Measuring Our Own DEI Progress

I often repeat the phrase “only what gets measured gets done” when I talk about our #Inclusive100 tool and the need for companies to track their progress using real data. The same dictum applies to our organization. If She Runs It is not actively tracking our progress against our stated goals and intentions, any assessment of our impact would be little more than anecdotal guesswork. A decent indicator, perhaps, but it’s difficult to jump higher when the springboard you’re standing on is soft.
 
To practice what we preach, She Runs It fielded our first engagement survey to our membership in the Summer of 2021. Our objectives were three-fold. We wanted to better understand the composition of our membership, to learn how well we are showing up for women of all races, ethnicities, backgrounds, and perspectives, and to consider how we might improve our services and programming to deliver on our mission. 
 
The results of that survey surfaced seven DEI priorities for She Runs It. It also inspired a commitment from our Foundation and Operating Boards to measure progress against those seven priorities. In 2021 we shaped our DEI Report Card, and we have been measuring our progress against the seven priorities throughout 2022. You can find the first Report Card HERE.

The priorities include:

• A clear articulation of our purpose
• A transparent expression of the word “She” in She Runs It
• The expansion of #Inclusive100
• Commitment to an annual membership survey and sharing of a progress report
• An anonymous feedback mechanism for our community; the email is: weRlistening@sherunsit.org
• DEI training for She Runs It staff and Board members
• A diverse representation of speakers, award winners, leadership, and staff across all of our programming

We are also launching our second annual member engagement survey today, and based on your feedback we will assess our priorities and the report card criteria, helping us shape an even stronger path into 2023. Please click HERE to complete the survey. Next Fall, we will post our second report card and distribute our third survey. In order to grow, we need to fully understand the ground we’re standing on, and your candid feedback will give us that foundation.