DEI Climate Assessments, Training, Programming, and Strategic Planning

When an organization is facing the challenges of changing culture and building community, a climate assessment ensures that critical issues are identified and addressed. In our experience, DEI work has limited success unless it is intentionally woven into the fabric of organizations in order to strengthen the collaborative work culture and underscore the mission. Through stakeholder interviews, focus groups and a climate survey, DP focuses on efforts to foster diversity, equity and inclusion, and teambuilding. At the outset of the project, DP will collaborate with the leadership of the organization to develop the project management plan for the climate assessment, protocols for effective interviews and focus groups, and a survey instrument focused on the organization’s goals. This array of tasks ensures that all aspects of the project are clearly defined, along with a timetable and responsibilities. A successful climate assessment ensures that the organization has the necessary information to develop and prioritize planning strategies for all segments of the community.

For non-profits and businesses, DP will partner with you to develop and deliver awareness-building training programs and assessments designed to help strengthen diversity, equity, and inclusion among your senior administration and programmatic staff. We focus on cultural competencies and the differences across diverse groups, as well as understanding the key obstacles to success in recruitment, retention and performance, including unconscious bias and microaggressions. 

The new world paradigm of COVID-19 and social distancing requires the reimagining of many aspects of the workplace, and the current political and social environment where social justice and racism have come to the foreground means that it is all the more critical to address DEI. 

For higher education, DP’s training sessions provide an opportunity to incorporate expert-led DEI programming into your undergraduate and graduate student orientations, first-year seminars, and ongoing student affairs work. The discussions they generate will aid in raising awareness about racism, our unconscious biases, and the impact of a diverse student body on the campus community.

Whether new students are enrolled to study in person or online, colleges and universities need to re-conceptualize many of the activities they had planned for new student orientation as well as student affairs programming. Within the COVID-19 environment with its attendant social distancing, our DEI programming can also be used to engage and support diverse and inclusive learning communities within renovation or new construction projects, including residential complexes, cultural and student centers.

A Board of Directors or Trustees has to intentionally lead on diversity, equity and inclusion and building community. In order to do so, board members should participate in DEI training, engage in discussions about implicit bias and implement institutional practices and processes that will reduce bias in their judgment and decision making. Most boards need to invest significant time and energy in open discussions to understand the impact of systemic racism. DP can provide tailored training to help boards understand the impact of implicit bias on their governance process, to clarify current disparities, injustices and inequities related to their mission, community and demographics, and to create DEI strategies that will achieve a diverse and inclusive board.

In order for training and seminars to have an impact, there must be an organizational strategic plan that supports and advances a dedication to diversity and internalizes a culture of equity and inclusion.

A plan, developed in partnership with DP, establishes DEI as a strategic imperative. It means an organization is committed to the practice of diversity and inclusion and is not simply having a conversation. It should focus on developing core competencies for staff, faculty, and students that will enable them to work and learn more effectively inside a diverse workforce with greater cultural awareness. 

As part of the strategic plan, an organization and board will need to:

• work with DP to identify specific DEI strategies to which you will commit. 
• create a plan to alleviate barriers and create access. 
• include an evaluation of the training and seminars to determine their effectiveness. 
• continually track and measure the efforts and metrics against DEI actionable outcomes to maintain focus on the progress toward these goals.