By signing the Initiative, the Signatory pledges his or her organization or legal department to develop a diversity plan adhering to the below commitments, to the extent applicable and practicable. The Signatory also recognizes that for diversity efforts to succeed in an organization, the organization’s leadership and management must fully support and actively participate in the many endeavors intended to achieve those efforts. To that end, the Signatory also commits to achieving measurable progress in its diversity plan. IDGC will assist and encourage the organization in focusing its attention as a legal employer on improving diversity in the workplace, and by measuring statistics in a public way to encourage healthy competition. The Initiative does not set hiring or diversity goals or requirements, nor does it invite the organization to make employment decisions based solely on an applicant’s membership in a protected class.
The Signatory’s organization leadership and management shall:
Commitment 1: Create an atmosphere that values and promotes diversity.
Commitment 2: Promote and advance diversity by adopting and implementing policies supportive of a diverse workforce.
Commitment 3: Increase diversity from the base year evaluation through hiring, retention and promotion of attorneys from diverse populations.
Commitment 4: Develop, implement and facilitate professional development programs to promote, retain, and advance attorneys from diverse populations.
Commitment 5: Actively promote and participate in diversity efforts and communicate those efforts internally and externally.
Commitment 6: Provide statistical information to the Initiative for Diversity Governing Council on a biennial basis to show the Signatory’s progress towards its diversity goals.
Commitment 7: Contribute towards the work of the IDGC.