Sonali S. Balajee
Kurt S. Jun
Ann Curry‐Stevens
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Accountability and quality improvement tool based on equity
A set of accompanying foundational assumptions and (including definitions) leading with community voice and the science behind healing, community resistance, and transformation
A way of consistent thinking and being aligned with equity, racial justice, and racial healing
Seeks structural, relational, and behavioral outcomes at the individual, institutional, and systemic levels
Calls for success for all (universal) AND most marginal groups (targeted)
It is not:
 A one‐size fits all approach
 A one‐shot deal (a quick fix)
 A process that is solely linear, and focused only on things we can count
 Only a symptomatic approach without looking at the root causes
 Guided by a vision of success that is defined from one viewpoint
Population counts
Education
Occupation
Unemployment
Poverty levels
Access to food banks
Government procurement and contracting 8. Small business numbers
9. Hiring in public service
10. Incomes
11. Wealth
12. Bankruptcy
13. Lending institutions 14. Housing discrimination
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15. Voter registration and voting
16. Volunteering 17. Public office
18. Philanthropy funding
19. Police hiring
20. Juvenile Justice
21. Child welfare
22. Health insurance
23. Health disparities
24. Racial harassment 25. Health risk behaviors (varied results)
26. Criminal justice
27. Access to public housing 28. Homeless numbers
29. Exposure to environmental toxins
Focus on building capacity strategically around terms, paths to success, data highlighting the inequities, and outcomes related to BOTH racial equity and racial inequity
 Shift norms via bold and aligned communication and engagement strategies with both employees and clients
 Leadership development strategies
 Community engagement and voice made more visible and initially integrated into planning and decision‐making
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Emphasize transformative structural change strategies: equity‐
based evaluation upfront, improved decision‐making, leading with community voice, performance reviews, strategic plan
Create and maintain the conditions to do this work (healing, build in accountability, discipline, restorative, creative, innovative)
Relentlessly apply an equity analysis, and act on findings (eliminate the barriers, restore, create, and enhance what works)
Value emotional and spiritual wellbeing, along with physical, social, economic, and environmental
Shift in worldview and consciousness over time
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Written & public commitment from top leadership
Led by strong stakeholder group Significant role for community stakeholders
Dedicated staffing, yet responsibility for change rooted in each department
Assess current status (audit & data)
Equity Plan to advance solutions
▪ Include targets, timelines, monitoring, and resources
▪ Policy and procedure reforms ▪
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Mission statements
Recruitment & retention
Eligibility & access issues for community services
Complaints processes
Equitable contracting
Involve community in policy and evaluation practices
Job performance monitoring 
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Embedded solutions instead of “special projects”
Accountability structures to ensure monitoring and achievements  Must ensure this guides policy and practice and becomes a living part of the organization  Use an existing Equity Team if you already have one
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Cultural shifts from colorblindness towards racial equity
Policy development process reforms
 Remove barriers for community participation  Sustain contributions from community members
 Support employee participation by members of same community
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Build/support leadership of employees of color
 Expand mentoring
 Create Employee Support Groups
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Gather insights on needs and strengths, and providing an evidence base that problems exist
Create impetus for serious reforms, and avoid tokenistic responses
Sustain a focus on the organization itself, in tandem with including the practices of individuals in the organization
Create organizational accountability to determine needs, build interventions and allocate resources
Raise expectations inside and outside the organization that improvement efforts are forthcoming, and in this way, creates momentum for change
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Trenerry & Paradies, 2012
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“Training is unlikely to have sustained positive effects if implemented in the absence of broader organizational accountability mechanisms and leadership (Bendick, Egan, & Lofhjelm, 2001; Kalev, et al., 2006; Paradies, et al., 2009)
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“Even if individual attitudes or behaviors change as a result of diversity training, the effects are likely to be short lived if organizational structures and policies have not adapted to reflect non‐discriminatory norms.” (p.12, Trenerry & Paradies, 2012)
Kurt S. Jun: Organizational Studies and Key Learnings 1.
Journey to World‐Class in Diversity, Inclusion & Equity
Our Guiding Behaviors:
Be Accountable
Earn Trust
Dignify People
Make the Right Thing Happen
Positive Attitude
Team Behavior
Our Core Principles:
Safety & Health
Continuous Improvement
Ethical Business Practices
Diversity & Inclusion
Community Investment
Environmental Stewardship
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Journey to World‐Class in Diversity, Inclusion & Equity
Business Case for Diversity & Inclusion
PGE has found evidence that successful support of diversity and inclusion has the following business benefits:
 Case 1: Higher levels of employee satisfaction
 Case 2: Higher levels of customer satisfaction
 Case 3: Improved safety ratings
 Case 4: Better decisions and improved financial performance
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Journey to World‐Class in Diversity, Inclusion & Equity
Business Case for Diversity & Inclusion
Business Case for Equity
Equity
Diversity & Inclusion
Economic Success
Stimulates the region’s economy
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i.e. Racial achievement gap costs Oregon $2 billion a year
Source: (The Oregonian, July 21, 2015)
Stimulates the organization’s performance
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i.e. Sears Corporation ‐ found that every 5% improvement in employee attitudes drives a 1.3% improvement in customer satisfaction and a 0.5% growth in company revenue.
This accounted for $200 million in profits generated in a year.
Source: (HBR Article: Rucci, Kim, and Quinn, 1998)
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Journey to World‐Class in Diversity, Inclusion & Equity
Business Case for Diversity & Inclusion
Business Case for Equity
Embedding Diversity, Inclusion & Equity into the operational fabric of how we do business
Encompassing the Whole – holistic engagement
Master Plan – embedding into existing strategic plan
Connective tissue – connecting the disconnected
Diversity Scorecard – accountability metrics and measurements applied to annual performance appraisals
5. Visibility and Sustainability – personal and professional development opportunities towards “cultural paradigm shifts”
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Journey to World‐Class in Diversity, Inclusion & Equity
Business Case for Diversity & Inclusion
Business Case for Equity
Embedding Diversity, Inclusion & Equity into the operational fabric of how we do business
5. Embedding Diversity, Inclusion & Equity into existing strategic plans, priorities and initiatives 1.
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Strategic Plans, Priorities & Initiatives (Journey Map)
 Safety
 Management Excellence
 Employee Engagement
 Workforce Planning
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Strategic Plans, Priorities & Initiatives (Journey Map)
 Safety
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Strategic Plans, Priorities & Initiatives (Journey Map)
 Safety
 Management Excellence –
The invisible scars of
“micro‐aggressions”
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Strategic Plans, Priorities & Initiatives (Applying the equity lens to organization’s planning processes and journey maps)
 Safety
 Management Excellence
 Employee Engagement ‐ annual Employee Engagement Survey  Workforce Planning ‐ Diverse Workforce Development
Ann Curry‐Stevens: Case Study and Key Learnings 
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“Wish list” created by Coalition, by invitation of PSU
Conducted organizational racial equity assessment
Created Center to Advance Racial Equity
Using a racial equity lens in university’s strategic planning
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Principles to begin the document
 PSU has a commitment to erase racial disparities in society, and advance social 
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justice At PSU, equity is given the same emphasis as other university priorities
PSU is committed to ensuring that its Strategic Plan reflects the interests of those most affected by our decisions: our students, their future employers, and the service users, customers and/or communities they will ultimately serve. We endeavor to support all students to reach their fullest potential and wellbeing. PSU is cautious of making decisions on behalf of marginalized communities and aims to directly include these communities and their advocates wherever practical. Decisions to not include these stakeholders need to be justified
PSU aims to create a strategic plan, and the processes that lead up to it, that maximizes the benefits for communities of color and for other marginalized communities
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Process
 Have we included those most affected by inequity?
 How did we address barriers to inclusion?
▪ Modify processes?
▪ Address needs?
▪ Support inclusion and influence?
 How is our process empowering?
▪ Supporting leadership development?
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Recommendations for future PSU practices?
“How will this initiative support the empowerment of people from historically marginalized communities?”
• “What are the specific ways that this initiative is expected to reduce disparities and advance social justice?”
• “How does this initiative foster the development of processes that address barriers to inclusion and contribute to the development of community capacity?” •
JY4
Framing of equity as pillar of excellence as opposed to being a strategy to reach excellence
 Numerous equity elements added to the substance
 Equity Panel will continue to help operationalize the strategic plan
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Slide 33
JY4
Ann, could you add this information?
Jacqueline Yerby, 10/5/2015
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Needed…
 A real ally in top leadership for strategic planning, and for the university as a whole
▪ Could have tokenized the entire process, or bogged down in administrative rules
▪ Like approving definitions, principles, procedures
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Tendency for insights to be marginalized  Other roles given more time for delays, but not our Equity Panels
▪ We rallied, and our time was preserved
 As “implementation” considerations, instead of substantive ones
▪ Our Equity Panels also drifted in this direction
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An educative process for those involved… many weak links
Needing to ensure deeper capacity building to make sure we aren’t here for the next strategic plan!
Sonali S. Balajee: Case Study and Key Learnings YOU ARE HERE
Values:
Balance
Inclusion
Systems
Empowerment
Relationship
Sustainability
Context
Mind
Spirit
Body
Connects:
Land
Resources
People Spirit
Purpose
Shared power
•Shift in Social Norms
•Develop talking points and clear consistent messaging based on equity and racial justice
•Strengthened Alliances
•Building stronger relationships with racial and ethnic communities, leading to more meaningful engagement and driving of policy and planning
•Improved Policies
•Improve language in Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)
•Creating and consistently utilizing guiding criteria (bike/pedestrian projects, roadways, bridges, culverts)
 Understand the barriers to change
 Seek to transform, not only transact
 Know and articulate your purpose in this work, and your organization’s
 Create the space necessary to think and reflect
 Develop a wider sense of self
 Promote “shared power” vs. “power over”
 Let go of needing to know the answer
 Live with a larger view of time