Almost every well-established organization has some version of an anti-discrimination code included in their company policies. While these policies are important, they are dated since their main function is simply to punish bad discrimination behavior. But times have changed since those laws first emerged in the 1960s and the employee-employer relationship has evolved.
In today’s competitive market, employers who strive to meet the needs of their employees see the most success. So, how does a company take steps to create a culture of inclusion, ensuring that every employee has a sense of belonging in the company they work for? Enter, the Equity Action Plan.
Equity Action Plans (EAP) are detailed roadmaps that a company commits to accomplish within a specific time frame. The end goal is to reduce barriers within the work environment that are often experienced by traditionally underserved communities. An EAP accomplishes this by advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion to create conditions in which every employee feels a sense of belonging.
Companies who have recently adopted an EAP are not alone. Over 90 federal agencies have recently unleashed their Equity Action Plans including the Small Business Administration and the US Department of Labor, whose plan was just released this April, 2022.
In November, the mayor of D.C. unveiled the district’s first-ever Racial Equity Action Plan and in the same month, the University of Massachusetts previewed its pilot program for Diversity and Inclusion. Meanwhile, big corporations like Coca-Cola are following suit. The soft drink giant unveiled its EAP in June, the same month that jumbo retailer Target announced its commitment to an EAP that will run through 2025. Just last week the international accounting firm KPMG announced its EAP Impact plan, showing that the list of corporations who understand the importance of an EAP is only growing.
Rather than singling out individual acts of discrimination, an Equity Action Plan sets a company up for successfully creating a holistic approach to inclusiveness, creating a collective vision of equity, and building a company culture that makes work and life a better experience for every single employee. If your firm hasn’t joined the growing list of corporations with Equity Actions Plans yet, there’s still time.
For examples of existing Equity Action Plans, see the below links: