A RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY
& INCLUSION STRATEGY
Events/Holidays
; Do event planners access diversity
calendars/plan for inclusive events?
; Are the types of food offerings considered
in catering/cafeterias?
; Do employees have to participate in events?
How do you involve employees in planning for
these events?
Communications
; What opportunities are there to enhance
understanding to address your business case?
; If you do sponsor lunch-and-learns, seminars
and presentations, how do you build in diverse
perspectives and safeguards to ensure
that one religious group or tradition doesn’t
dominate over others or that there’s no
perception of company preference?
Professionalism and Safety
; How flexible is your organization
regarding hairstyles? Dress? Tattoos?
Jewelry/religious symbols?
; What policies do you have on the above? On
e-mail sign-offs? Office-space decorations?
Religious Observances
; What are your policies concerning religious
observances or discussions?
; Do your employees feel comfortable
addressing these needs? How flexible are your
work schedules/work breaks/leave policies?
Training and Information ; Do all managers and employees understand that discrimination based on religious belief is prohibited? ; Do managers and employees have the opportunity to receive information on various faiths that may help them avoid conflict or work together more effectively?
Sources: Ford Interfaith Network, DiversityInc research
Some Religious ERG Best Practices
; When considering a faith-based
employee-resource group, formalize your policies or clearly
state ERG guidelines and
approval criteria and process
; Encourage the ERG to
have a balanced agenda and
work toward a common good
; Assign a senior executive to
champion each group
; Create an inclusive environment that embraces all faiths
represented by your employees,
customers or communities
; Work with the ERG to identify
the specific business case. For
example, how will the ERG help
the company meet its business
objectives and targets, serve
customers better, or make the
company a better place to work
for all?
; To avoid unintentional consequences, make sure there is a
process in place to filter, review
and approve ERG initiatives and
communications
; Help identify activities that
align with your corporate
strategy and ensure an understanding of activities that may
be illegal, disruptive or out of
alignment with company values
or strategy
