout the year.

“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… . Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” —Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Intent is not impact

Intent without action is meaningless in this work. From staff development to community engagement to the solutions we create for libraries, we strive to apply DEI principles to impact people and organizational outcomes.

• Hiring. Just hoping for diversity in hiring isn’t enough. We also have hiring goals and metrics focused on diverse representation and gender representation in our workforce. For our early-in-career opportunities, local universities provide diverse, top technical talent. We have a strong inclusion internship program with a focus on students from underrepresented groups in the local community. We retain a high number of interns by offering full-time opportunities to students upon graduation or after additional certifications.
• Development. We reach out and sponsor various conferences and meet-ups to attract diverse technical talent. We Can CODE IT, Color Coded Labs, Codemash, Tech Elevator, and Stir Trek are examples of local partnerships. We encourage associates to be active in external diverse organizations such as Black Tech Columbus, the Black Data Processing Association, and the National Society for Hispanic Professionals. We sponsor Society for Women Engineers events, the Junior League Leadership and Lattes program, Ohio Celebration of Women in Computing (OCWiC), getWITit, and Women in Technology International events to help promote and develop our female technology leaders.
• Community engagement. OCLC is a member of the Columbus Women’s Commission initiative (The Columbus Commitment) to highlight and tackle gender pay equity in central Ohio. We are also a member of Ohio Business Competes, a nonpartisan coalition of businesses committed to achieving LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination policies at the state level to attract the best talent, increase business-to-business and business-to-consumer relationships, and grow Ohio’s economy.
• Software and services . With support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the project Reimagine Descriptive Workflows was a series of collective, community-centered efforts that explored opportunities for reforming and charting a path toward implementation of antiracist and inclusive language in metadata descriptions at scale.  Our newly created role of Accessibility Strategist and our Dewey editor-in-residence both are working to address DEI considerations in data and software experiences. Our WebJunction platform offers many free tools to library staff and leaders, including Resources for Advancing IDEAs (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility), Creating Pathways to Civil Legal Justice , and our “ Let’s Talk Race ” Toolkit. And most recently, we were honored to publish a reading list curated by Martin Luther King III and his family on WorldCat.org .

Patience is more than a virtue

I’m not known for my patience. When I see a problem, I like to solve it—and solve it quickly and decisively. When doing DEI work, though, it’s important to remember the context in which we’re working. We cannot undo centuries of discrimination and harm with empathy or quick fixes. Moving at the speed of trust involves taking time to reflect and learn. It’s part of doing the work, part of the journey forward. But we can—indeed must—take concrete actions. At OCLC, we embrace a collective responsibility to advancing DEI. People at all levels take steps on the journey together.

• Leadership. I often say leadership is personal, not positional. Everyone has leadership opportunities. This is particularly true in advancing workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion. Yes, top leadership support is important. But real change happens in day-to-day interactions. It happens when we come together to learn about bias, challenge our assumptions, and listen to lived experience. This kind of leadership requires courage and patience. It requires everyone to lean in.
• Staff engagement. Because this work can’t succeed from a top-down perspective alone, we established a cross-functional group of employees in what we now call the DEI Working Group. The team includes people from our membership, product, technology, library services, research, WebJunction, marketing, human resources, legal and senior leadership groups. The role of this team is to wrestle with difficult questions, develop recommendations, and ensure that our DEI work aligns with and supports the needs of all OCLC associates.
• Community engagement . Librarians are among the most dedicated advocates of DEI anywhere. We are fortunate to serve a community with the desire and passion to right injustices and make real advances in DEI spaces. We’ve learned to listen to the important voices of people who use our services in meetings, convenings, surveys, and research . This helps us drive future research agendas and product enhancements.
• Balance. When starting out, it’s tempting to make sweeping and immediate changes. But knee-jerk responses don’t right historical injustices. As you move along this journey, you realize how complex the issues are. Fearful of making matters worse, there’s a strong desire to step back or pause until you have a complete understanding of the issues and impacts. It can appear that progress is too slow. At OCLC, we’ve tried to strike a balance by making changes where the decision is clear, and spending time in dialogue and thought when the changes are more expansive or nuanced. Work like the Reimagine Descriptive Workflows project, removal of harmful language in products and marketing, and increased DEI awareness in our software development processes help us move forward while we continue to work on more complex DEI challenges.

The DEI journey can feel arduous. We can feel hopeful and hopeless at the same time. Despite the challenges, we will not stop. At the core of our work is an incontrovertible value we share with our library members. We honor the dignity and value of every person. Beyond political, social, or historical contexts, this value drives us to do better and be better.

I hope my sharing of the points along our journey is helpful. I’ll close this post with the same words I used in my 2020 post:

May we reflect; seek first to understand; and may we all learn to love and learn from each other more tomorrow than we did yesterday. —Skip Prichard

Related Posts:

Share your comments and questions on Twitter with hashtag #OCLCnext .

Tags: Diversity , Leadership , Learning , Organizational Culture , Professional Development , Social Justice

Unlocking the Power of DEI Transformation: The Crucial Intersection of Organizational Initiatives and Personal Journeys

by Refinery | Jul 20, 2023 | DEI | 0 comments

Recently, during a conversation with a client seeking to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within their organization, we inquired about their progress in this area. While they shared numerous initiatives at the organizational level, such as DEI policies, training programs, and efforts to address systemic barriers and biases, we noticed a lack of understanding when it came to supporting employees’ personal journeys. The client believed that by establishing structures and policies, they would automatically provide assistance for individuals on their personal growth paths. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and due to the organization’s significant advancement in DEI compared to some employees, certain training programs triggered adverse reactions, causing trauma, guilt, and shame.  

We conveyed to the client, specifically addressing the group we were assisting, that while organizational initiatives can establish structures and policies to facilitate personal growth journeys, it is crucial to recognize that true inclusivity in the organizational culture relies on individual awareness and growth. Without personal development, these efforts alone cannot lead to substantial change or foster a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive society. It is the collective effort of both the organization and its members that can drive meaningful transformation.  

The corporate and personal DEI journeys are distinct yet mutually reinforcing.  

Some key elements of the DEI corporate journey may include :  

• Diversity: Encouraging a diverse representation of individuals from various backgrounds, including race, gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, disability, etc., at all levels of the organization.
• Equity: Addressing systemic inequalities and barriers that prevent equal access to opportunities, resources, and advancement within the workplace. This may involve implementing policies and practices that provide fair treatment and support underrepresented groups.
• Inclusion: Fostering a culture of inclusivity where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. It involves creating a sense of belonging and ensuring that diverse perspectives are heard and considered.
• Policies and Practices: Implementing policies, procedures, and practices that support DEI goals, such as unbiased hiring and promotion practices, inclusive leadership training, mentorship programs, employee resource groups, and regular diversity reporting.
• Measurement and Accountability: Establishing metrics and tracking progress to evaluate the effectiveness of DEI initiatives and holding leadership accountable for meeting diversity and inclusion goals.

Key aspects of the DEI personal journey may include :  

• Self-awareness: Recognizing one’s own biases, privileges, and assumptions and being willing to confront and unlearn them.
• Education and Learning: Seeking out resources, books, articles, workshops, and conversations to deepen understanding of social issues, systemic inequalities, and the experiences of marginalized communities.
• Empathy and Perspective-taking: Developing empathy by actively listening to and learning from diverse voices, seeking to understand different perspectives, and challenging one’s own assumptions.
• Allyship and Advocacy: Taking action to support underrepresented groups, amplify their voices, and advocate for their rights and equal opportunities. This may involve speaking up against discrimination, supporting inclusive policies and practices, and using one’s privilege to create positive change.
• Continuous Growth: Recognizing that DEI work is ongoing and committing to continuous learning, growth, and self-reflection in order to become a more effective ally and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Both journeys are important for fostering a more inclusive society and workplace, and they often complement and reinforce each other.  Positive outcomes of DEI efforts can include increased engagement, a sense of belonging, individual growth and development, enhanced performance and creativity, employee retention , and a positive reputation.  

By aligning the organization’s journey with the personal journeys of its employees, organizations can create a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best.

Discover the transformative impact of inclusive leadership with Refinery. Our comprehensive approach empowers leaders to create a competitive advantage and foster a culture of inclusivity, resulting in higher employee retention and engagement. Take the next step towards building an inclusive culture by requesting a consultation here .  

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Five Lessons From Our DEI Growth And Transformation

This blog was collaboratively written by the Kenneth Rainin Foundation’s Executive Team

A few years ago, the Kenneth Rainin Foundation embarked on a mission to explore how we could play a role in building a more diverse, equitable and inclusive future. Like many other foundations on this journey, a core part of our process has been documenting and sharing what we’re learning and, just as important, the actions we’re taking. In another update , the Rainin Foundation’s CEO, Jennifer Rainin, wrote about what we’ve accomplished . Today we are sharing some of the key lessons that helped us advance and deepen our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) effort long term.

Some organizations in our philanthropy and grantee communities are deepening their DEI commitments; some are just getting started. We’ve seen the value of learning together along the way. In that spirit, we hope these lessons can not only shed light on our growth thus far, but also help enrich others’ equity work, however early or far along it may be.

Lesson 1: Leadership Is Essential To Sustain DEI Efforts Long Term

Though it includes rewarding moments, confronting racial inequity is also heavy and ongoing work. We learned an important lesson along the way: sustaining change in an organization requires an active and consistent commitment from the top. Many of the questions that emerged at the outset were strategic ones that required looking inward—What could equity look like, internally and externally? Who would be involved in the work? We took some important steps to address these questions over time. For example, at the recommendation of an equity consultant, each of us on the Executive Team created a personal DEI commitment statement to outline specific actions we will take and to model the vulnerability and curiosity we expect to see across the organization. On our blogs, Foundation leaders share how they are addressing equity .

“Envisioning a collaborative, collective DEI process has helped us sustain the effort over time.”

These steps helped leadership set the tone that DEI was an institutional priority. And they set an expectation that everyone in the organization would carry the work together, which distributed ownership of the work. Envisioning a collaborative, collective DEI process has helped us sustain the effort over time. It’s not uncommon to hear from people of color that they sometimes feel they carry a disproportionate emotional burden. Our intention is to encourage all staff, especially white colleagues, to lighten that burden by participating, advocating for, and supporting their non-white colleagues.

Four years in, we’re so proud and inspired to see our entire staff actively involved in the DEI process. Our Employee Experience Advisory Group, which grew out of initial DEI and Culture internal work groups, allows staff to stay involved in advancing DEI initiatives and setting priorities. The group is voluntary, meets monthly and sends out meeting recaps, which allows flexibility for everyone to stay engaged in the work even when they cannot attend every meeting.

“It has taken time and continued effort to build the relationships and trust that nurtures a safe space for intimate conversations.”

Lesson 2: There Isn’t One DEI Expert

At the start of this work, the Foundation hired a DEI consultant, and the conversations that stemmed from that process clarified how each of us, with our own lived experience, approach DEI work from a different place. This reality presented several challenges. One was a need at times to reconcile viewpoints between experts and participants. Another was a need to ensure that we were giving attention to all voices, not only the loudest. Coming up with a shared language around the work meant having numerous staff conversations about how each of us experienced racism, and how that was rooted not just in a national history, but a personal one. It also meant getting comfortable with the discomfort. Interacting on such a personal level was new territory for us and many of our colleagues, and it has taken time and continued effort to build the relationships and trust that nurture a safe space for intimate conversations.

A consultant gave us ways to open and guide these conversations, but ultimately, the work was internal, both organizationally and individually. With time and effort, our understanding of one another expanded, as did the questions and processes we needed help with. We learned two key lessons about working with consultants along the way. One was that there is no such thing as an all-in-one DEI expert, and finding the right expertise evolved over time. It also helped to partner with a consulting firm familiar with philanthropic organizations, because they understood our structure and were well equipped to help us build a framework that felt tailored to our mission.

Lesson 3: Everyone Starts This Journey From Their Own Place

It’s worth reiterating: Each person examining equity in their life and in their work is starting from their own place. This means not everyone in the organization will internalize the value of the work in the same way, at the same time. It’s inherently personal and the nature of the work means we’re learning how to be in relationship with one another in real time. As leaders, we see that it is important to make space for different perspectives and to look for opportunities where disagreement and discomfort can generate curiosity and openness.

“Not everyone in the organization will internalize the value of the work in the same way, at the same time.”

At the Rainin Foundation, creating that space has taken many different forms. Co-creating and prioritizing a learning agenda helps us embrace and deepen our understanding of the work each of us needs to do. Movie screenings and book club meetups offer ways for us to socialize and bond while complementing our learning agenda. To share one example, our partnership with SFFILM funds narrative feature-length films that address social justice issues, so watching these films (including Fruitvale Station, We the Animals , and Miss Juneteenth ) together as a staff sparked insightful conversations about racial identity and inequity. Some of our staff also participated in conferences such as Othering & Belonging , and later relayed what they learned. These experiences create touchpoints for each of us to connect, build trust, and ultimately reach a shared understanding.

Lesson 4: Mistakes Are Key Opportunities To Deepen The Work

This journey is far from perfect or easy—and that’s part of the point. As our staff works to build trust and engage in difficult conversations, leadership and facilitators play an important role in creating an environment where everyone can speak honestly, openly and from a place of empathy. We haven’t always gotten it right, and we’ve learned that mistakes are not just inevitable, but an essential part of growing and seeing each other.

“We’ve learned that mistakes are not just inevitable, but an essential part of growing and seeing each other.”

Each moment of tension—either as a group or between individuals—gives a chance to adjust our approach. Together our staff created meeting agreements to establish a set of ground rules for how we aspire to interact with each other. Everyone participated in a full-day workshop and shorter, ongoing trainings on “ Crucial Conversations ,” a methodology for staying in dialogue when the stakes (and emotions) are high. We also made one-on-one coaching sessions available to assist staff members with learning more about specific topics, including unconscious bias, DEI terminology and how to move from a judgement to inquiry mindset. One highlight has been articulating a collective DEI vision statement , which helped all of us build not only a shared understanding but also served as a guiding star. The underlying lesson here is the value of sitting with discomfort as it surfaces and working through it over time.

Lesson 5: Keep Communication Open And Consistent

An important recurring theme, especially for us on the Executive Team, is the value of proactive communication. This work is long-term, so documenting and sharing the conversations and learnings as we go is crucial to setting clear goals and expectations, and keeping the lines open between leadership and staff. We’ve found that communicating through a variety of methods and regular touch points is key to make the Foundation’s progress visible and to keep the momentum going. These include all-staff emails, updates and report outs during all-staff meetings, shared documents and designating a note taker who can follow-up after each meeting.

“Our collective efforts to practice openness, empathy and curiosity are nurturing a culture of trust.”

Of course, communication goes both ways. Several tools help us solicit anonymous feedback from staff to gauge satisfaction and understanding. To name a few: online surveys, Zoom polling and collaborative platforms like Easy Retro. Ultimately, these tools have worked well because our collective efforts to practice openness, empathy and curiosity are nurturing a culture of trust.

Our Work Continues

All of us at the Foundation remain fully engaged in equity as a core value of our mission. This is long-term work that is helping the Foundation become a more effective organization and partner as we move closer to our vision of a more diverse, equitable and inclusive future—where Bay Area artists thrive, Oakland children unlock their extraordinary potential, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients live healthier lives. We look forward to sharing more progress and lessons as we continue to grow and transform.

About The Authors

Laverne Matias-González

Director, Employee Experience and Culture

Shelley Trott

Chief Program Officer

Jennifer Rainin

Chief Executive Officer

Lauren Webster

Chief Financial & Administrative Officer

The Kenneth Rainin Foundation enhances quality of life by championing the arts, promoting early childhood literacy, and supporting research to cure chronic disease.

©2023 Kenneth Rainin Foundation. All rights reserved.

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DEI is Not a Box to Check – It’s a Journey

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) has emerged as arguably the most pressing issue on today’s corporate agenda. That’s good. As a CEO, I’m encouraged to see companies taking positive steps to integrate new voices, viewpoints and insights into their workplaces. At the same time, I’m saddened that our generation of leaders hasn’t acted earlier or done more.

We have an opportunity. Our company has embraced DEI as a top priority going forward . And I, as PAN’s leader, am making it a personal mission to learn more about DEI, communicate with more transparency about the subject and try to drive more awareness about diversity’s role in business today.

It’s important that leaders consider the benefits of building a diverse organization for driving better business performance. Studies show that organizations committed to ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to outperform less diverse organizations. Companies that display more gender and ethnic diversity also attract more customers, generate more revenue and earn higher profits.

“Studies show that organizations committed to ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to outperform less diverse organizations. Companies that display more gender and ethnic diversity also attract more customers, generate more revenue and earn higher profits.”

Diversity is especially important in client services fields such as integrated marketing. Our business thrives on ideas – creative, insightful, challenging ideas. Ensuring that we are tapping the talents and viewpoints of the most diverse workforce possible is critical to sustaining our long-term business models.

As we started to advance our own DEI journey at PAN, many things became clear. One is that creating a DEI framework is not about checking a box. It has to be well thought out, genuine and reflective of a company’s true values. It has to be multi-dimensional, taking into account every aspect of your business – everything from hiring to retention to promotion to client engagement to partner relations to internal communications.

Perhaps most importantly, it requires more than just a rubber stamp from the CEO. It requires that we, as leaders, lend our support, our time and our energy. We need to play a critical role in listening, educating ourselves, speaking up and making our own personal commitments to drive change .

Back in June, PAN ran a Dynata survey focused on consumer sentiment around Black Lives Matter, DEI and the role of CEOs and brands in these discussions. 44% of respondents said that a CEO’s public reaction to the Black Lives Matter movement would affect their decision to buy from that company. For me, this reinforced our role as leaders to speak up and drive change for good. Our voices are critical here.

As I reflect on our DEI journey to date at PAN, it has been a learning experience for me. Here are a few lessons I can share.

8 Lessons Learned on Our DEI Journey

Don’t be afraid to speak up, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Back in early June, I hosted a virtual all-staff meeting shortly after the murder of George Floyd. I wanted to convey the sadness I, as a white man, was feeling and hear from people about how they’re doing. Truth be told, I was a little nervous. I spoke openly and honestly for 30 minutes about my personal feelings about systemic racism. I asked questions. Others shared their thoughts and feelings. We had a heartfelt, productive dialogue. My words weren’t perfect. I didn’t say everything right. But I did my best, and I was honest.

Afterward, I was floored by the number of emails I received from employees sharing a personal story about an encounter with racism. Some may have been reluctant to chime in during the Zoom call, but the session opened up an ongoing conversation about how race relations impact them and how they view the world. I was honored to hear those stories and proud to see a workforce that was speaking up.

Get your leadership team on board

As CEO, you work with your leadership team to set priorities for the organization. It’s critical to get your leadership team to move DEI to the top of the agenda. This became the sole focus at our half-year strategic offsite session in August. From that session we developed our six DEI “pillars” – separate initiatives focused on, among other things, attracting and retaining a more diverse staff and holding ourselves accountable. Each leader signed up for a pillar that he or she would focus on, giving each a direct stake in PAN’s DEI success.

“As CEO, you work with your leadership team to set priorities for the organization. It’s critical to get your leadership team to move DEI to the top of the agenda.”

Take the pulse of the organization

While leaders should strive to stay connected with workers as a matter of practice, it became doubly important during the country’s racial tensions in 2020. You can do this in a variety of ways. My favorite method – talking to employees in the office while getting snacks – hasn’t been an option during the pandemic. But other ways work, too. Pick up the phone. Connect with workers over email. Do a survey. Assign a team of leaders to gather feedback. One method we introduced earlier this year was to set up an anonymous email box where employees can ask the CEO anything. This generated a lot of interaction – mostly favorable and productive, but sometimes critical. Which is fine. It’s the whole point of the exercise.

Act on the feedback

One piece of feedback from the anonymous mailbox that came as a surprise to me involved our recruiting practices. PAN’s leaders had let it be known that the firm had set a mandate to increase its percentage of black, brown and indigenous workers. An anonymous email floated the question: Does this mean the company would, in certain cases, hire a person based on the color of their skin if he/she is not the top candidate?

“The goal is not ever to discriminate. It is to work harder to surface top-quality candidates of all races to compete for every position – raising the quality level of the organization as a whole.”

The question shook me a bit. What we didn’t communicate fully enough to employees – and perhaps others can identify with this – is that hiring should not be considered a “zero sum game.” The goal is not ever to discriminate. It is to work harder to surface top-quality candidates of all races to compete for every position – raising the quality level of the organization as a whole. That means tapping a wider variety of sources for recruitment – such as historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) – along with tried-and-true personal networks. Our HR leader had already pushed hard to start this process. We talked at length about doubling-down our recruitment effort and communicating our strategy to the outside world.

Read more about PAN’s partnership with HBCU’s in this press release .

Determine your own personal commitment

As I stressed earlier on, the most successful DEI initiatives take place at companies where the CEO makes a personal commitment to the cause. I’ve tried to make DEI my own journey, as well as PAN’s. I have committed to learning and doing better – and also to giving back. This has included expanding my adjunct professor role at Syracuse University to leading a guest lecture series at two HBCUs (NCCU and NC A&T). I’ve signed on to teach and talk about public relations and agency life. I learn so much from these students. They’re providing me a new valuable perspective, and I hope I’m doing the same for the students. Beyond this, I have posted many comments and lessons-learned on LinkedIn and Twitter, each time garnering many “comments” from thousands of views.

Embrace the force of your whole team

DEI efforts should be personal for the leader. But they shouldn’t be confined to one leader, or even a small group of leaders. The collective force and effort of an entire team is what will move your DEI journey forward. We’ve provided two ways for our team members to be involved: joining one of the DEI pillar committees or serving on our PANid team. The latter has assembled a group from all levels at PAN to participate in conversations around DEI. The group meets monthly to talk about resources, staff initiatives, training, and books to read/documentaries to watch to drive self-improvement for the employee and PAN.

Connect with your peer group

I’ve found it immensely helpful to sit on roundtables with other leaders to hear their perspectives on DEI. I learn from each of these conversations and calls. We discuss hiring practices, share retention tips and learn about how our peers are handling this critical issue that will shape the future of our industry. One of the most valuable peer-group initiatives has been undertaken by the PR Council. It is a founding member of the Diversity Action Alliance , an industry-wide effort to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in our profession. PAN is participating in the alliance and taking an active role to promote the DAA pledge, which encourages agency leaders, CCOs at leading corporations and deans of communications programs at colleges and universities to share, on an annual basis, demographic data for an aggregated industry-wide report. We may not like where the data is today, but it provides the necessary spring-board to grow and show improvement year-over-year.

This is a journey

Remember, DEI is not a box to check – and it’s not an issue than can be solved overnight. CEOs don’t have to commit massive financial resources up front, especially while they’re trying to work their way through the pandemic. Creating a DEI journey is a long-term commitment. Gains will be gradual, but they should be pursued with the assumption that they will sustain themselves over time.

I wish our industry could have moved faster and earlier to get ahead of race relations issues that are now front and center in society. But if we see today as an opportunity, we can do some good – for our own individual companies and for society at large.

Learn more about Phil’ commitment to bringing DEI to the PR industry in his recent podcast .

In our annual Brand Experience Report, we asked marketers and customers how they are using and experiencing AI to better understand how the technology is changing that relationship.

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Sojourn DEI provides seamless and intuitive solutions to develop, track, and enhance customizable DEI initiatives with confidence. Our easy-to-use methods are designed by DEI experts for organizations to navigate the intricacies of activating diversity, ensuring equity, and fostering inclusion.

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