Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Any organization is at its best when people of diverse backgrounds bring the benefit of their unique lived experiences together, are valued and empowered to innovate, and are enabled to excel. ECDI is proud of our diverse community of colleagues, clients, and stakeholders, who represent a variety of experiences, perspectives, cultures, and backgrounds.
We take a people-focused and authentic approach to our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives by listening to our team, clients, and partners to develop thoughtful approaches to their needs and challenges, with the goal of heightening the sense of value and belonging within our organization and providing access to resources and advancement opportunities.
Our Organization
In our daily work and within our own organization, we strive to create a diverse and inclusive environment, while amplifying underrepresented voices and empowering underserved communities (learn more).
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ECDI’s workforce currently includes 61% women and 39% of our employees are from diverse ethnic groups.
We intend for our current percentage of colleagues from diverse groups to be our minimum as we assess and update our recruitment process to reach a wider mix of candidates for future positions, while providing equitable access to leadership opportunities for all colleagues and collaborators.
Benchmark comparison: across the financial industry, workforce is approximated to represent 26% female and 36% from diverse backgrounds.
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“ECDI was started with the mission to aid marginalized entrepreneurs and we have been successful in uplifting and leveling the playing field to help so many build their businesses. We value integrity, service, and respect to all backgrounds and are committed to building people and communities. ECDI is being more intentional and strategic in our focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, both internally and externally. We have a lot of amazing programs and engagements planned for the next three years. We are experiencing a cultural shift that will have lasting generational impact.”
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Maurisha Griffin, ECDI Director of Human Resources and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Our Goals
To foster a more inclusive environment and build a stronger community in support of our mission, we are actively dedicated to the following organizational goals:
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Expand and enhance the company’s culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion for the benefit of the employees, managers, leadership, and clients
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Create equitable opportunities for development and leadership
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Ensure all employees have the most current knowledge and skills to lead and innovate in our communities
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Find new and creative solutions for employee engagement and approaches to complex social norms
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Direct positive change and inclusive efforts locally and nationally
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Further develop a more diverse and inclusive recruitment process
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Create lasting change in our communities
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Create a more transparent environment and culture where all stakeholders in the organization feel a sense of belonging and value
ECDI’s Current Action Plan
We are actively working to achieve our DEI goals through these concrete steps:
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Creation of a DEI leadership position to direct our efforts
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Update of recruiting process
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Continuation of meaningful employee dialogue
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Development of our strategic plan
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Creation of Employee Resource Group
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Employee growth plans for all colleagues
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Employee engagement programs and activities that foster inclusive and equitable dialogue