Page 12 - Perspectives Vol.15 Issue 2

Equity: The Secret
Ingredient to Inclusion
Angela Russell, VP/Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, CUESolutions
If you do not have an inclusive workplace where a diverse population can thrive, your organization will not reap the benefits—including innovation, business growth, and employee satisfaction.
We know that diversity is not only the right thing to do for our organizations, but it’s also paramount to our success. To use a phrase from the Harvard Business Review, “Diversity is useless without inclusion.”
The secret ingredient to inclusion is: equity. Equity is the path toward creating inclusive workplaces that create the necessary sense of belonging essential for a diverse workforce to thrive.
WHAT IS EQUITY, EXACTLY?
PolicyLink defines equity as “a just and fair inclusion into society where all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential despite historic patterns of exclusion.” The work
of equity is to understand what drives the lack of inclusion (in our workforce, economy, and society at large) and offer solutions to ensure that everyone has the opportunity live and work up to their fullest potential.
The words “equity” and “equality” are often used synonymously, but what they mean is different. In an equality model, we are focused on equality of input—giving everyone the same thing. In an equity model, we are focused on equality of outcome—providing people with what they need so that all can be included and prosper.
10 Vol. 15, Issue 2