The Diversity Development Continuum: A Checklist
The Diversity Development Continuum is a tool developed by the Institute for Diversity Certification to measure an organization’s competence regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). There are 5 phases on the continuum: compliant, conventional, purposeful, competent, and advanced, as illustrated below. The following checklist will help you understand where your organization stands.
Beginning the Journey
Does your organization:
- Ensure compliance with Equal Employment Opportunity law or other national, state, and local regulations?
If yes, move to the next section. If not, your organization may not be ready to embark on a diversity, equity, and inclusion journey. While we like to think of compliance as just one aspect of a strong DEI program, following your national, state, and local rules and regulations is a minimum requirement your organization must meet. If compliance obligations are not being fulfilled, then you should pause here and revisit DEI when it can be appropriately prioritized.
