Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative Q1/Q2 Reflections

DEI Reflection

Just because I haven’t written a DEI reflections blog post in a few months doesn’t mean that EverTrue’s DEI Committee has stopped working. You better believe we still meet each week and continue to chip away at a handful of initiatives and projects!

One big change for us this year was actually reworking how we facilitate our meetings. We realized that our regular weekly meeting format was becoming a running to-do list instead of being an open, dynamic conversation and, in general, things were feeling a bit dry. So we decided to shake things up!

As such, we divided ourselves into task forces depending on our own interests and passions. We now have three task forces that work within the following buckets:

Organizational Change

  • Focus on our culture and what experiences makes up the fabric of our company
  • Review existing processes to ensure they reinforce inclusive behavior
  • Raise awareness around DEI at all levels within the company
  • Create space for important dialogue and discussion

Recruiting & Talent

  • Standardize the process for attracting talent and evaluate the onboarding process
  • Make recommendations to hiring managers in regards to job descriptions, places to post job openings, and the interview process
  • Conduct demographic survey/reporting and complete benchmarking work to provide insight as to where we can improve

Integrating DEI into the Business Model

  • Recognize where DEI plays a role within EverTrue’s core business
  • Give EverTrue back to the community through TrueBeliever program
  • Integrate DEI values into our case studies, marketing, and highlight customer success stories in regards to DEI in advancement
  • Audit marketing materials for diverse representation

Every other week we meet as a big group and the in-between weeks are devoted to working in your task force. This gives us the ability to work in tandem with one/two other people on initiatives that we are passionate about and get more done because we can be hyper-focused and accountable. 

It always amazes me how much we are able to achieve in a short period of time. While it doesn’t feel like we accomplish a lot in the moment, whenever I write these blog posts,  I think, “WOW”. So check out the list below for some of our highlights from the last six months. And this is a nice reminder to try writing out your own accomplishments along the way too! Personal, professional, and everything in between. It’s proven to be a great way to acknowledge and celebrate progress.

Demographic Survey Image

 

Perhaps our most important activity from this half of the year was our first “Around the Watercooler with the DEI Committee” event. We opened up a Zoom room to anyone who wanted to join us in discussing what DEI means to them. We wanted to give folks the opportunity to talk in a safe space, learn from each other and discuss things that sometimes are uncomfortable and that many of us feel unpracticed at. The 30 minutes around the watercooler were absolutely amazing — I feel honored to have been a part of such an open and vulnerable conversation. While projects and initiatives can change processes and structure, allowing space for dialogue builds trust, creates camaraderie, and ultimately allows us all to grow and evolve. We are excited to now host these watercooler discussions every quarter after receiving positive feedback. 

In the coming months, we have exciting things in store including hosting our first “Behaviors of Inclusion” workshop in partnership with LifeLabs Learning, participating in a panelist discussion for the Ron Brown Scholars Program, hosting a “DEI in Advancement” customer-only roundtable, and beginning to work on a Corporate Social Responsibility plan. 

As we transition into the summer months and enjoy summer vacations, it is still important to stay informed and educated. We must remain committed to improving not only our EverTrue community but our own communities of families and friends. 


 

See Jessica’s DEI Reflections from Q3/Q4 2020. 

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