QUESTIONS FOR ASSESSING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN YOUR ORGANIZATION
1. Organization’s Diversity Policy
Does the organization have an internal diversity policy?
What are the diversity goals for the organization? Are the goals achievable or measurable, or only aspirational?
Does the diversity policy specify or recommend action items or strategies to achieve the diversity goals?
Are managers held accountable for increasing diversity in areas of responsibility? If so, which metrics are used to measure accountability?
2. Board, Chairperson or CEO Policy re Diversity
Has the Board, chairperson or CEO expressed a current or future vision of diversity for the organization?
What is the level of diversity of the Board? How many, if any, members of the Board are Black?
Does the Board consider diversity when identifying and selecting new members? What is the process for the Board to consider diversity in its decision making and business activities?
3. Diversity Office, Officer or Official
Does the organization have a diversity office, officer or official dedicated to enhancing diversity?
To whom does the diversity office head, officer or official report in the organization? What is the management level and staffing for the diversity office, officer or official?
Does the office, officer or official have organization-wide responsibilities? What are those diversity responsibilities? How do the responsibilities of the diversity office, officer or official impact diversity?
4. Diversity Council or Committee
Does the organization have a diversity council or committee?
If the organization has a diversity council or committee, what is the diversity composition of its members? Are there Black managers or employees, or both on the council or committee, and, if so, how many?
Are you able to join such a group? What are the selection criteria? If no such group exists, are you able to establish one?
Is working on the diversity council or committee considered a regular or ancillary duty? Is there acknowledgement and/or evaluation credit for participation?
What are the goals for the diversity council or committee?
5. Organization’s Current Diversity Levels
What is the current percentage of Black employees by title, organizational position, function, and profession? What is the percentage in primary and core functions versus ancillary or support functions (e.g., HR or IT)?
What are the aspirational diversity goals for Black employees in the organization?
Is the organization’s diversity data available publicly or only on internal sites?
Do Black employees have the opportunity for mentorship? What are the selection criteria for a Black employee to be assigned to a mentor?
6. Organization’s Current Diversity Levels in Management
What is the current percentage of Black supervisors and managers by title, organizational position, function, and profession? What is the percentage in primary and core functions versus ancillary or support functions (e.g., HR or IT)? What are the aspirational diversity goals for Black supervisors and managers in the organization?
Are diversity goals included in a supervisor’s or manager’s periodic performance assessment? If so, which metrics are used to measure achievement of diversity goals?
How are diversity goals incorporated into the promotion process? Do diversity goals play a role in promotions and, if so, how?
Does the organization have a comprehensive employee development program to move employees from staff to supervisors to managers? What is the nature of the program? Does it provide opportunity to Black employees and supervisors? What are the selection criteria for the program and how is the effectiveness of the program assessed?
7. Diversity Practices Regarding Recruiting and Hiring
What strategies are used to attract Black applicants? Does the organization recruit in Black identified or dominated communities, universities, institutions, businesses and professional groups?
If the organization has dedicated recruiters, are they diverse, that is, Black or minorities included?
Does the organization have Black employees on the hiring committee?
What is the percentage of diverse new hires in all titles, positions, functions and professions? Is such data available internally to Black employees in addition to Black or minority supervisors and managers?
8. Conducting Research Regarding Diversity
Has the organization ever utilized an independent, outside contractor to conduct research on diversity, for example: to perform a barrier analysis, to formulate effective diversity strategies, to establish the business case model for the organization’s diversity efforts, or to survey the organization’s employees concerning its diversity climate?
In the case of government agencies, have such contractors been retained under a multi-year contract to track, study and analyze diversity over time?
9. Organization’s Periodic Reporting of Diversity
Are the organization’s diversity goals available?
Does the report include data about the positions and functions of Black employees, supervisors and managers? Does the report show the staff and budget for the diversity office, officer, official, council or committee?
Does the report show details in narrative and statistical format of the status of diversity of all current and new employees?
Does the report reflect changes in diversity in the organization over time? Is the report used by the organization (board, management, or the organization’s diversity leadership) to plan for future diversity efforts?
10. Organization’s Diversity Communication Channels
What channels does the organization have to announce and to distribute internal information about its diversity activities?
Are there channels through which employees can suggest and recommend enhancements to the organization’s diversity climate, either anonymously or openly?
Who within the organization is responsible for maintaining and ensuring the channels are fully functioning? How is information about diversity captured in the channels routed to the appropriate parts of the organization?
Other than these channels, how can or do employees communicate questions or issues about diversity?
11. Awards and Recognition
Does the organization periodically recognize superior employee performance in a ceremony?
Have Black employees been recognized with equal distinction in appropriate numbers versus marginal awards seldom received?
