DEI Strategy Formulation: Case Study

Culture Plus Consulting was engaged by a large government agency to develop an overarching diversity and inclusion strategy to guide the prioritisation and coordination of diversity and inclusion investment and efforts across the agency.

Objective

The goal of the engagement was to progress diversity and inclusion within the agency and maintain the organisation’s reputation as a leading DEI employer. Although the agency had received multiple awards in recognition of its work in fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, stakeholders believed there was further work to be undertaken to embed a culture of inclusion across the organisation.

Services Provided

Phase One of the strategy formulation process involved a thorough diversity and inclusion diagnostic encompassing best-practice benchmarking, stakeholder interviews, employee focus groups and interviews, and an extensive documentation review to identify critical risk areas and opportunities.

Phase Two of the engagement involved stakeholder consultation, drafting of the strategy, and executive engagement.

Diagnostic Results

Notwithstanding that the agency had established foundational elements of a best-practice diversity and inclusion program including a diversity and inclusion plan, diversity and inclusion learning and development, inclusive policies and practices, and employee networks and champions, the agency had not progressed beyond a programmatic approach to diversity and inclusion to achieve a culture of inclusion across the agency.

Evaluation findings indicated the most significant impediments to advancing diversity and achieving a culture of inclusion at the agency were a lack of leadership accountability and weak integration with the business strategy and other organisational functions. Establishing a robust governance framework, formulating diversity and inclusion metrics that align with and support the achievement of the organisation’s business strategy, holding leaders accountable for the achievement of those goals, and embedding diversity and inclusion into the corporate infrastructure were identified as the agency’s most critical diversity and inclusion opportunities and key strategic priorities.

Other areas of opportunity included leveraging data to identify diversity and inclusion risks across the business and implementing targeted D&I interventions, strengthening diversity and inclusion capability, reinvigorating employee networks, building on entry-level programs to support the professional development and advancement of diverse talent, and embedding flexible working arrangements and accessibility as business as usual.

Outcome

Although initially project sponsors were concerned about stakeholder resistance to shifting accountability from the people function to the business, after successful consultation and engagement with executives, the strategy was adopted and approved by the Executive.