Creating a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) committee is an important step in fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment. Such a committee can help ensure that a wide range of voices are heard and considered in decision-making processes within an organization. Here’s Diversio’s step-by-step guide to help you create a DEI committee:

What is a DEI committee?

A DEI committee is a group within an organization responsible for promoting and guiding initiatives related to creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace. These committees focus on ensuring fair treatment, equal opportunities, and a welcoming environment for employees from diverse backgrounds, including those based on race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and other marginalized identities.

A company’s DEI committee is usually made up of employees from different levels and departments within the organization to ensure a wide range of perspectives and experiences are represented

Responsibilities of a DEI committee may include:

• Assessing workplace culture: Identifying areas where diversity and inclusion efforts can improve.
• Developing DEI strategies and policies: Creating guidelines and initiatives that promote inclusivity and equitable practices within the organization.
• Educating and training staff: Offering DEI training to ensure all employees understand the importance of diversity and know how to contribute to a respectful and inclusive environment.
• Addressing biases: Working to eliminate both unconscious biases and systemic barriers that hinder equal opportunities.
• Measuring DEI progress: Tracking the success of initiatives and using data to guide future efforts.

Step 1: Develop a DEI committee

Identify the need & set goals:

Begin by identifying the reasons for creating a DEI committee. What are the specific goals you want to achieve? Specific DEI goals can fall into areas of promoting diversity, fostering inclusion, addressing bias, and ensuring equitable opportunities for all members of your organization.

Here are some DEI goal examples committees and DEI practitioners can set to make a difference:

• Specific targets for increasing the number of underrepresented groups in leadership positions;
• Equal access to professional development opportunities;
• Reviewing and standardizing promotion processes to ensure fair evaluations across all demographic groups;
• Create or expand Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that support specific communities, such as LGBTQ+ employees or parents;
• Including diverse voices in key business decisions, ensuring a wide range of perspectives;
• Implementing bias-reduction training for managers;
• Conducting pay audits to identify and address disparities in compensation based on gender, race, or other factors.

Read more about setting better DEI goals here.

Gain leadership support:

Secure buy-in from senior leaders and decision-makers within your organization. Leadership support is crucial for allocating resources, time, and commitment to the DEI committee’s initiatives. Here’s more info on the role of leadership teams in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Form a planning group:

Create a small planning group that will be responsible for designing the structure, goals, and initial activities of the DEI committee. This group can be composed of representatives from different departments or levels within the organization.

Develop a charter:

Draft a formal charter or mission statement for the DEI committee. Clearly outline its purpose, objectives, scope, responsibilities, and reporting structure. The charter will serve as a guiding document for the committee’s work.

To draft a great charter, tailored to your organization, check out our guide including a free charter template for your DEI committee.

Select DEI committee members:

Invite a diverse group of employees to join the DEI committee. Consider representation from various departments, levels, and backgrounds to ensure a broad range of perspectives. Make sure to include individuals who are passionate about DEI issues.

Training & education:

Provide training and resources to committee members to enhance their understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion concepts. This will help them carry out their roles effectively and sensitively.

Define roles & responsibilities:

Clearly outline the roles and responsibilities of committee members, including the chairperson or co-chairs. Assign tasks such as event planning, policy development, training initiatives, and data analysis.

Step 2: Create space within the company culture

Hold regular meetings:

Schedule regular meetings for the DEI committee to discuss progress, plan initiatives, share ideas, and address challenges. Create a safe space where open and honest conversations can take place. It’s important to make sure that any employees who offer their time to driving a more inclusive workplace are appreciated and supported, they should be given time within their working day to contribute to initiatives to avoid extra workload and stress.

Engage the wider organization:

Communicate the establishment of the DEI committee to the entire organization. Explain its purpose, goals, and how employees can get involved or contribute their ideas.

Step 3: Launch programs & initiatives

Develop initiatives:

Work as a committee to design and implement DEI initiatives that align with the organization’s goals. These could include workshops, awareness campaigns, mentoring programs, policy reviews, and recruitment strategies.

Measure & report progress:

Define key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the committee’s progress. Regularly assess the impact of initiatives and gather feedback from employees. Publish reports or updates to demonstrate transparency and accountability.

Adjust & Evolve:

Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of the DEI committee’s efforts and be willing to make adjustments as needed. Adapt to changing needs and incorporate feedback from employees to ensure ongoing improvement.

Celebrate Achievements:

Recognize and celebrate the successes and milestones achieved by the DEI committee. Publicly acknowledge the efforts of committee members and the positive changes they have contributed to the organization.

A DEI committee can be the first step towards change.

If you want to ensure a more welcoming environment, remember that establishing a DEI committee is only the beginning. Positive transformation requires long-term commitment, ongoing education, and an inclusive culture.

How can Diversio help?

Diversio is the people intelligence platform that measures, tracks, and improves diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

By connecting artificial intelligence (AI) technology, sophisticated data analytics, and knowledgeable subject matter experts, Diversio is able to accurately diagnose opportunity areas, benchmark organizations against peers, and create a robust action plan to meet any DEI goal. Through the unique combination of technology and human expertise, Diversio is driving meaningful impact for hundreds of organizations across over 35 countries globally.

Diversio – The Diversity Experts™

For more information on Diversio, or how we can help you start your DEI program book a demo.