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Dec 09

Staying the Course on DEIB Initiatives in Social Services: A Crucial Commitment

By Feature

This post was provided by an individual unaffiliated with Charitable Advisors. Therefore, the views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of Charitable Advisors.

Melissa Norman, CEO of Choices Coordinated Care Solutions

In social services, where organizations are tasked with supporting vulnerable populations with complex needs, the importance of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives cannot be overstated. While some organizations are reevaluating or stepping back from their DEIB commitments, it is critical to recognize that staying the course is essential not only for the effectiveness of our organizations but also for the communities we serve.

Social services organizations operate at the intersection of various social issues, addressing challenges related to poverty, health disparities, and systemic injustice. In these spaces, diversity is not merely an asset; it is a necessity. A workforce that reflects a range of backgrounds perspectives can enhance understanding and empathy, leading to more effective and culturally responsive services. When our team members reflect the communities they serve, clients are more likely to feel understood, respected, and empowered. At Choices, we are proud to have team members with lived experience in areas of substance use disorder or who experience mental health challenges. These team members bring invaluable insights, which leads to more personalized care.

DEIB is not just a buzzword or a passing trend—it’s a moral imperative. For social service organizations, DEIB is not just a commitment to excellence but commitment to justice. The populations we serve—whether struggling with mental health challenges, overcoming substance use, survivors of domestic violence, or other marginalized communities—often face barriers that stem from systemic inequity. When we fully commit to DEIB, organizations acknowledge these realities and work to dismantle them.

Building public trust is essential in social services. Communities must feel confident that the organizations meant to support them are competent, compassionate and inclusive. Communities that feel represented and valued are more likely to engage with services, trust the organization, and ultimately experience better outcomes. When an organization steps back from its DEIB commitments, it risks alienating those they aim to help and undermining the impact it hopes to have.

Critics may argue that DEIB initiatives are difficult to implement effectively, citing resistance to change or the challenge of measuring success. However, the solution is not to abandon these efforts. We need to lean in—refining our approach and recommitting to our goals. Limited funding, staff burnout, and competing priorities can make DEIB efforts seem secondary. But addressing these barriers through strategic planning, resource allocation, and leadership engagement ensures that DEIB is woven into the fabric of our organizations.

Creative partnerships with community organizations or other service providers can expand DEIB efforts without draining internal resources. Also, incorporating DEIB into existing organizational practices such as recruitment, training, and program development, helps to ensures that these efforts become a sustainable part of organizational culture.

DEIB strategies require commitment, transparency, and genuine engagement from leadership. These initiatives should be viewed as an evolving journey, not a fixed destination. As organizations, we must be willing to learn, adapt, and grow from both successes and setbacks.

Now is the time for leaders in social services organizations to recommit to DEIB efforts. I encourage every leader to assess their current strategies, invest in meaningful training, and listen closely to the voices of those they serve. The journey may be filled with bumps and challenges, but the impact is profound, creating ripples of positive change for generations to come.

This essay is part of our new monthly From the Community feature, highlighting written work from individuals who aim to educate, inform, and inspire the nonprofit community. To submit your own work for consideration, please email Chelsea Ohlemiller at chelsea@charitableadvisors.com.

About the author: Melissa became Chief Executive Officer of Choices in 2022, bringing more than 25 years of dedicated experience working with youth and families. Prior to leading the organization, she served as Chief Operations Officer and Indiana Executive Director at Choices for a decade. Her career includes a variety of leadership roles within Indiana’s Department of Child Services, culminating in her position as Deputy Director of Permanency and Practice. Melissa’s expertise in child welfare, systems reform, and family-focused services continues to drive her commitment to making a lasting impact in the lives of children and families.

Jan 09

Making inroads towards equity in the nonprofit sector

By Feature

The Indianapolis Foundation’s Pamela Ross shares insights about the organization’s initiatives

by Shari Finnell, editor/writer, Not-for-profit News

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have been at the forefront of priorities for many nonprofit organizations in recent years. However, as many leaders have recognized, implementing DEI initiatives can be complex considering that many leaders and employees will have different perspectives on how to successfully move forward.

We recently talked to Pamela Ross, vice president of community leadership and equitable initiatives for the The Indianapolis Foundation to gain insights on the inroads the organization has made since changing its mission to focus on equity initiatives nearly five years ago. The philanthropy, which was established in 1997, and its family of funds contribute more than $40 million annually to nonprofits in Central Indiana. In 2020, it was the steward of more than $825 million in charitable assets. 

As Ross puts it, even after several years of being immersed in DEI initiatives, the foundation still is in the beginning stages of initiating change because it involves uprooting deeply ingrained institutionalized systems.

“We changed our mission to mobilize people, investments, and ideas to create a more equitable Central Indiana where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential no matter their place, race, or identity,” Ross said in describing the foundation’s shift in focus. “In order for people to reach their potential and have the most opportunities, we couldn’t keep ignoring the fact that race is a factor in who gets access — access to money, access to resources in all the different sectors, including education and the workforce.”

Ross noted that one of the most important steps for any nonprofit leaders who are seeking to make progress with DEI is to start by addressing institutional racism within their own organizations. 

“We have to have different perspectives at the table — not just those who are working in the community but those who work in finance, those who sit in leadership seats,” Ross said. “We must change the institutional makeup of the organization.”

Ross said that the process requires taking a critical look at hiring practices. “If all of your staff is white and you serve a population that is 90 percent Black, there’s something wrong with that,” she said.  It’s not a matter of looking at diversity but people who have lived experiences. The people who are most impacted by them will be the best advisors on how to create programs, build out programs, and deliver messages. Their perspectives should be represented.”

With institutional change, the organization must be structured in such a way that it persists beyond a momentary place in time, Ross said. “Several things have changed in all of our departments, including practices, policies, and accountability,” she said. “Many nonprofits struggle with making real change because there haven’t been substantive changes within the organizations for years.”

Embracing community representation 

The foundation also implemented a Community Ambassador program to include decision-makers that represent the communities it serves. That program has been instrumental in giving people throughout Central Indiana a voice about critical decisions, including the foundation’s grant-making process. 

“It’s important to ask, ‘What’s your feedback loop for getting information?’,” Ross said. “For us, it was with our community ambassadors through a program that was started five years ago. It made us better in our own anti-racist practices and policies because the ambassadors are our feedback loop. They’re the ones who will say, ‘Why are you still granting dollars to ‘ABC’ organization? This is what they’re not doing in our community.’”

Ross noted that community ambassadors provide an extra level of accountability. “When you say you’re planning to change something, they will hold you to the fire about it.” 

Supporting grassroots organizations

The foundation also examined avenues to support more grassroots organizations that are making an impact in their communities but may not have the resources to invest in traditional grant-making procedures, Ross said. 

According to Ross, a shift toward a more equitable grant-making process requires a willingness to give up a risk-averse approach. “Not everyone has to show up with a beautiful well written proposal,” she said. 

Ross also pointed out that many grassroots organizations may not have the infrastructure typical of larger nonprofits. “We’re not scared away if they don’t look like the most developed and scaled institutions that are typically led by white executives,” she said. 

As part of its equity focus, The Indianapolis Foundation is dedicated to helping grassroots organizations become more sustainable. The foundation has launched a $3 million, 3-year initiative to help grassroots organizations scale through infrastructure development.

“In the not for profit world, it’s called capacity building,” she said. “We call it infrastructure development, because capacity building has this overarching assumption that there’s a deficit within the organization. The organization … the people who are doing the work … can be very solid in what they’re doing, but they need the structures that typically have not been invested in black and brown grassroots organizations in the same way that they have been for other organizations .”

Through the initiative, the foundation helps these types of nonprofits with various aspects of successfully running an organization, including program evaluation, data management, executive mindset, grant writing, board development, and fundraising. 

This March, the foundation also will host a BIPOC (black, Indigenous and people of color) bootcamp that is focused on the challenges of being a black or brown leader in the nonprofit area, Ross said. “We’re trying to create more equitable opportunities for them to scale without feeling like they should be ashamed because they’re not in a certain space,” she said.

Movement of 10,000 app

The Indianapolis Foundation also sought to engage a large community on equity solutions through the development of the The Movement of 10,000 (MVMT10K) digital platform, which is accessible through an app and online. It supports people who are genuinely interested in ways to become more conscious of their decisions and how they invest their dollars and time to create a more equitable society, Ross said.

“If you’re an individual who really wants things to be different, this is a convenient space to learn about what has happened as well as create relationships,” she said. “There’s so much we can learn. We are where we are because too often spaces of power are typically held by white people. And if we’re actually going to change systemic racism and institutional racist structures, we must get to a place where people recognize their power to break those systems by making different decisions.

“The hope is that a lot of different people, especially people who are white and in spaces of power and influence,  can engage so we can see some change,” Ross said.

Apr 25

Re-imagining an environmental mission with a lens on equity

By Feature

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful outlines a strategic plan focused on vulnerable neighborhoods

by Shari Finnell, editor/writer, Not-for-Profit News

When developing its current strategic plan, team members of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc., (KIB) had no intention of overhauling the mission that had served the organization for more than 40 years — making it Indiana’s largest environmental community engagement organization.

Yet, they understood the critical need to advance racial and social equity in the wake of increased awareness about those challenges in recent years, according to KIBI President & CEO Jeremy Kranowitz.

Jeremy Kranowitz, KIB President & CEO

That type of work wasn’t necessarily new to KIB. “We have always looked at parts of the city that needed to improve tree canopy and focused our energy there,” Kranowitz said. “There’s more to do in some parts of the city than in areas like Eagle Creek or Geist.”

After devoting months to shaping its strategic plan, the KIB mapped out a four-page document that clearly outlines a path for further investing in vulnerable neighborhoods. The plan, which includes a commitment to in-depth research and agency-wide awareness about its mission, has given KIB a deeper appreciation for how its environmental mission can positively impact vulnerable neighborhoods in more ways than its founders had originally imagined, according to Kranowitz.

Through new partnerships, research, and projects, KIB is increasingly realizing that the practice of planting trees and creating green spaces has more than aesthetic value, Kranowitz said. These types of environmental projects can enhance well-being and health outcomes as well as contribute to a decrease in criminal activity, he added.

Collaborating on a shared vision

For example, through a partnership with Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), KIB is helping to analyze levels of lead in the soil of underserved communities. As part of the transformation of an abandoned lot into a green space in a Far Eastside neighborhood, KIB and IUPUI will measure the lead content in the soil before and after the development to determine if levels diminished. The project is being funded by a $10,000 grant from CareSource.

“Exposure to environmental contaminants severely impacts brain development of children in many neighborhoods, and this impact is seen disproportionately in lower income communities of color,” said Dr. Gabriel Filippelli, executive director of Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute. “By engaging with community members in the process of collecting and interpreting environmental data, we can help to activate communities for positive change — including supporting the expansion of urban green spaces, which improve community health and counteract negative effects from climate change.”

If the development of the green space results in lead abatement in the previously abandoned lot, the team will identify other sites that meet similar criteria for intervention, Kranowitz said.

The partnership came naturally, Kranowitz recalled. “There’s an interesting overlay between health and environment,” he said. “The project grew out of some conversations about shared concerns. It was interesting to us because we were creating a great space there. We didn’t we didn’t write the strategic planning with the intent of getting the grant.”

The identified neighborhood also was of interest to CareSource because the insurance company has numerous clients who live in the area.

Kranowitz said that KIB will continue to explore how its focus on environmental projects can have positive outcomes beyond those it already has identified. In addition to health benefits, KIB is seeking to better understand the impact of environment projects on levels of crime.

He noted that a team at the University of Michigan, which has been researching various ways to reduce violent crime, found that incidents declined in urban neighborhoods where vacant lots were regularly mowed, compared to vacant lots that remained neglected.

Kranowitz believes that type of research can have a far-reaching impact if further explored. “What if we’re planting pollinator friendly plants and fruit-bearing trees, installing play areas, and creating a space where the community can intentionally engage in a previously abandoned lot? Is that going to create an even bigger drop in violent crime?” Kranowitz asked. “My hypothesis is that it will.”

A user-friendly strategic plan

In developing its strategic plan, KIB also recognized the advantages of keeping it concise and user-friendly, Kranowitz said. The condensed four-page document outlines KIB’s mission and vision as follows:

Mission: KIB’s mission is to engage diverse communities to create vibrant public places, helping people and nature thrive.

Vision: KIB sees a beautiful Indianapolis that is loved, cared for, and ecologically rich. A city defined by strong neighborhoods, inspired places, and a clean, flourishing environment. KIB will engage and empower people to improve environmental equity throughout the city.

One of the key components of KIB’s strategic plan is the Key Neighborhood Identification Tool (KNIT), an approach that ensures impact in vulnerable neighborhoods in intentional, rather than incidental, helping the organization identify neighborhoods throughout Indianapolis where KIB resources can have the greatest positive impact.

As a result of using the tool, KIB was able to identify 10 focus areas “where social vulnerability is highest, tree canopy coverage is lowest, litter is highest, and KIB’s past involvement and use of resources has been lowest.” The strategic plan also emphasizes the importance of building relationships among the residents of each area, ensuring that any projects are collaborative.

Kranowitz said that the concise strategic plan ensures that every employee understands where they fit within the organization.

“There are a few key objectives that we’re trying to reach within each of those goals,” he said. “They are made evident to everyone on staff. An entry-level employee will understand where they fit in, how their job helps us accomplish this objective, which is helping us achieve this overarching goal, which is making a difference in Indianapolis. Everyone understands the role they’re playing and how that helps us achieve and accomplish our mission.”

Jul 12

3 essential practices to create an inclusive board culture

By Sponsor Insight

Ask the challenging questions needed to achieve alignment with diversity goals

by Erin Hedges, president, Hedges

Despite good intentions, there is still much diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work to be done in the nonprofit boardroom. A June 2021 report from BoardSource indicates that while boards may be getting slightly more diverse, they are far from representing the communities they serve, and recruitment practices too often lack alignment with diversity goals.

At Hedges, we are challenging ourselves to question traditional board governance practices and identify new ways for organizations to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive board culture. Resulting from our learnings, we share three practices for nonprofit leaders to consider:

  1. DEI work should be grounded in an organization’s “why.” Too often, the purpose of recruiting diverse board members is to “check a box” provided by funders on a grant application. This narrow approach misses the opportunity for important board-driven conversations that can identify how diversity in representation, lived experiences, and perspectives can unlock greater potential for the organization. By taking time to uncover the reasons “why” an organization needs more diversity in the boardroom, boards can identify the specific purpose for board-led DEI efforts and create a collective responsibility to move these efforts forward.

To get started, BoardSource offers specific questions boards can ask themselves to explore an organization’s purpose for having a more diverse boardroom including:

  • Is our organization’s reputation being negatively (or positively) impacted by our board’s composition vis-à-vis diversity?
  • If someone were to make assumptions about our organizational values based on our board composition, what would they be likely to think?
  • How well are we cultivating a deeper understanding of the community or communities that we serve and bringing their perspectives, needs, feedback, and priorities into our strategic boardroom discussions?
  • Are we ever at risk of making decisions without fully understanding how these decisions may affect those we serve?
  • If we were to make a deeper commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity, what would that mean for our mission, our work, and the people we serve?

Once the board can formulate responses to these types of questions, it will gain clarity as to “why” board diversity matters and what the organization has to gain. The board will have identified its purpose in developing a plan to recruit and successfully support more diverse members that can bring valuable, new contributions to discussions, deliberations, and decision-making for the organization.

  1. Bylaws can be a powerful DEI tool. Moving DEI intentions into action is key to successfully creating an inclusive boardroom. In addition to developing a plan to use as a playbook, board members can consider incorporating DEI provisions into the organization’s bylaws. Not only will these provisions guide and direct board members, but also provide accountability measures that will increase successful outcomes of these efforts.

Including DEI provisions in bylaws demonstrates that DEI is a core organizational value. NEO Law Group offers specific recommendations of how organizations can accomplish this. One of our favorites is stating the diversity goal from your plan (i.e., greater diversity in representation, lived experience, and perspectives) in your bylaws. A favorite focused on equity is including an equitable compensation provision that all employees should be paid a fair and reasonable wage. A favorite focused on inclusion is adding a Conduct of Meetings provision to allow directors other than the president to chair meetings. A full list of their recommendations can be found here.

To ensure these DEI commitments are reflected in an organization’s approved bylaws, review each section of the current bylaws and determine how they need to be revised to reinforce DEI commitments. Building these commitments into bylaws will provide accountability to organizational leadership in moving to more diverse, equitable, and inclusive board governance.

  1. Board member value should be viewed beyond what they can give or get. Historically, nonprofit organizations have relied on their board for fundraising and, in fact, we have recommended this practice many times over. But when boards set minimums for board member financial contributions and give/get policies, barriers based on a person’s “treasure” are created. At Hedges, we are challenging organizations to let go of the old giving and getting minimums and, instead, encourage individual giving amounts that are “personally meaningful” to each board member.

Organizations with giving minimums or give/get policies for board members should ask themselves what barriers to board diversity and inclusivity are these policies creating? What perspectives, lived experiences, or talents might we be missing on our board because of these policies?

That’s not to say that board members shouldn’t still be involved in fundraising. When training organizations to fundraise, we ask board members to identify a part of the fundraising process that aligns with their preferences and comfort level. Whether it is identifying potential donors, cultivating donor relationships, directly soliciting gifts, or providing donor stewardship, we have found that all board members are able to play a role in fundraising efforts. In this way, an organization acknowledges that a board member’s time and talent are as equally valuable as their treasure.

Creating change takes intentionality and patience, but the need for greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in our boardrooms is urgent. By taking time to figure out the “why,” building DEI commitments into bylaws, and valuing individuals for all that they bring to board membership, boards can lead the way to greater impact within their organization and community.

Erin Hedges is the founder and president of Hedges, an Indianapolis consulting firm that advances social change by strengthening Central Indiana’s philanthropic sector. Hedges is launching Lead with Purpose, a new training series to equip individuals for effective nonprofit board service. More information about Lead with Purpose can be found here.

Mar 15

Colaborador, escucha, aprende y actúa para promover la diversidad, la equidad y la inclusión

By Espanol

Por Karin Sarratt, Vicepresidenta Ejecutiva de OneAmerica

(To read in English, click here) Translated by LUNA Language Services

Así como ningún individuo puede prosperar plenamente de forma aislada, nos hace falta a todos (empresas y organizaciones sin fines de lucro que trabajamos juntas) fortalecer nuestras comunidades y hacerlas más inclusivas. En mi experiencia como líder empresarial siendo una mujer de color, considero que ninguna organización puede ser realmente exitosa si no está comprometida a promover la diversidad, la equidad y la inclusión.

Trabajar en el sector de servicios financieros me ha enseñado la importancia de tener seguridad financiera en todas las etapas de la vida y cómo la misma puede aliviar el estrés en los momentos de incertidumbre. Soy afortunada de trabajar para una empresa que abrió paso al fortalecimiento económico y el acceso a la protección y seguridad financieras como herramientas clave de su estrategia de diversidad, equidad e inclusión (DE&I). Estoy agradecida de que mi trabajo con sede en Indiana Central, con una herencia de más de 140 años, valore sus conexiones con la comunidad y se comprometa a trabajar con organizaciones sin fines de lucro con el objetivo de mejorar vidas.

El 2020 nos enseñó que cuando se trata de hacer que nuestros lugares de trabajo sean más diversos, equitativos e inclusivos, debemos cooperar con los demás para juntos lograr avances concretos.

A continuación, hay tres acciones claves que considero que pueden impulsar las colaboraciones entre empresas y organizaciones sin fines de lucro que quieran hacer un progreso real y duradero:

ESCUCHAR: conectarse voluntariamente con el propósito de entender lo que estamos viviendo.

Con todo lo que les tocó afrontar a esta nación y región en 2020, tenemos una extraordinaria oportunidad de lograr avances significativos en nuestras organizaciones y comunidades.

En OneAmerica, con nuestro propio capital humano, escuchamos y participamos a nivel local y nacional.

En medio del enfoque renovado de la nación en cuanto a la injusticia racial, el equipo de liderazgo ejecutivo de OneAmerica llevó a cabo sesiones de escucha con pequeños grupos para comprender mejor las experiencias de nuestros asociados. A finales del año, cada uno de los líderes y asociados de OneAmerica tuvo la oportunidad de participar en una o más sesiones de escucha.

Asimismo, nuestro Director Ejecutivo en conjunto con otros líderes empresariales y comunitarios, dedicó horas a obtener aportes de los residentes locales y organizaciones que compartieron sus opiniones e historias acerca de las barreras y desafíos raciales.

Todas estas voces, y las experiencias detrás de cada una de ellas, ayudaron a moldear nuestra estrategia DE&I.

Nuestro próximo paso en las sesiones de escucha, que ya están en progreso, es llevar a cabo una evaluación integral organizacional para entender cuáles son nuestras áreas de oportunidad, así como nuestras fortalezas. Lo que aprendamos orientará nuestros esfuerzos para la DE&I en el 2021 y más adelante.

Mientras tanto, continuamos participando en los esfuerzos locales, nacionales y regionales para aumentar nuestro impacto, especialmente en la forma en que conectamos con nuestra misión principal de ayudar a las personas a obtener bienestar financiero.

En su organización, puede beneficiarse siendo un oyente voluntario. No dude en preguntar opiniones, puede que se sorprenda lo que oiga.

APRENDER: entender cómo puede colaborar de forma más efectiva para lograr metas comunes.

A lo largo de las décadas, nuestras conexiones con las organizaciones comunitarias nos llevaron a alcanzar beneficios y acciones mutuas. Todos continuamos con este importante trabajo y me emocionan las oportunidades adicionales, sea que se compartan datos, se cree más capital humano, o se ayude a crear un programa de bienestar financiero.

En especial, me emocionan los programas One America Pathways que empezamos en el 2018, en cooperación con distintas organizaciones locales comunitarias. El propósito general es mejorar el bienestar económico individual y crear oportunidades de carreras para las personas en nuestras comunidades locales. Nuestros esfuerzos empezaron con nuestro Sustainable Income Program de Pathways, que les permite a los empleados de OneAmerica que trabajan a tiempo completo recibir un ingreso sostenible de al menos $18 por hora, más atención médica y beneficios de jubilación.

En el 2019, lanzamos el Pathways Junior Fellows Program para construir y fortalecer nuestro capital humano local y mejorar nuestro talento diverso. Al trabajar con organizaciones comunitarias, escogemos a muchos estudiantes y recién graduados de escuelas secundarias locales. Durante el verano, participaron en un programa intensivo personalizado que fomenta la conciencia profesional y la visión empresarial. Aprenden a establecer relaciones, experimentar el seguimiento laboral y ofrecerse como voluntarios en las comunidades, así como crear una presentación final.

El programa pasó a ser virtual en 2020. Además, añadimos un componente de cooperación para los estudiantes universitarios actuales y tenemos planes para seguir creciendo. Consideramos que es un modelo que podría funcionar también para otros empleadores, y colocamos el plan de estudios y la documentación del programa a disposición de todo aquel que esté interesado, sin costo alguno. Visite www.oneamerica.com/pathways para tener acceso a los recursos del programa.

ACTUAR: desarrollar planes de acción enfocados en lo que podemos resolver juntos en el presente.

Luego que haya tenido la oportunidad de escuchar y aprender, utilice estos aportes para moldear una respuesta o plan de acción que sea exclusivo para la cultura de su organización. El mismo enfoque no será suficiente.

Nuestra estrategia de DE&I se basa en la colaboración con organizaciones locales, como United Way de Indiana Central y el compromiso de Business Equity for Indy, así como en alineamientos clave a nivel nacional con el American Council of Life Insurers, ACLI (Consejo Americano de Aseguradores de Vida) y el American College of Financial Services, TAC (Colegio Americano de Servicios Financieros).

Trabajamos con ACLI, TAC y otras organizaciones en un enfoque integrado empresarial para avanzar en el bienestar financiero, lograr un lugar de trabajo y una cultura más inclusiva, y desarrollar capital humano y carreras profesionales. Además, trabajamos en conjunto para realizar las siguientes medidas concretas:

  • Ampliación de la capacitación económica, lo que incluye ayudar a crear un trayecto de educación financiera que llegue a las personas desatendidas donde sea que estén y los inspire a actuar, y colaborar con TAC para utilizar su plan de estudios para un impacto significativo en la comunidad.
  • Mayor acceso a una seguridad y protección financiera razonable. Apoyamos al ACLI en la promoción de cambios reglamentarios que eliminen la posible discriminación en la entrega de nuestros productos.
  • Eliminación de los obstáculos innecesarios que impiden a las personas de color tener licencia o trabajar en el sector de seguros. Además, apoyamos los esfuerzos del ACLI para que las licencias sean más inclusivas.

    Es un momento emocionante para promover la diversidad, equidad e inclusión. No puedo esperar para ver los resultados de nuestras colaboraciones a medida que avanzamos de la mano en el 2021.

Karin Sarrat es Vicepresidenta Ejecutiva de OneAmerica, proveedora de planes de servicios de jubilación con sede en Indianápolis, que incluye a las organizaciones exentas de impuesto, así como a las de seguros de vida, productos de cuidado prolongado y beneficios para los empleados. Karin dirige las siguientes áreas de OneAmerica: recursos humanos, comunicaciones y mercadotecnia, asuntos comunitarios y estrategia empresarial.

Mar 08

Partner, listen, learn and act to advance diversity, equity and inclusion

By Sponsor Insight

By Karin Sarratt, executive vice president, OneAmerica

(Para leer en español, haga clic aquí) Translated by LUNA Language Services

Just as no individual can fully thrive in isolation, it takes all of us — businesses and non-profits working together — to strengthen our communities and make them more inclusive. As a Black woman and experienced business leader, I believe no organization can truly succeed unless it’s committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Working in the financial services industry has taught me the importance of financial security at all stages of life, and how it can ease the stress of uncertain times. I’m fortunate to work for a company that has made expanded economic empowerment and access to affordable financial security and protection key parts of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) strategy. I’m grateful that my Central Indiana-based employer, with a heritage of more than 140 years, treasures its community connections and is committed to working with nonprofit organizations to improve lives.

2020 has shown us that when it comes to making our workplaces and communities more diverse, equitable, and inclusive, we must cooperate with others to make concrete advancements together.

Here are three key actions I believe can propel collaborations between businesses and nonprofit organizations that want to make real, lasting progress:

LISTEN: Intentionally connect for the purpose of understanding what we’re all experiencing.

With all that this region, and the nation, faced in 2020, we have an extraordinary opportunity to make significant advancements in our organizations and communities.

At OneAmerica, we’ve been listening and participating at the local and national levels, and with our own workforce.

In the midst of the nation’s renewed focus on racial injustice, the OneAmerica executive leadership team conducted small-group listening sessions to better understand the experiences of our associates. By year-end, every OneAmerica leader and associate had an opportunity to participate in one or more listening sessions.

Our CEO also spent hours, in partnership with other business and community leaders, gaining inputs from local residents and organizations who shared their thoughts and stories about racial challenges and barriers.

These many voices, and the experiences behind each voice, have helped to shape our DE&I strategy.

Our next step in listening, already underway, is conducting a comprehensive organizational assessment to understand our areas of opportunity as well as our strengths. What we learn will inform our DE&I efforts in 2021 and beyond.

Meanwhile, we continue to participate in local, regional and national efforts to maximize our impact, particularly in ways that connect with our core mission of helping people achieve financial well-being.

At your organization, you may also gain insight from being an intentional listener. Be willing to ask for input — you may be surprised by what you hear.

LEARN: See how to partner more effectively to achieve common goals.

Over the decades, our connections with community organizations have led to many mutually beneficial insights and actions. As all of us continue this important work, I’m excited about additional opportunities — whether it’s sharing data, creating workforce pipelines or helping deliver financial wellness programming.

I’m especially excited about the OneAmerica Pathways programs we began in 2018 in cooperation with several local community organizations. The overall goal is to improve individual economic well-being and create career opportunities for people in our home communities. Our efforts began with our Pathways to a Sustainable Income Program, which enables all full-time OneAmerica employees to earn a sustainable income of at least $18 an hour, plus health care and retirement benefits.

In 2019, we debuted the Pathways Junior Fellows Program to build and strengthen our local workforce and improve our pipeline of diverse talent. Working with community organizations, we choose several high school students and recent high school graduates from local schools. Over the summer, they participate in an intense custom curriculum that builds career awareness and business acumen. They learn to network, to experience job shadowing and community volunteering, and to create a capstone presentation.

The program went virtual in 2020. We also added a co-op component for current college students, and we have plans to continue scaling up. We think it’s a blueprint that might work for other employers, too, and we’ve made the curriculum and program documentation available at no cost to anyone who’s interested. Visit www.oneamerica.com/pathways to access program resources.

ACT: Develop action plans focused on what we can solve together today.

After you’ve had the opportunity to listen and learn, use these insights to shape a response or action plan that’s unique to the culture of your organization. A cookie-cutter approach won’t suffice.

Our DE&I strategy is informed by collaboration with local organizations, such as United Way of Central Indiana, and the Business Equity for Indy pledge as well as key alignments nationally with the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) and The American College of Financial Services (TAC).

We’re working with ACLI, TAC and others on an integrated industry approach to advancing financial wellness, achieving a more inclusive workplace and culture, and workforce and career development. In addition, we’re working together on specific steps toward:

  • Expanded economic empowerment, including helping create a financial-education journey that meets underserved people where they are and inspires action, and collaborating with TAC to use its curriculum for significant community impact.
  • Increased access to affordable financial security and protection. We’re supporting the ACLI in promoting regulatory changes that eliminate potential discrimination in the delivery of our products.
  • Removal of unnecessary barriers to the ability of people of color to become licensed by or employed with the insurance industry. We also support ACLI efforts to make licensing more inclusive.

It’s an exciting time to advance diversity, equity and inclusion. I can’t wait to see what our collaborations lead to as we move forward in 2021 together.

Karin Sarratt is an executive vice president with OneAmerica, an Indianapolis-based provider of retirement plan services, including for tax-exempt organizations, as well as life insurance and long-term-care products, and employee benefits. Karin leads the following OneAmerica areas: human resources, marketing and communications, community affairs, and enterprise strategy.