Diversity Series: Effective Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Planning – Session 1

Companies today have placed an increased focus on enhancing diversity, ensuring equity, and supporting inclusion. To successfully build diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces, understanding the applicable laws, regulations, and best practices is key in order to avoid any employment practices that are prohibited, such as preferences, quotas, stereotypes, or over-generalizations, for example. In addition, a focus on accessibility is a central component of today's DEIA programs. For federal contractors, DEIA programs should be developed consistently with affirmative action goals and programs.

In the first installment of a two-part series focused on effective DEIA planning, we discuss best practices that can enhance a DEIA program, including:

• Enhancing diversity through outreach and recruitment, trainings on unconscious bias, and through development of more diverse applicant pipelines;
• Ensuring equity through pay equity self-audits, centralized accommodation systems, and helpful policies and practices; and
• Supporting inclusion through employee resource groups, allyship and sensitivity training, universal design, and disability inclusion programs

Throughout the webinar, we offer best practices and guidance for all organizations on DEIA program development. Craig Leen, a partner in the Labor, Employment, and Workplace Safety practice at K&L Gates and the former OFCCP Director, draws from his wealth of experience developing best practices and designing model DEIA programs, to let businesses know what they can do and what are the legal limits in developing effective DEIA programs.