Welcome to The Equity Connection! |
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Sherrice Thomas, VP of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Access
The Equity Connection is designed to support both diverse suppliers and companies looking to diversify. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and access are critical for the success of any organization, and through our newsletter, we aim to create a community that fosters collaboration, growth, and success for all parties involved. We will provide valuable insights, resources, and opportunities for diverse suppliers to connect with potential clients and for companies to find qualified and reliable suppliers that can help them meet their goals. Join our community and be part of creating a more equitable and inclusive business environment that benefits everyone.
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Race-Neutral Alternatives |
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WHAT ARE RACE-NEUTRAL ALTERNATIVES?
Community leaders have reached out to me and asked the question, “How will the recent legislative decisions banning affirmative action practices from admissions processes impact the business world?” While I could not provide a definitive answer, my response has been, “I’m not sure AND I do know that educational institutions are being challenged to consider race-neutral alternatives in their admissions processes.” To shed light on this topic, I decided to share the answer in this publication.
Race-neutral alternatives are approaches and policies that aim to level the playing field for individuals, regardless of their racial background, without explicitly considering race in decision-making. Supporters of this approach argue that it fosters equality, avoids reverse discrimination, prevents tokenism and stigmas, and garners broader public and political support. However, critics express concerns that it might maintain the status-quo, have limited impact, overlook implicit bias, and neglect structural inequalities.
Here are some examples of how race-neutral alternatives are applied in the education and business sectors.
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Standardized Testing: This approach focuses on evaluating individuals based on their knowledge and skills rather than considering factors like race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.
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Anonymous Recruitment: During initial screenings, recruiters do not have access to applicants’ names, gender, and other identifying information to allow for a fair candidate assessment based solely on qualifications and experience.
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Socio-economic Factors: Elements like income, education level, family composition, wealth and assets, geographic location, and whether someone is a first-generation graduate are considered in place of race and gender.
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Small Business Grants: These grants are provided to small-businesses without targeting specific racial or gender groups.
The debate surrounding race-neutral alternatives is complex and multi-faceted. There is no one-sized fits all solution to address disparities and promoting inclusivity. Moving forward requires robust dialogue, creative problem-solving, and focused implementation. I am eager to continuing contributing to these efforts and being part of the solution.
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DEIA Upcoming Meetings & Events |
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Annual DEIA Symposium | November 1, 2023 @ 8:30 am
Evolving DEIA: Pioneering a Modern and Inclusive Future
The Columbus Chamber of Commerce is committed to helping the Columbus Region grow and thrive by establishing diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) as a business accelerator. During our 2nd Annual Columbus Region DEIA Symposium, step into a world of innovation, impact, and inclusion with our transformational event, “Evolving DEIA: Pioneering a Modern and Inclusive Future.” Together, we will embark on a journey that transcends the boundaries of conventional DEIA practices. Whether you’re a DEIA, Org Culture, or HR professional or part of the entrepreneur support system, this event is for you.
Join fellow trailblazers for a thought-provoking experience that spotlight success stories, real-world strategies, and innovative tactics.
The Future of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Immerse yourself in a forward-looking panel discussion, uncovering cutting-edge trends and transformative innovations shaping the path for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our esteemed panelists will unveil insights into the future of our field and offer actionable strategies to propel our work toward a brighter, more inclusive tomorrow.
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Meet Monica Dominic, Chief Client Officer at PSI (Proteam Solutions, Inc.) |
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What's the most common challenge in this space?
The most common challenge that PSI faces is finding people. This market is booming right now with so much opportunity…and it is happening FAST! Things are moving at break neck speeds right now. The opportunities are plentiful for folks who are hard workers with experience. While it is the most challenging, it is also the most rewarding. Knowing that we are helping folks with their career makes us happy.
What advice do you have for women in executive positions?
DO NOT SIT DOWN! Seriously, if you want the opportunity you need to take it. Make it happen. If you aren’t willing to put your neck out, to ask for the opportunity, to walk the difficult path you will never get to where you want to be. As Shirley Chisholm said “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring in a folding chair.”
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Tell us about your organization.
Established in 1992 in Columbus, Ohio, PSI (Proteam Solutions Inc.) has grown from a one-man start up to a multi-million-dollar IT Staff Augmentation firm providing solutions to both private and public sector clients. To ensure we achieve the best possible outcome, our core values guide every action we take – never sacrificing quality for quantity.
At PSI, we are DRIVEN to:
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Serve: We strive to provide world-class service to our staff, our clients and our community
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Solve: We seek to solve our client’s toughest issues to help drive profitable growth
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Deliver: We invest the time and attention needed to deliver the right solution, every time
Simply put, our client’s success is our top priority. Additionally, Community Responsibility is a continuing commitment for PSI to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life for our workforce and their families as well as our local community and society at large through the “PSI Gives” Program.
How does your business contribute to equity and inclusion in the business community?
We strive to present a balance of diverse resources to all of our clients. We are proud that we have over a 60% ratio of diverse contractors placed in our clients. We believe that a variety of opinions and experiences brought by people, only add to the richness at a client. We make it a point to look at candidates experience and what they can bring to the client or to the PSI team.
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Tracking legislation that impacts diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in our region is crucial for awareness, compliance, legal responsibilities, social progress, benchmarking, best practices, and gaining a competitive advantage. It allows individuals and organizations to stay informed, adapt their practice, and actively contribute to creating a more inclusive and equitable society.
The Columbus Chamber of Commerce is a bipartisan organization. In this section of our newsletter, we share legislation that has an impact on economic growth, job creation, and community prosperity while acknowledging the importance of bipartisan cooperation to achieve these goals.
Ohio Issue 1: Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety
The Ohio Ballot Board approved an amendment to Article I of the Ohio Constitution by adding Section 22, titled The Right to Reproductive Free with Protections for Health and Safety. The proposed amendment would:
- Establish in the State of Ohio’s Constitution an individual right to one’s own reproductive medical treatment, including but not limited to abortion;
- Create legal protections for any person or entity that assists a person with receiving reproductive medical treatment, including but not limited to abortion;
- Prohibit the citizens of the State of Ohio from directly or indirectly burdening, penalizing, or prohibiting abortion before an unborn child is determined to be viable, unless the State demonstrates that is using the least restrictive means;
- Grant a pregnant woman’s treating physician the authority to determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether an unborn child is viable;
- Only allow citizens of the State of Ohio to prohibit an abortion after an unborn child is determined by a pregnant woman’s treating physician to be viable and only if the physician does not consider the abortion necessary to protect the pregnant woman’s life or health; and
- Always allow an unborn child to be aborted at any stage of pregnancy, regardless of viability, if in the treating physician’s determination, the abortion is necessary to protect the pregnant woman’s life or health.
Potential Workplace Impact
Women’s participation in the workforce and their earnings hinge on their access to health care and childcare.
Ohio Issue 2: Marijuana Legalization Initiative 2023
The Ohio Ballot Board approved ballot language to legalize recreational marijuana that will go before voters in November 2023. A Yes vote supports legalizing marijuana for adults 21 years old and older, allowing adults to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and grow up to six mature marijuana plants and up to six seedlings, and enacting a 10% tax on marijuana sales. A No vote opposes legalizing marijuana for adult use in Ohio. To learn more about this amendment, visit the Ohio Secretary of State’s Ballot Board.
Potential Workplace Impact
Raise the Wage Ohio 2023
The Ohio Ballot voted to certify language submitted by Raise the Wage Ohio as a single issue, clearing the campaign to begin gathering signatures. increase the state minimum wage to $12.75 per hour on January 1, 2025 and then to $15 per hour on January 1, 2026. After that, previously approved increases indexed to inflation would continue at the higher rate. To learn more about this amendment, visit the Ohio Secretary of State’s Ballot Board.
Potential Workplace Impact
Revisit compensation guidelines, associated administrative costs, and financial projections to determine the financial impact to your organization.
For further information and questions, please contact Desmond Bryant at dezbryant@COLUMBUS.ORG.
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Are you interested in exploring bidding opportunities with the City of Columbus and State of Ohio? If so, click on the following links to learn more.
If you have bidding opportunities you’d like us to share with our members, reach out to Sherrice Sledge-Thomas.
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Business Grants and Accelerators |
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Are you interested in exploring grant opportunities with JobsOhio and the Neighborhood Joy Grant Program? If so, click on the following links to learn more.
If you have grants you’d like us to share with our members, reach out to Sherrice Sledge-Thomas.
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Upcoming Meetings and Events |
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