Acacia Network’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council builds upon our commitment to diversity and allows for strategic collaboration to intentionally advance the imperatives of diversity, equity, and inclusion across the Network.
Comprising inclusive representation of staff from all entities of Acacia Network with a shared goal to cultivate transformative change across the organization, the DEI Council uses a collaborative and bold approach to implement focused initiatives and best practices with tangible impacts that are rooted in principles of equity.
The Council’s scope was expanded upon in October 2020, when Acacia Network created a committee dedicated to exploring and promoting ways to foster a more inclusive and equitable environment for individuals from the LGBTQ+ community and to analyze our current organizational policies and/or external initiatives with regards to LGBTQ+ inclusion. Named the “Trans-forming the Workplace Taskforce”, this committee aims to further our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work by fostering and promoting a workplace culture and environment that is inclusive and welcoming to employees and clients of diverse gender identities and expressions. As part of this work, the Taskforce has sought to identify and propose network-wide training opportunities around gender inclusion and diversity topics; evaluate Human Resources (HR) Policies to ensure that they incorporate gender inclusive language, practices, protocols, and procedures; and ensure that the Taskforce’s goals and deliverables are aligned with those of the DEI Council, among other key initiatives.
DEI Mission
Acacia Network is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to providing a platform to achieve equality for all persons of diverse backgrounds. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council will ensure that diversity in all its forms is respected and valued, and will cultivate and sustain a culture where our differences create solutions to meet the diverse needs of our employees and the communities we serve.
Acacia Network’s DEI Council promotes initiatives and best practices that foster an equitable, safe, respectful, inclusive, and culturally responsive environment.
Vision
To empower all members of our community to remove barriers caused by inequities, social injustice, and racial trauma and create an environment where all where individuals experience a sense of belonging.
Core Values
- Act with transparency, fairness, integrity, and honesty.
- Diversity in teams, services, and leadership.
- Equity in pay and enhanced employee engagement.