Diversity and Inclusion: Opportunities, Successes and Legal Guardrails

Diversity and inclusion have become popular terms, and many organizations developed statements about their commitment to this important initiative. This session goes beyond the terminology to examine what is really being done to affect change and to identify successful strategies, benefits and legal guardrails to diversity and inclusion efforts.

We will share our experiences with integrating diversity and inclusion efforts throughout the organization—staff, board, certification program, and even efforts to help move the needle toward more diversity in the certified profession. You’ll learn about how a group of CEOs have committed to making a difference, and we’ll talk about ways to monitor impact. We will also talk about the legal landscape and what flexibility—and limits—organizations have in undertaking diversity and inclusion initiatives. We will discuss ways of building and maintaining environments that support diversity and inclusion across a range of metrics, including demographic characteristics, backgrounds and disabilities.

We will also address the Florida Stop WOKE Act and other legislative initiatives to curb diversity and inclusion efforts, how certification and credentialing organizations would be impacted by this legislation, and the legal principles underlying the injunction against enforcement of the Act. This will be an interactive session, and participants will be encouraged to share what they are doing so we can all work together to continue making a difference.