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Create a People-First Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy

Build a sustainable DEI strategy by focusing on real people’s experiences to uncover and address systemic inequities.

  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is complex and heavily nuanced. This means that every DEI strategy needs to be based on the specific challenges of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
  • DEI is often siloed under HR, but everyone has a role to play as allies, leaders, and champions when it comes to creating an organization that has diverse groups of employees, is equitable, and is inclusive. However, it is not always clear how everyone participates in creating a diverse and inclusive organization.
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Executive Summary

Critical Insight

  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion is a continuum – an ongoing journey of unlearning and learning the deeply rooted dogmas that guide the way organizations operate.
  • The DEI strategy is a mechanism through which systemic issues and the ingrained way things are done at organizations can be challenged and changed to build an inclusive and diverse workplace.
  • Creating a scaled and purposeful DEI strategy, upheld by strategic pillars, and customized DEI initiatives kick-starts the journey.

Impact & Result

  • Organizations must create a DEI strategy that is based on their specific organizational DEI challenges. Assess the current state of DEI through organizational data and focus groups, not based on current trends and fads in diversity, equity, and inclusion training.
  • With a DEI strategy project team, identify a clear purpose for DEI that is upheld by defined strategic pillars, carried out by specific DEI initiatives (e.g. inclusive leadership behavior training, implementing sponsorship programs, expanding campus recruitment strategies to more diverse schools), and overseen by a governance model.
  • Implement diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace with initiatives that support all parts of the employee lifecycle.

Research & Tools

2. Determine the purpose of DEI

Define the overarching objective for DEI, determine strategic pillars, and identify goals and metrics.

3. Determine the governance model and select DEI initiatives

Assess DEI maturity and examine the employee lifecycle from a DEI lens to select initiatives to implement.

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