What is (Equity, Inclusion, Diversity) EID?
Equity
Whereas diversity refers to all the many ways that people differ, equity is about creating fair access, opportunity, and advancement for all those different people. It’s about creating a fair playing field, to use a familiar metaphor. Here’s a useful illustration.
Inclusion
Inclusion is the extent to which various team members, employees, and other people feel a sense of belonging and value within a given organizational setting. The important distinction here is that even among the most diverse teams, there’s not always a feeling of inclusion. Women might be well represented at the senior management level, but still not feel included due to longstanding gender norms, salary discrepancies, and other factors
Evaluating an organization’s inclusion starts with empathy. not only respecting people’s differences but considering the environment more broadly—from their point of view. Namely:
- Balance of experience for less represented groups.
- Barriers to entry both structural and societal that might be at play.
- Blind spots and assumptions that might be working against a more inclusive environment.
Again, it’s useful to consider these aspects of inclusion from the employee’s point of view. Do they feel a sense of community and connection? Do they feel like they contribute on a daily basis? Do they feel a shared sense of purpose with their coworkers and peers?
Diversity
We like to define diversity as the understanding, acceptance, and valuing of differences between people inside and outside an organization. This might include differences in:
- Race
- Ethnicity
- Gender
- Age
- Religious beliefs
- Disabilities and special needs
- Sexual orientation
- Education, experience, and skill sets
- Personality and background
Diversity is a reality created by individuals and groups from a broad spectrum of demographic and philosophical differences. It is extremely important to support and protect diversity because by valuing individuals and groups free from prejudice and by fostering a climate where equity and mutual respect are intrinsic, we will create a success-oriented, cooperative, and caring community that draws intellectual strength and produces innovative solutions from the synergy of its people.
“Diversity” means more than just acknowledging and/or tolerating difference. Diversity is a set of conscious practices that involve:
- Understanding and appreciating interdependence of humanity, cultures, and the natural environment.
- Practicing mutual respect for qualities and experiences that are different from ones own.
- Understanding that diversity includes not only ways of being but also ways of knowing;
- Recognizing that personal, cultural and institutionalized discrimination creates and sustains privileges for some while creating and sustaining disadvantages for others;
- Building alliances across differences so that we can work together to eradicate all forms of discrimination.