Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion: Begin with Inclusion

We frequently hear of “diversity and inclusion” used interchangeably, sometimes with the “equity” added or another term like “belonging.” Here at ABA, diversity, equity, and inclusion have distinct meanings, associated with different practices, but are interconnected. For example, diversity is an outcome while inclusion and equity are processes that lead to diversity.

Diversity: At its most basic, diversity is the representation of difference in a given setting. In organizations, diversity means having a variety of people with different identity factors all inter-mixed among teams and levels of the organization. These identity factors include, but are not limited to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, cultural background, native language, national origin and citizenship, veteran status, differences in ablebodiedness and accessibility needs, neurodiversity, religious faith and practice or lack thereof, socioeconomic class, age and generation, education level, communication and learning styles, caregiver and family status, and more. Individual identities are made up of all these factors that establish each person’s perspective, values, and experiences of their environment.

Equity: Equity addresses institutional systems to ensure fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement of people regardless of their individual identities, while at the same time striving to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation in or entry of some groups into an organization. Equity begins with compliance but expands into reducing bias in processes, such as hiring or promotion. Equity supports inclusion from the standpoint of fairness and equitable opportunities.

Inclusion: Inclusion is the iterative process of creating environments and cultures of belonging in which any individual or group with different identities will be and feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued. Inclusion enables individuals to be their authentic selves in the workplace and to fully participate by bringing diverse perspectives to the organization and its functions.

Diversity is the frequently touted goal of DEI programs; however, without inclusion to retain people with diverse perspectives in an organization, diversity is no more than a surface condition. When an organization lacks diversity, rather than embark upon recruiting and hiring to increase diversity, the organization’s leaders should first turn to increasing the inclusiveness of the organization for its employees. 

It’s important for leaders to start with the workforce and customers that they have—during this process, most organizations usually discover they are more diverse than they had realized but not everyone felt that the workplace was inclusive enough for them to reveal their authentic selves and all aspects of their identity. Simultaneously, leaders should examine their organizations for equity to ensure, for example, that people of color are offered the same professional development opportunities or that parents don’t feel that their workplace is flexible enough to support their childcare arrangements. Only then should leaders turn to diversity recruiting, hiring, and on-boarding. Having an inclusive and equitable environment will attract diversity to the organization and retain diverse groups of people over time.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are not a one-time action. Inclusion, in particular, is a process that must be executed, assessed, adjusted, and executed continually. While the process of inclusion may seem daunting because it has no definitive end, think of it as perpetual team-building. The process itself is enriching to the organization and to the individuals who will then form innovative and productive teams.

About Naomi

Naomi Mercer (she, her) is senior vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion at ABA. She recently transitioned from a 25-year military career where she served as an assistant professor in the Department of English and Philosophy at the United States Military Academy and in the Pentagon running the Army’s gender integration and religious accommodation programs. Her educational background includes a doctorate in literary studies with a minor in gender and women’s studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an executive certificate in strategic diversity and inclusion from Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership. She is the author of the academic monograph, Toward Utopia (2015).