Institute For Sustainable Diversity And Inclusion

IN 2021, THE INSTITUTE'S MOST SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES WERE: 1) THE NW DIVERSITY LEARNING SERIES, A BI-MONTHLY EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP SERIES DESIGNED TO BUILD DEI CAPACITY OF EMPLOYEES AND MANAGERS; 2) ISDI CONSULTING SERVICES THAT FOCUS ON BUILDING DEI CAPACITY OF ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH DEI LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION; AND 3) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS DESIGNED TO BUILD DEI CAPACITY OF DEI PRACTITIONERS AND HR LEADERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. WE OFFERED THESE SERVICES IN 2020 AND CONTINUED TO OFFER THEM IN 2021.

STATEMENT ONETHE NORTHWEST DIVERSITY LEARNING SERIES (NWDLS) CELEBRATED ITS 23RD YEAR IN 2021, AND CONTINUES TO PROVIDE RELEVANT, SUBSTANTIVE, THOUGHT-LEADING AND COST-EFFECTIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DEI) FOR MANAGERS AND EMPLOYEES IN FOR-PROFIT AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND SMALL BUSINESSES. DURING 2021, TOTAL ATTENDANCE FOR THE SIX BI-MONTHLY MORNING SESSIONS WAS 1,045 WITH AN AVERAGE ATTENDANCE OF 168 PEOPLE PER SESSION. THE AVERAGE ATTENDANCE IN 2021 INCREASED BY 68% OVER 2020 LEVELS. THE NW DIVERSITY LEARNING SERIES OFFERS EXTRAORDINARY NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPATING COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS. IN 2021, 33 SPONSOR AND SUBSCRIBER COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATED ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPANTS FROM OTHER FIRMS. THE NWDLS PROVIDES AN UNPARALLELED OPPORTUNITY FOR MANAGERS TO DEVELOP THEIR DEI COMPETENCIES AND NETWORK WITH PEERS TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST HOW TO EFFECTIVELY APPROACH DIVERSITY, EQUITY INCLUSION CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES. BY COLLECTING DATA AT EACH SESSION, WE KNOW THAT APPROXIMATELY 40% OF THE PARTICIPANTS ARE PEOPLE MANAGERS. WITH SESSIONS NOW OFFERED VIRTUALLY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, THE GEOGRAPHIC REACH HAS EXTENDED BEYOND THE PUGET SOUND REGION IN WASHINGTON STATE TO SEVERAL OTHER REGIONS AND STATES INCLUDING FLORIDA, INDIANA AND MISSOURI. ORGANIZATIONS MAY NOW OFFER ATTENDANCE TO EMPLOYEES WORKING FROM ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES OR THE WORLD. ACTIVITY'S OBJECTIVEEACH YEAR THE NW DIVERSITY LEARNING SERIES FOCUSES ITS LEARNING SESSIONS WITH A THEME: THE 2021 THEME, WHICH SERVES AS THE OBJECTIVE FOR THE YEAR, WAS FOCUSED ON SPEAK UP, SPEAK OUT, GET INTO GOOD TROUBLE, NECESSARY TROUBLE, AND CAME FROM A CALL TO ACTION FROM FORMER CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS, WHO PASSED AWAY IN 2020. THE "GOOD TROUBLE" WE ADDRESSED IN THE SESSIONS WAS -SYSTEMIC EQUITY! OUR GOAL WAS TO CHAMPION TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE TOWARD SYSTEMIC EQUITY-NOW!TO DO THAT, THE FOCUS OF THE SIX SESSIONS WERE ON THE FOLLOWING: 1) DIGGING INTO THE ROOTS OF INEQUITIES IN ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEMS THAT HAVE BEEN HELD IN PLACE BY PRIVILEGE AND POWER; 2) EXCAVATING THE ECOSYSTEM-THE STRUCTURE-THAT SURROUNDS THE ROOTS SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW INEQUITIES ARE HELD IN PLACE; AND 3) IDENTIFYING THE ELEMENTS IN THE ECOSYSTEM TO TRANSFORM INTO SYSTEMIC EQUITY. WE UTILIZED USER CENTERED DESIGN AS OUR APPROACH FOR GETTING INTO "GOOD TROUBLE, NECESSARY TROUBLE." USER CENTERED DESIGN IS A MINDSET THAT IS SOLUTION FOCUSED AND ACTION ORIENTED TOWARDS CREATING A PREFERRED FUTURE. IT IS ALSO A METHOD THAT DRAWS UPON LOGIC, IMAGINATION, INTUITION, AND SYSTEMIC REASONING, TO EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT COULD BE-AND TO CREATE DESIRED OUTCOMES THAT BENEFIT THE END USER.THE SESSIONS ENGAGED PARTICIPANTS IN INTERACTIVE AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES WHERE THEY EXPLORED ISSUES AND CASE STUDIES, ROLE-MODELED APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR, AND EXPLORED HOW TO PRACTICE IT BACK AT WORK.WORLD-CLASS PRESENTERSTHE NWDLS SESSION PARTICIPANTS CONTINUE TO ENJOY EXPOSURE TO WORLD-CLASS PRESENTERS AND THOUGHT LEADERS IN TOPICAL AREAS: FOR EXAMPLE, THE FIRST SESSION OF THE 2021 SERIES, "HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: EXAMINING THE VALUES THAT DRIVE DISPARITIES," WAS PRESENTED BY MATTHEW ECHOHAWK-HAYASHI AND COLLEEN ECHOHAWK-HAYASHI, BOTH PRINCIPLES WITH HEADWATER PEOPLE, A NATIVE AMERICAN CONSULTING FIRM WHO BROUGHT BACKGROUNDS IN ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP.BEST-SELLING AUTHOR AND WORLD-RENOWN CONSULTANT, JUDITH KATZ, PRESENTED THE SECOND SESSION TOPIC, "LEVERAGING THE ROOTS OF RESISTANCE FOR INCLUSIVE TRANSFORMATION." JUDITH IS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, EMERITUS, OF THE KALEEL JAMISON CONSULTING GROUP IN TROY, NY. JUDITH HAS BEEN HONING HER MODELS AND THEORIES (MANY WITH HER CO-LEADER OF KALEEL JAMISON, FRED MILLER), IN A SLEW OF BOOKS AND ARTICLES FOR SEVERAL YEARS. HER FIRST BOOK, GROUNDBREAKING WHEN PUBLISHED IN 1978, IS AS RELEVANT AS EVER IN 2021: WHITE AWARENESS: HANDBOOK FOR ANTI-RACISM TRAINING. THE TITLE OF HER MOST RECENT BOOK, SAFE ENOUGH TO SOAR: ACCELERATING TRUST, INCLUSION, & COLLABORATION IN THE WORKPLACE, SHOWS HOW HER THINKING ON INCLUSION HAS EVOLVED. ALL PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE A COMPREHENSIVE LEARNING WORKBOOK TAILORED TO THE SESSION TOPIC FOR EACH SESSION. ADDITIONAL LEARNING RESOURCES ARE ALSO MADE AVAILABLE AFTER EACH SESSION ON ISDI'S WEBSITE, WWW.I4SDI.ORG. MEASUREMENTWE MEASURE PARTICIPANTS' KNOWLEDGE AND COMPETENCY BY USING THE KIRKPATRICK LEVEL II EVALUATION MODEL, WHICH ASKS FOR THE PARTICIPANTS TO REPORT THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND COMPETENCY ON THE LEARNING OBJECTIVES, BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THE TRAINING. THE KIRKPATRICK MODEL IS RECOGNIZED BY THE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROFESSION. THE OVERALL INCREASE IN KNOWLEDGE AND COMPETENCY FOR ALL SIX SESSIONS IN 2021 WAS 54.7 PERCENT; THE SESSION THAT ACHIEVED THE HIGHEST INCREASE WAS SESSION THREE: "NEGOTIATING WITH POWER" AT 96.8 PERCENT. GENERALLY, AN INCREASE OF 25 PERCENT, BETWEEN THE PRE-AND POST ASSESSMENT, IS CONSIDERED A GOOD RESULT. SESSION THREE, "NEGOTIATING WITH POWER," WAS PRESENTED BY PROFESSOR CHRISTINA FONG, THE ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR INCLUSION & DIVERSITY, AND WILLIAM D. BRADFORD ENDOWED PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT, AT THE MICHAEL G. FOSTER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON. THESE EVALUATION RESULTS TELL US THAT PARTICIPANTS ARE EXPERIENCING A SIGNIFICANT LEVEL OF LEARNING AS A RESULT OF ATTENDING THESE SESSIONS.

IN 2021, THE INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CONTINUED TO EXPAND ITS PROGRAMMING ON DEI CAPACITY-BUILDING WITH CONSULTING SERVICES FOCUSED ON LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. THE ISDI TEAM THAT CONSISTED OF FOUR SENIOR CONSULTANTS AND ONE ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT/PROJECT MANAGER, WORKED WITH THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAMS AND DIRECTORS OF SEVEN ORGANIZATIONS. WE CONDUCTED ASSESSMENT PROCESSES OF FIVE SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAMS; WE CONDUCTED 52 LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS OF TWO- AND THREE-HOUR DURATION THAT INVOLVED MORE THAN 150 SENIOR LEADERS, DIRECTORS AND DEI COUNCIL MEMBERS. WE ALSO CONDUCTED ASSESSMENTS OF TARGETED EMPLOYEE GROUPS AND ORIENTED ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE EMPLOYEE GROUPS INVOLVING MORE THAN 128 PEOPLE. THE GOAL OF THESE ACTIVITIES IS TO PROVIDE DEVELOPMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEADERS, MANAGERS, INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO INCREASE THEIR CAPABILITY TO CREATE MORE SUSTAINABLE, INCLUSIVE AND RESPECTFUL WORKPLACES AND COMMUNITIES.

ISDI'S THIRD SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITY IS OFFERING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS DESIGNED TO BUILD DEI CAPACITY OF DEI PRACTITIONERS AND HR LEADERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC, FREE OF CHARGE. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EVENTSISDI MANAGES AND FACILITATES A PROFESSIONAL GROUP THAT EXISTS ALONGSIDE THE NW DIVERSITY LEARNING SERIES CALLED THE D&I AND HR LEADERS GROUP. MEMBERS REPRESENT THE COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT SPONSOR AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE SERIES. THE PURPOSE OF THIS GROUP IS TO ENHANCE THE DEI PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE OF DEI AND HR PRACTITIONERS AND LEADERS SO THAT THEY ARE MORE EFFECTIVE IN LEADING AND DEVELOPING THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL INITIATIVES. TO THAT END, WE PROVIDED TWO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS IN 2021 FOR THIS GROUP WITH A MEMBERSHIP OF APPROXIMATELY 50 INDIVIDUALS. THE FIRST 3-HOUR MEETING IN APRIL OF 2021 FOCUSED ON THE TOPIC, "UNDERSTANDING HIGH ENGAGEMENT APPROACHES TO ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE, AND FEATURED WELL-KNOWN INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT, GERVAIS BUSHE, FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA. HE HAS BEEN WORKING ON TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES, CULTURES AND PROCESSES AWAY FROM COMMAND AND CONTROL TOWARD MORE COLLABORATIVE WORK SYSTEMS FOR FOUR DECADES. HIS MOST RECENT BOOK, THE DYNAMICS OF GENERATIVE CHANGE (2020), OFFERS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL PLANNED CHANGE, BETTER ALIGNED WITH THE NEEDS FOR AGILITY AND ENGAGEMENT IN TODAY'S ORGANIZATIONS. OUR LEARNING GOALS WERE: TO HAVE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING FOR HOW TO ACHIEVE TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE IN AN ORGANIZATION, AND TO GAIN GREATER CONFIDENCE IN THE CHOICES WE MAKE TO LEAD CHANGE EFFORTS. THE SECOND 3-HOUR MEETING IN OCTOBER OF 2021 FOCUSED ON THE TOPIC, "COMPARING TWO STANDARDS: ISO D&I GLOBAL STANDARD & GLOBAL DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION BENCHMARKS (GDEIB), 2021 EDITION." EFFENUS HENDERSON AND BARBARA DEANE, CO-DIRECTORS OF ISDI, PRESENTED THE SESSION. EFFENUS WAS THE CONVENOR OF AN INTERNATIONAL WORKING GROUP OF EXPERTS, CONSULTANTS AND PRACTITIONERS THAT PRODUCED THE ISO STANDARD, OFFICIALLY PUBLISHED MAY 2021. IT IS THE FIRST GLOBAL GUIDANCE STANDARD FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION ADOPTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION (ISO). BARBARA HAS BEEN AN EXPERT PANELIST FOR THE GDEIB FOR THE 2011, 2016, AND 2021 EDITIONS, EACH OF WHICH INVOLVED THREE ROUNDS OF CRITICAL READING, ANALYSIS AND EDITING. BOTH EFFENUS AND BARBARA PARTICIPATED AS VOLUNTEERS IN THEIR ROLES WITH THESE DEI STANDARDS, AND GLEANED INCREDIBLE INSIGHT ABOUT THEM AS THEY WORKED WITH COLLEAGUES WORLDWIDE TO CRAFT THESE EXTRAORDINARY GUIDELINES. THE LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THIS SESSION WERE TO PROVIDE A BASIC OVERVIEW OF THE NEW ISO STANDARD FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION (ISO 30415); TO COMPARE THE ISO STANDARD TO THE UPDATED 2021 GDEIB GUIDE, AND TO SHARE THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE TOOLS FOR BUILDING SUSTAINABLE CHANGE PROCESSES FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.COMMUNITY LEARNING EVENTSIN FEBRUARY 2021, WE HOSTED AN AUTHOR'S EVENT WITH LISA FAIN, LOCAL AUTHOR OF THE BOOK, BRIDGING DIFFERENCES FOR BETTER MENTORING: LEAN FORWARD, LEARN, LEVERAGE. MENTORING REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL TOOLS FOR INCLUSION BUT MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT MENTORS AND MENTEES MAY COME FROM VERY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND HAVE LIMITED UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OTHER'S CULTURES AND OUTLOOKS. LISA FAIN IS THE CEO OF THE CENTER FOR MENTORING EXCELLENCE AND THE FOUNDER OF VISTA COACHING. SHE WAS FORMERLY SENIOR DIRECTOR OF THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION FUNCTION AT OUTERWALL INC. (FORMER PARENT COMPANY TO AUTOMATED RETAIL GIANTS REDBOX AND COINSTAR). SHE IS A CERTIFIED MEDIATOR THROUGH CHICAGO'S CENTER FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION, AND A CERTIFIED LIFE COACH THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL COACH ACADEMY. 121 PEOPLE REGISTERED FOR THE EVENT. THE POST-SESSION SURVEY CAPTURED AN OVERALL RATING OF THE SESSION AT 9.2 ON A 10-POINT SCALE. IN OCTOBER 2021, WE COLLABORATED WITH THE NORTHWEST CENTER, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES ADULTS AND CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, TO HOST A SPECIAL THOUGHT-LEADERSHIP NETWORKING EVENT ON ACCESSIBILITY, "BREAKING BARRIERS, BUILDING PATHWAYS: CREATING INCLUSIVE WORKPLACES THROUGH UNIVERSAL DESIGN." THIS SESSION CHALLENGED BIASES AND ABLEIST THINKING TO START ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS ON THE PATHWAY TO CREATING DISABILITY-INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE EXPERIENCES FOR EMPLOYEES, TEAMMATES, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND AUDIENCES. THIS SPECIAL COMMUNITY EVENT INTRODUCED UNIVERSAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES IN EVERYDAY SETTINGS ALONG WITH SIMPLE WAYS TO APPLY THEM AT WORK AND IN PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. IN THIS SESSION, DISABILITY ADVOCATES AND PROFESSIONALS SHARED FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH UNIVERSAL DESIGN AND WHY DISABILITY INCLUSION IS CRUCIAL TO DEI EFFORTS. 286 PEOPLE REGISTERED FOR THIS EVENT.