Pledge
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The Coalition for Racial and Ethnic Equity in Development (CREED), represented by leaders of United States based organizations working in international development and humanitarian assistance, pledges to build racial and ethnic equity (REE). We commit to addressing REE comprehensively within our own organizations’ policies, systems, and culture; and work to instill REE in international development.
We recognize the biases, discrimination, and harm caused by structural racism, and how that perpetuates inequities, exclusion, and hurt. As leaders, we take responsibility for building equity and justice, and promoting racial and ethnic diversity and inclusion in our organizations. We will strengthen our organizational ethos, behaviors, policies and systems to bolster REE and build greater effectiveness. We will also support other on-going efforts in this industry to build equity and decolonize international development with the goal of strengthening local ownership and leadership.
We recognize the intersectionality of social categorizations, and how race and ethnicity do not exist independently of other identity markers, often creating complex convergence of discrimination and oppression. Our actions to strengthen REE will be intersectional, and inclusive of different identities and overlapping systems of inequality.
We unequivocally state that advancing racial and ethnic diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within our own organizations and in our work is an inextricable part of our broad mission to build a more equitable world for all. Accomplishing this requires that we build awareness of and address systemic racism, institutional discrimination, western white centeredness, and white privilege in the international development and humanitarian assistance industry writ large. The specific purpose of this pledge is to document our commitment, action, and accountability for achieving REE in international development and humanitarian assistance, and specifically within our own organizations. In particular, this pledge places an explicit focus on building REE in our United States based offices as we must start with where the power is traditionally held and what is within the span of our control (i.e. policies, systems and the culture within our organizations). This pledge is intended to serve as an initial step in our global commitment to building REE.
The pledge encompasses the following five components that can significantly contribute to building REE in our organizations, create evidence-based learning, and be transformative for the industry.
Component 1: Policy and Systems – Commitment and accountability to REE in organizational policies and systems.
Component 2: People, Leadership and Organization Structure – Racial and ethnic diversity across the organization with respect for roles, responsibilities, and compensation parity.
Component 3: Organizational Culture – All staff feel respected, valued, and physically and psychologically safe at work.
Component 4: Accountability – Demonstrated implementation of REE commitments, measurement of progress in concrete ways, and reporting on a regular basis both internally and externally.
Component 5: Communications and Transparency – Leaders speak credibly and openly about REE goals, progress, and outcomes internally and externally.
Annex 1 presents the framework for each Component, defines a core standard, and shares the corresponding values, implementation roadmap, anticipated outcomes, and measures. By signing this pledge, we endorse its ideals, and commit to working towards achieving its standards. As leaders, we will determine the prioritization, cadence, customization and implementation of REE activities to correspond to our organization’s needs. Our organizations will apply this framework to reinforce REE to its maximum advantage, and strengthen the achievement of our operational and programmatic goals.
Annex 2 provides a glossary of terms used in this pledge to build common understanding.
Annex 3 collates Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and corresponding answers to build greater understanding about the pledge and its operationalization.
Together, the signatories of this pledge form the REE Learning Community, and commit to sharing our achievements, strategies, and challenges on the online REE Learning Hub to continue to advance our mutual efforts.
Ultimately, we hold our organizations responsible and accountable for building racial and ethnic equity within our own organizations, and in the international development and humanitarian assistance arena.
Legend – description of what each element covers:
Standard – Defines the principle this component aspires to achieve.
Roadmap – Offers explanation and/or practical examples for how to implement the standard.
Application – Indicates where the standard should be applied for highest impact.
Values – Lists the intrinsic values to be inculcated and achieved by implementing the standard.
Outcomes – Describes key results and expected impact for implementing the standard.
Measures – Identifies indicators for measuring progress, output, and impact in applying the standard.
COMPONENT 1: POLICY AND SYSTEMS
Standard
Commitment and Accountability to REE in US-based Organizations’ Policies and Systems
Roadmap
- Criteria for defining REE policy and system integration
- REE is explicitly addressed and applied (beyond diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies) to organization policies and systems
- REE is developed in the context of a broader organizational commitment to DEI with regard for intersectionality with other identity markers
- Policy and systems go beyond compliance with the law and drives organizational change to integrate REE as a measurable organizational value
- Signed annual commitment to the REE policy by leadership
- Examples of where the REE policy and systems commitment can be instituted: board and leadership representation, strategy, policy, ethics, human resources (recruitment, retention), procurement, partnering, and internal and external communications
- Implementation strategies examples
- Annual recommitment to REE policy by leadership
- Annual audit of application of REE to organizational policies and systems
- Reporting strategies examples:
- Internal: sharing results of pulse surveys, CEO updates
- External: annual report includes REE results against key organizational policies and practices including board and leadership composition, human resources, procurement, partnering, and communications
Application
Integration of REE policy across existing and new organization policies and systems
Values
Accountability in fulfilling commitments, transparency in policy and execution both internally and externally
Outcomes
- Commitment for REE expressed as an organizational policy
- Application of the commitment for REE across all organizational policies and systems with corresponding accountability
Illustrative Measures
- REE policy published
- Flow-down of REE principles into organizational policies and systems, including key performance indicators for REE for all staff
- Internal reporting and public disclosure on REE policy impact
Whistleblower mechanism in place within our own organizations, and in the international development and humanitarian assistance arena.
COMPONENT 2: PEOPLE, LEADERSHIP & ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE
Standard
Racial and ethnic diversity across the organization with respect to roles, responsibilities, and compensation parity.
Roadmap
- Enhance diversity at the leadership, senior management, and board levels to include consideration of racial and ethnic composition, underserved communities, gender, and socio-economic background.
- Ensure that processes and criteria are inclusive and do not create roadblocks to a diverse candidate pool by re-examining:
- criteria for all staff and board positions (including those that require technical education versus those that may not; consider prerequisites such as education, international living, and work experience)
- written job announcements
- methods for recruitment of staff and board to ensure a pipeline of racially and ethnically diverse talent across roles (e.g. recruit from less known/smaller organizations, community colleges, HBCUs, institutions serving Asian-American, Hispanic, Native American and other minority communities)
- interviewing, selection, and onboarding processes
- succession planning for key staff positions and board
- Develop a career progression plan for staff to ensure a pipeline of racially and ethnically diverse talent across roles, and include sponsorship to get into and succeed in leadership tracks
- Close salary gaps for staff from racial and ethnic backgrounds doing the same roles (e.g. build on the model of how the industry is working to close the gender gap)
- Increase transparency around diversity composition and compensation
- Review for possible “founder effects” in the organization, and consider moving senior/long tenure folks to positions where they are mentors/sponsors
- Increase BIPOC leadership of programs at the chief of party/project director level
- Engage BIPOC staff in management and program roles
- Include adherence to REE values in performance evaluations including as key performance indicators
Application
Recruitment, application, pipeline, retention, advancement, succession planning, and mentorship
Values
Inclusion; representation; fairness in opportunities for voice, roles, and responsibilities; advancement; equity.
Outcomes
- Enhanced decision-making, productivity, morale, retention through:
- development of a racially and ethnically diverse leadership and governance pipeline
- leadership, senior management, and board to become more diverse and inclusive over a specified time period time
- diversity in point of view and approach leading to a more vibrant organizational culture
Illustrative Measures
- Setting, meeting and exceeding goals for board, leadership, and staff diversity and across all functions
- Measuring and reporting on diversity metrics, including assessing change in those metrics and identifying areas of improvement over time
- Procedures/policies in place to:
- enhance REE diversity in recruitment, interviewing and selection
- increase success, retention and career progression of diverse personnel with consideration of racial and ethnic composition
- assess and commit to compensation equity over a time-bound period
- holding organization accountable for adherence to REE values and goals
COMPONENT 3: ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE
Standard
All staff feel respected, valued, and physically and psychologically safe at work.
Roadmap
- Clearly state REE principles as part of organization’s core values and make those values a lived value for all staff by translating them through defined behaviors, practices, and leadership competencies
- Increase leadership capacity and responsibility for promoting and reinforcing inclusive work culture
- Create safe spaces for all people to acknowledge the costs and impacts of stigma, bias, discrimination, microagressions, and racism, and to engage in honest conversation, learning, and healing
- Raise awareness and seek to change mindsets through ongoing internal capacity building for staff to be sensitized to the issues and increase REE competencies through trainings and staff resource groups
- Develop meaningful action plans that are informed by staff experiences and perceptions, include self-reflection, and establish measures of progress
- Employees in the organization demonstrate respect for each other, and value for each others’ contributions and opinions
- Demonstrate through feedback mechanisms, performance management processes, and decision-making opportunities how staff can be heard and have their voices valued
Application
- Apply at all levels of organizational structures, including leadership, human resources, operations, management, business development, technical, and other divisions
- Incorporate all staff, including project- or country-based staff where applicable, in all organizational REE efforts
- Board and senior management must demonstrate commitment continuously through actions as well as internal and external messaging
Values
Safety, respect, belonging, value and organizational need for diversity.
Outcomes
- Increased equity and inclusion in organizational culture improve morale and productivity over time
- Organizational culture to impact international development industry culture over time
Illustrative Measures
- Appropriate resources, including funding and paid staff time, dedicated for implementing REE initiatives are transparently tracked and reported
- Data from on-going pulse surveys is collected, analyzed, and incorporated into action plans, with data disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, and other social factors.
- Review of exit surveys, with clear action plans developed for areas of improvement
Board, leadership and senior management participation in REE capacity building activities and feedback processes
COMPONENT 4: ACCOUNTABILITY
Standard
Demonstrated implementation of REE commitments, measurement of progress in concrete ways, and reporting on a regular basis both internally and externally.
Roadmap
- Include key performance indicator for REE as part of the standard organizational performance and appraisal systems for all staff
- Establish additional key performance indicator requirements for REE for leadership and managers
- Craft organizational metrics for REE and inclusion (beyond diversity) including regular review of metrics, and use metrics proactively to address identified REE related challenges
- Report and share REE metrics internally and externally
- Appropriately resource obligation and utilization of funds for REE initiatives and/or staffing
Application
- Responsibility for creating REE implemented and demonstrated to staff, board, partners, and other stakeholders through feedback loops and reporting mechanisms
- Public accountability to uphold its commitments
Values
Integrity, transparency, diversity of perspectives, action-oriented and evidence-based progress
Outcomes
- Agility and adaptiveness to organization and staff needs
- BIPOC staff retention
- Morale, staff loyalty, and trust in the organization
- Enhanced cultural sensitivity and better outcomes in programs and delivery
- External public recognition of organization’s commitment to REE
- Organizational effectiveness
Illustrative Measures
- Key performance indicators are analyzed and reported at both organizational and staff levels
- Appropriate resources, including funding and paid staff time, dedicated for implementing REE initiatives are transparently tracked and reported
- Systemized on-going data gathering and reporting process instituted internally and externally and progress on REE metrics regularly shared with internal and external audiences
- REE metrics achieved across the organization
COMPONENT 5: COMMUNICATIONS & TRANSPARENCY
Standard
Leaders speak credibly and openly about REE goals, progress, and outcomes internally and externally.
Roadmap
- Build REE communications as a leadership responsibility
- Create feedback loops with staff and externally with other organizations with intentional focus on racial and ethnic communities based on inclusive, equitable, and intersectional principles
- Build cultural sensitivity and fluency to understand and address power dynamics, ethnocentric behavior, bias, microaggressions, discrimination, and intersectionality
- Identify, pursue, and enact opportunities, across the organization, to increase diversity of thought and respect for all voices
Application
- Leadership to take the responsibility for setting, communicating, and modeling the standards, behaviors, and tone, both internally and externally
- All staff act as ambassadors for company culture and communications on REE across organization, including country and project offices
- Organizations to participate in the REE online learning hub to promote adoption of REE practices,and support an industry-wide shift toward greater REE in international development
Values
Respect, inclusion, sensitivity, accountability, dedication
Outcomes
- Build REE both within organizations and the industry by contributing to and participating in the CREED learning hub and other related communities of practice
- Organizational cultures that consistently and unambiguously reinforce REE
- Industry-wide collaborative and participatory effort towards REE is mobilized
Illustrative Measures
- Conduct surveys to analyze:
- Staff, leadership and board awareness and understanding of REE goals and progress
- Whether and how feedback loops are working, and actively address gaps
- Staff awareness of whistleblower and anti-retaliation policies, and knowledge of where to find these
- Create feedback loop mechanisms, such as all staff meetings or small focus groups with time for Q&A
- Post REE goals and progress on commitments externally