Many companies realize the importance of diversity and inclusion when recruiting new talent, particularly among Gen Z and millennials who value organizations that share their beliefs.
Establishing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive statement is essential to attracting top talent and building an inclusive workplace culture.
Diversity Statement
Employers or programs often ask candidates to submit a diversity statement as one way of demonstrating their commitment to inclusivity. It allows you to express how your identity or background makes you a valuable addition to the community while detailing your plan to contribute towards fulfilling the program’s mission.
Statements are typically required as part of the application process, and writing them in first person and highlighting personal experiences rather than generalizations about being female, black, or any other minority can help make your statement stand out from others. A great way to begin is describing a diversity conflict from your past – describe who was involved, your reaction and how the issue was ultimately resolved.
Your portfolio could also highlight projects and coursework that address issues related to diversity. This could include attending workshops on implicit bias or working on projects for classes that address extrinsic or intrinsic discrimination in the workplace, for instance. You could also highlight how your racial identity motivates you to mentor students from marginalized communities who wish to thrive academically – such as junior scholars in higher education institutions.
Many companies publish information on their website about their diversity and inclusion initiatives to back up their statements about them. This may include statistics like the percentage of women or people of color in leadership positions, how much money is spent with diverse suppliers or where their DEI goals stand by a certain date.
The Greene Center provides individual consultations to assist with writing diversity statements. We can assist with brainstorming where to start, discussing what information feels appropriate to share, and reviewing your final draft. No matter if you are an employer seeking an inclusive workplace culture or seeking employment opportunities – we are here for you! Contact us to make an appointment – virtual consultations may also be possible.
Equity Statement
An academic’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) statement is one of the best ways they can demonstrate their dedication to creating inclusive academic environments. Similar to teaching statements, DEI statements emphasize your efforts in supporting scholarly inclusion as well as advocating on behalf of marginalized communities through research, service and outreach activities. For maximum impactful writing a DEI statement should provide specific examples that illustrate your dedication towards increasing inclusivity both inside the classroom and your field of study.
DEI statements are essential components of organizations because they serve to communicate a company’s priorities and values to employees and leadership alike, acting as a roadmap for change while offering accountability measures within an organization. But in order for such statements to truly become impactful they must be supported with concrete actions that go beyond cosmetic promises to take concrete steps towards real change in an organization.
When writing a DEI statement, it’s essential to keep in mind that diversity refers to differences among people based on race, gender, culture, sexual orientation, age and ability. An inclusive diversity statement must account for these disparate identities to truly respect everyone’s backgrounds and be inclusive and welcoming for everyone involved.
An effective DEI statement should not only describe diversity but also provide an organizational plan of action to foster inclusivity in the workplace. This plan of action should address common barriers that prevent inclusivity such as unconscious biases during hiring processes or lack of mentoring and professional development opportunities for underrepresented groups.
An effective DEI statement should include a timeline detailing how the organization will achieve its goals, showing readers that your organization is serious about addressing DEI issues and taking steps to make a difference. Furthermore, effective DEI statements should identify individuals responsible for carrying out its plan of action to ensure accountability is upheld during implementation and that there is transparency throughout. Doing this helps build trust while creating positive working environments and fosters staff ownership over DEI goals within an organization.
Inclusive Culture Statement
An inclusive culture fosters diversity of viewpoints and voices. This allows employees to feel valued for their contributions while improving creative problem-solving efforts within an organization, plus helping businesses attract more diverse customers.
To achieve an inclusive culture in their organizations, businesses must first develop a framework with policies, training programs and employee resources. To do so successfully, leadership must model inclusive behaviors by listening to diverse viewpoints and encouraging collaboration. Finally, leaders should offer clear instructions on how to address issues of unconscious bias or inappropriate conduct in an efficient and ethical manner.
Establishing an inclusive culture can lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction for employees of all backgrounds or status in your company, while simultaneously strengthening customer relationships and raising brand recognition. Indeed, according to research by McKinsey & Company, organizations that prioritize diversity and inclusion experience higher profit margins than those who don’t prioritise such matters.
Step one of creating an inclusive culture at your company should be to identify its core identities and values, then devise an action plan focused on these areas that includes specific goals that create sustainable change – for instance increasing leadership diversity or providing targeted resources for underrepresented groups.
As part of your action plan, it’s essential that it remains transparent and visible to employees and customers alike. One effective method for doing this is through an internal communications strategy which highlights these initiatives while offering updates on progress. Some businesses also include diversity and inclusion statements on their websites as an additional means to demonstrate commitment to inclusivity while showcasing some key accomplishments.
Diversity and inclusion should be part of every business practice to remain competitive in today’s marketplace, but it must not happen overnight. Building an inclusive environment takes time by taking small steps toward building policies, training programs, employee resources and an inclusive culture – but the results can be profound.
Employee Engagement Statement
Diversity, equity and inclusion are often lumped together; each concept stands on its own. Within an organizational setting, “diversity” refers to employee diversity; for example it may include differences such as race, ethnicity, gender, religion, physical ability or socioeconomic status. On a more detailed level ‘equity’ refers to how employees are treated in the workplace with all employees treated equally regardless of background. Finally “inclusion” refers to creating an atmosphere that fosters employee well-being by creating an environment that feels welcoming where all employees feel valued, respected and included.
Organizations can make an impactful statement about diversity, equity and inclusion by taking steps to foster these concepts. While one company’s commitment may not completely eradicate centuries-old prejudices or oppressions, it can help encourage those around it to take positive steps forward.
Employees who feel included and supported at work are more likely to be engaged, which in turn can lead to higher performance, productivity and innovation at work. It also fosters team cohesion which can facilitate collaboration.
To reach their goals, companies must foster an inclusive culture by creating and training managers in inclusion practices. A culture of inclusion must be built on respect, kindness and trust – providing an environment where employees can flourish and reach their full potential.
People of diverse backgrounds bring different skills and perspectives into the workplace that can help solve problems and enhance processes. Furthermore, diverse workforces help organizations recruit and retain top talent – especially important among millennials who prioritize workplace culture over other factors when considering an offer of employment.
McKinsey conducted research showing that companies in the top quartile for diversity tend to outshone those in the bottom quartile for this factor, leading to better financial performance and increased customer satisfaction.
However, any company’s diversity efforts must include efforts to address inequities and bias. Otherwise, the results can be counterproductive; for instance, an employer biased against women could impact hiring decisions, deprive the organization of talented candidates, or hinder promotion opportunities. Fostering an environment of inclusion through educational campaigns on unconscious bias will only serve to increase its efficacy further.