Let’s begin with very brief descriptions of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Justice.

Equity: People have equal access to the services and benefits offered by organizations.

Diversity: People are respected regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, political views, abilities, disabilities, etc.

Inclusion: People are welcomed and included.

Justice: People get what they are entitled to.

Policy Governance® provides a framework for understanding the role of the board. According to this framework the board’s role includes: 1) ongoing dialogue with the organization’s key stakeholders, that is, those people on whose behalf the board governs and to whom it is accountable, 2) articulation of board expectations of itself and ensuring that the board is meeting those expectations, and 3) articulation of the board’s expectations for the CEO and the organization that it governs and ensuring that these expectations are being met. (The board’s expectations for itself and for the CEO and the organization that it governs incorporate values held by the board. In Policy Governance, these board expectations are expressed in formal written board policies.)

This board governance framework can be applied to EDIJ values and issues.

1.       Ongoing dialog with the organization’s key stakeholders.

a.       Engage in dialogue with your community of key stakeholders about EDIJ issues.

b.      Incorporate key stakeholder perspectives into board discussions and board policy development sessions related to EDIJ issues.

2.       Board expectations of itself.

a.       Articulate board expectations of itself specifically related to EDIJ issues.

b.      Serve as a model to the board’s governed organization and to the community in its commitment to addressing EDIJ issues in the boardroom and in the governed organization.

c.       Self-monitor board performance with respect to the board’s expectations of itself and ensure that the board is complying with its expectations of itself.

d.      Examples of board expectations of itself with respect to EDIJ issues include a commitment to being proactive in learning about EDIJ issues and in addressing such issues, board member recruitment and retention efforts incorporating the board’s EDIJ values, dialogue with key stakeholders regarding such issues, and prohibiting any unacceptable board member behaviors related to such issues.

3.       Board expectations of the CEO and the governed organization.

a.       Articulate board expectations of the CEO and the governed organization specifically related to EDIJ issues. (In Policy Governance, the board’s expectations for organizational performance constitute the board’s expectations for the CEO.)

b.      Monitor CEO and organizational performance with respect to board expectations specific to EDIJ issues and ensure CEO/organizational compliance with such board expectations.

c.       Examples of board expectations of the CEO and the organization with respect to EDIJ issues include striving to identify and remove all organizational barriers for staff and customers/clients/beneficiaries access to the organization and its benefits and services, and prohibiting any unacceptable staff behaviors or unacceptable organizational processes and practices related to such issues.

Recently I attended Govern for Impact’s web-based Complimentary Town Hall titled “Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Justice (EDIJ): Practical Applications and Examples of the Board’s Role in Advancing EDIJ.” A thank you to Govern for Impact and in particular to Karen Fryday-Field, its CEO and a presenter at the Town Hall, for an informative session that inspired me to write this Tip for Effective Boards and to incorporate some ideas from this session into this Tip. Such Town Hall web-based sessions (on Zoom) are available free of charge to anyone whether they are an affiliate (member) of Govern for Impact or not. You may wish to check out this organization and its benefits for affiliates as well as for non-affiliates. Please click www.GovernforImpact.org.

To learn more about the Policy Governance® model, please click https://www.BoardsOnCourse.com/policy-governance.