Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Frequently Asked Questions

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is used to describe policies and programs that promote participation and involvement of diverse groups of people, including people of different races, ethnicities, gender, abilities and disabilities, cultures, religions, ages, sexual orientations, and people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and expertise and skills. It derives from the term “diversity and inclusion” (D&I) to reflect the growing focus on equity in organizations and communities. 

Diversity can be described as “all the likenesses and differences between people.” In other words, it’s a combination of all the things that make us individuals such as ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, disability, military experience, and socio-economic background, ideas, perspectives, educational background, beliefs, values, etc. A culture of diversity embraces understanding ourselves and each other, moving beyond tolerance to acceptance, and wholly embracing the richness of each individual.

Inclusion is how well the contributions, perspectives, beliefs, and presence of multiple groups of individuals are valued and integrated into an environment.

A diverse and inclusive workplace is one that makes each person feel equally supported and involved in all areas of the workplace, regardless of their background, beliefs, or what they do for the business.

Cultivating a diverse and inclusive workplace environment will not only help organizations attract a diverse set of talent, but it also helps organizations maintain and continue to bring in the diverse talent that attracted people in the first place.