3.3 Considerations and scoping of internal audits of diversity, equity and inclusion programs
Level: Intermediate
Lack of diversity, inequity, and exclusion are problems that demand a cultural shift; a shift which translates to value in organizations. Pre-pandemic studies conducted by BetterUp in 2019 found an estimated 56% increase in job performance, 50% reduction in turnover risk, and 75% decrease in employee sick days in organizations with belonging focused initiatives. A Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) audit is a structured assessment of the degree of diversity at all levels of an organization; pay equity by race, gender, ethnicity and ability; human resource policies that ensure a framework supporting DEI; the diversity of the company’s supplier base; and other race, gender, ability and diversity related factors. Within the public sector IA is positioned to provide this service to organizationsl. This session will explore key topics to assist in planning and scoping a DEI audit at your organization – including clarifying terminology, business case rationale, audit team composition considerations, and audit scoping considerations.