Author: Ana Duarte McCarthy

I am a diversity, equity, and inclusion leader with more than twenty-five years of experience influencing change in the private, higher education, and non-profit sectors. I am passionate about ensuring equity and respect for individuals to fulfill their ambition, and providing advice, guidance and solutions to organizations which are committed to being a great place to work.

Diversity Matters

Workplace Diversity has been a strategic business imperative for 50+ years. “Workforce 2000: Workers and Workforce for the 21st Century” published in 1987, placed the term workplace diversity on the national agenda. The report created a turning point, forecasting that the workforce would become more female and including more racial and ethnic minorities. If the United States was to continue to prosper, policymakers would need to find ways to reconcile the conflicting needs of women, work, and families; and integrate Black and Hispanic workers fully.

Workforce 2000 spawned the creation of diversity as an industry, evolving from affirmative action efforts to the current day practice of developing policies and programs to recognize and value individual characteristics, and drive innovation and performance.

The world has embraced the opportunity for diversity within workforce, workplace, marketplace and community, and today’s global drumbeats for racial equity and justice remind all that diversity and inclusion are more important now than ever.

Why Diversity Consulting?

An organization that commits to diversity and inclusion needs a pathway to success.  DM Diversity Consulting can provide individuals and organizations with the framework to launch, reimagine and reboot diversity and inclusion strategies.

Diversity leaders and champions face multiple challenges and priorities, yet are unaware of existing, proven strategies and resources that will advance your mission and goals. Partnership with DM Diversity Consulting offers you twenty plus years of experience accelerating progress in achieving diversity and inclusion within your workforce, workplace, community, clients and customers. Your success in achieving progress as a top organization for diversity is my primary objective.

3 Important Steps

There are 3 steps an organization and new diversity leader should consistently take at the beginning to of the diversity and inclusion journey to lay the foundation for the organization’s strategy. My advisory services will provide you with insights, best practices and strategies in three steps to support your pathway to success in your new role. The areas of focus will include, among others:

Step One – Exploration

Use inquiry and observation to assess the organizations diversity and inclusion history. Performing a needs assessment is essential. It’s important to unbundle the company’s diversity and inclusion experiences and history, culture, accountability, governance, external partners, brand/reputation – and its influence upon the current day objectives.

Step 2 – Baselining

Every organization has its diversity and inclusion baseline. Developing a baseline is critical to determine priority objectives and measure progress. From workforce metrics, to conducting external benchmarks, it is important to identify and execute against those that will be considered meaningful within your organization.

Step 3 – Developing the Plan

A well-designed plan diversity and inclusion plan delivers impact. From staffing and resources to establishing governance, step three will provide you with the tools needed to create and inform a well-designed diversity and inclusion plan.