Staff-Led DEIB Initiatives

 

We are proud that all members of our team help advance Fourth Economy’s commitment to DEIB.

 

Equity Working Group

In 2023, staff from outside the firm’s executive leadership team launched an Equity Working Group to improve DEIB within Fourth Economy. The group sets annual goals and meets bi-weekly to execute these initiatives, while also engaging and guiding the entire Fourth Economy team in our ongoing commitment to DEIB.

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DEIB Conversations and Training Sessions

Fourth Economy staff lead and participate in  sessions to educate and empower our entire team, fostering a deeper understanding of DEIB practices. Staff also participate in a monthly Equity and Inclusion practitioners group led by our parent company, Steer. In addition, Fourth Economy provides annual paid training for all staff in DEIB. 

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Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

These ERGs advocate for change, suggest ideas to the leadership team, and implement initiatives that promote inclusivity and support within the organization. Examples include our RISE - Recognizing Identity & Sexual Expression and Working Caregivers groups. 

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Equitable Hiring, Team Development, and Other Operations

 

We are focused on improving our hiring and team management practices to be more equitable and working to build a more diverse team. 

 

Reduced Hiring Bias

We remove the educational institutions candidates attended from resumes, standardize interview questions, and use a multi-person interview team consisting of staff across all levels of the firm who independently complete an evaluation rubric.

 

Salary Transparency

We are committed to reducing the gender pay gap through ongoing initiatives and regular progress reports at our parent-company level. We promote equal opportunities for all employees by publishing salary ranges in our open job postings and salary bands for our existing positions. We determine salaries, raises, and promotions using clearly communicated criteria to prospective and current staff.

 

Collaboration Profiles

Using the DiSC profile as a foundation, each team member completes their own collaboration profile, describing what their stressors and motivators are, working preferences, and how they thrive at work. These are shared at the start of each project to better understand one another and build strong, effective working relationships.

 

Professional Development

We fund training and other professional development for our staff to build practical knowledge in a variety of topics, encouraging the use of these funds for formal DEIB training. Examples of the types of training team members have pursued with these funds have included: cultural competency and humility, trauma-informed care, mental health first aid, and decolonization training.