An equity lens is a set of questions we ask ourselves when we plan, develop or evaluate a policy, program or decision. Using an equity lens will help us identify potential impacts on institutionally under-served and marginalized individuals and groups, and to identify and potentially eliminate barriers.

The goal of the Equity Team is to promote institutional change within the organization in order to better serve all stakeholders, including employees, the community and vendors. They also focus on driving the process of and provides direction and leadership in ensuring inequities are dismantled in organizational policies, and practices.

A successful DEI Charter interweaves several elements, including a strong mission statement, related goals, leadership assignments, and membership requirements. The DEI Equity Team charter should establish the central tenets and responsibilities for members and provide members with the necessary guidance to enact change and positive progress.

The Equity plan and toolkit will help your organization with actions and decisions to achieve truly equitable outcomes. During this process it’s important to understand the root causes of existing disparities and how the department’s actions, policies or the structure of their programs can make these better or worse and its impact on equity.

As you uncover and dismantle disparities, everything can’t be tackled well at once. It’s important to prioritize your actions based on the impact to the organization, people and the community. As you review all organizational policies, practices and programs, use this framework to determine priority setting and resource allocation.