DEI Journey Step 2: The DEI Cultural Assessment

There are many reasons why diversity, equity and Inclusion are a vital part of any organization’s business strategy. DEI directly affects talent management, market strategy, product innovation, community involvement and shareholder investment. Multiple studies demonstrate the correlation between DEI and successful business models. According to McKinsey’s report: How DE & I Matter, organizations with gender and ethnic diversity are 25% and 36% more likely to be profitable than their peers, respectively.

However, before engaging in DEI strategy, each organization should understand how this strategy is tied to their mission, their values, and the results they seek. DEI requires that we look internally at our organizational systems and externally at the world around us in order to create both business success and a more equitable society.

Next Steps
  • Review The DEI Cultural Assessment video with Dr. Joynicole Martinez.
  • Create a diverse DEI Cultural Assessment Team.
  • Review the video in our reference list to become familiar with the process of designing a cultural assessment.
  • Determine a data gathering strategy to include data that is readily accessible through your HRIS system and focus groups or surveys.
  • Check out the sample Sample DEI Data Points Tool.
  • Review the references to determine the key questions for your assessment.
  • Implement your assessment and remember to stay impartial and begin with CURIOSITY.

Additional Resources

Next: DEI Journey Step 3 – DEI Strategy Development

Dr. Joynicole Martinez

Dr. Joynicole Martinez is the CEO of The Alchemist Agency, a management consulting firm serving leading executives, corporations, and organizations. Dr. Martinez has over 20 years of experience providing capacity-building services, including strategic planning and organizational design with a focus on leadership and executive training and coaching, performance and change management, fund development and impact measurement.

As an epidemiologist, Dr. Martinez is an advocate for ethical and equitable solutions and systems that bridge industries addressing social determinants of health. With a focus on multidisciplinary teams and the need for diverse and inclusive cultures fostered by human-centric design, Joynicole has developed projects and garnered funding for initiatives that strengthen population wellness and health.

Dr. Martinez is an award winning speaker and trainer and has presented at numerous local, state, and federal conferences. Her list of clients includes the Health Care Compliance Association, Microsoft Corporation, Wells Fargo, Books-A-Million, Women Economic Forum, Ritz Paris, North Carolina Association of Certified Professional Accountants, Ellevate, NASDAQ, Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics, American Veterans Association, and Women Influence Community. Joynicole has trained executives across North and South America and in the United Kingdom, France, Canada, the Netherlands, Russia, United Arab Emirates, and the Caribbean.

Dr. Martinez is a featured member on SheSource, an online brain trust of female experts on diverse topics designed to serve journalists, producers, and booking agents. She is an inaugural member of the Peace50 (P50) Community, an international engagement group that proposes policy recommendations related to peace. As contributor to the invitation only Forbes Coaches Council, she provides expert advice on leadership, management, and business innovation. Dr. Martinez serves as the Chief Advancement and Innovation Officer for Rising Tide Capital, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building inclusive communities of resilient entrepreneurs catalyzing a thriving and sustainable economy for. She is the US Ambassador for Diplomatic World Magazine and is a staff contributor to North Carolina’s oldest minority owned newspaper, The Carolinian.