307
© 2022 Fairygodboss. All rights reserved.
Breaking Into DEI
Hi there,
My name is Katie and I currently work at a nonprofit affordable housing company here in Denver, CO.
My company is awesome, and our CEO did provide a response to the BLM movement (in support of it). But no tangible action steps were mentioned, so my colleagues and I are going to be creating an Equity Board to help hold the organization accountable.
My question: what are some of the best resources, certifications, etc. that me and my colleagues should be looking into or obtaining in order to make sure we are doing things right? I want to make sure I have the knowledge so I can "preach what I speak" and don't come off as ignorant or misguided. I have a solid foundation with my Master's degree, but want to make sure that I have the right skill set to tackle this challenge head on. Any advice or links to resources are much appreciated!
Kara Yates, SHRM-CPHuman Resources Professional
42
07/22/20 at 1:21PM UTC (Edited)
Hey Katie! I think this is a great initiative. I work with small businesses as an HR Consultant and I often refer back to this Life Labs resource that walks you through setting up a DEI strategy :
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11aVZbj9jMbo9-JoH9_xHtpXYwmSZh-uhPXpNNzKVQRY/preview?_hsmi=89155398&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8DAEkMf--S8JE0TFqxAbmbNruhi31GdtnjfhOyCnMpsUDErURwKDKLg53fx_AzgtteeD14YoYJjSp7wsebnhInTjr4aA&pru=AAABcr2f7f4*REN_hXq6xnMotgGyYhLUpg#
Erin HennamanLearning & Development Professional
41
07/21/20 at 6:58PM UTC
Hi Katie! I don't have any advice for you as I am in the same boat as you right now, but I wanted to let you know that you aren't alone. If you need to bounce ideas off of someone who is currently working toward the same goal, please reach out!
Maggie KrudwigTalent Acquisition
167
07/22/20 at 3:29PM UTC
Hi Katie and Erin! I'm working to set up our first Inclusion Council at my company. Happy to be a part of a brainstorm/support from being in the same situation group, as well!
Anonymous
07/21/20 at 4:06AM UTC
Hi Katie, this is great, I'm glad to hear that you are taking the initiative in this critical work! I also agree that seeking consultation from an expert is important. Additionally, I think that you can gain a lot of valuable insight from peer organizations--particularly those that have articulated measurable commitments. I think your leadership team will be more receptive to actions their peers are taking and using that as a guiding framework for their approach. Much of my company's response/accountability has been guided by our BPN affinity group so you're spot on about creating an Equity Board.
Jemia Williams DEI Practitioner | Social Media | Writer
452
07/20/20 at 9:07PM UTC
Hey Katie! I am a certified DEI Consultant that can help you with this if you want to send me an email we can discuss further - [email protected]
Step 1, however, is acknowledging that this is going to be a consistent learning and development opportunity for everyone in the organization. If your organization does not have an internal DEI team or resource, a best practice is to outsource to someone who can help develop this strategy that way your internal population does not feel like this is "the flavor of the week".
Katie Communicator | Empath | Leader
307
07/20/20 at 9:12PM UTC
Oh yes absolutely! The CEO will be hiring someone to come in and make sure we set up the right frameworks and trainings to make sure it is a long lasting and constant process. Thank you so much!
© 2022 Fairygodboss. All rights reserved.