How to Start an EDI Taskforce
Now that you have an EDI strategy, what’s next? When thinking about implementing a strategy, many organizations realize they need an Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Task-force. This is a group of employees in an organization that has been assembled to provide strategic management and direction. This group is primarily responsible for leading, advocating for, coordinating, informing, and monitoring an organization’s EDI strategy.
An EDI Task Force serves many purposes and benefits, some of which include (CCDI, 2017):
Providing strategic governance and oversight of the rollout and operation of an organization’s EDI strategy
Making a visible commitment, with accountability, for driving diversity and inclusion throughout the organization
Embedding equity, diversity and inclusion across the organization at multiple levels
Increasing the competence of individuals throughout the organization to interact effectively in the context of many similarities and differences
Aligning the organizational and EDI goals, creating a cohesive and mutually reinforcing strategy that optimizes organizational performance
For organizations who are interested in starting an Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Task-force, resourcing can be a barrier. Often when considering budgets, time constraints and limited headcount, starting this initiative can feel overwhelming. If that resonates, here are some tips that could help you get started in an effective and intentional way.
Build awareness and trust: Be transparent with your organization about the purpose and goals of the task force and how the task force would work together to achieve those goals. Clarify how the task force will be supported, for example through senior leader sponsorship, a budget and access to resources. Build visibility to the kinds of changes that the task force could make, and what their decision-making authority will be in making those changes. And be sure to listen. Speak with your employees about what changes they hope to see, and how they might like to be involved. Start creating safe spaces to have conversations and build trust by being transparent every step of the way.
Provide incentives to participate: EDI task forces are different from other volunteer initiatives within an organization because they often rely on equity-deserving people who have been marginalized by systems to identify and drive changes to those very systems. To ensure that we do not perpetuate further inequity inside our organizations, it’s vital that we ensure that people are recognized and rewarded for the extra work they are contributing to the organization, over and above their job duties, and that we do not expect the work to be carried out exclusively by members of equity deserving groups. The task-force’s deliverables and achievements should be built into individual work plans, performance reviews, and considered when making rewards & compensation decisions. This will not only compel a broader number of employees to participate but also mitigate burnout from the emotional and tangible labour it may take.
Include floating members: Smaller organizations face resourcing challenges and will often require a much smaller task force. In this case, outside of the core task-force members, create a space for floating members. Floating members are subject matter experts, and/or members of equity deserving groups who can support EDI initiatives without the same time commitment. For example, a floating member with vendor procurement expertise may serve as a floating member on actions related to the task force’s supplier diversity plans, or a Muslim employee may serve as a floating member to advise the task force on efforts to improve workplace inclusion of employees during Ramadan. These members act as a sounding board and source of guidance to ensure that the task force has a diverse array of perspectives and the guidance to ensure plans are optimally effective.
Your EDI task force won’t be perfect, but with these recommendations, you’ll ensure there is trust and transparency established, people are rewarded for your efforts, and that your group has a diverse array of perspectives to draw from, even if you are resource constrained.
References: Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (2017). Vardhmane, S. Toolkit for Diversity and Inclusion Practitioners.
