GUIDELINES FOR BENCHMARK REPORTS

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GUIDELINES FOR BENCHMARK REPORTS



By far the greatest benefit that can come from these benchmarks is how they are used
by organizations internally. As each organization collects data, and implements policies
to improve those numbers year over year, many should see tangible results fairly quickly.

But we also anticipate a significant benefit in aggregating the data to find out how the
state and various subdivisions, and also various corporate, non-profit and governmental
sectors, are doing. As a reminder, we plan to issue reports analyzing sector results
regularly, while guaranteeing the confidentiality of the data from individual
organizations.

To facilitate the gathering of the data and encourage the reporting of comparable
information by different organizations, we propose sticking closely to the definitions and
categories contained in reports required by the Federal government, especially in
Standard Form 100 and Title 41, Chapter 60 of the Labor Department.

We know that some of the benchmarks do not apply to, or raise questions for, some
organizations. Basically we are looking for a good-faith, common-sense effort to provide
as full a picture as possible. For instance, an organization headquartered out of state
should still report on its board of directors, but should report on its state-level
management, workforce and other data.

Membership organizations such as chambers of commerce, bar associations and
councils of non-profit organizations should report data on their boards and their own
staffs, not those of their members. However, in some cases, the “leadership team”
mentioned in the first Benchmark may include unpaid chairs of committees.

In most cases, we are looking for calendar 2007 data. There may be exceptions in
specific sectors. If, for instance, colleges and universities feel it would be easier to use a
July-June year, please let us know.
One point of emphasis: please give the Comments section special attention. Numbers
are critical to the Benchmarks, but they can’t tell the whole story. We hope all of you
will offer comments about particular successes you have achieved or challenges you have
faced. Again, we promise not to link these to particular organizations. But we believe
that, taken together, they can offer a treasure trove of wisdom going forward.

Following are the 25 benchmarks with guidelines to several. (The order of the
benchmarks has been changed to consolidate the areas of diversity, but the benchmarks
themselves have not changed.)

Six Key Areas of Diversity

I. CEO Commitment

1 Indicator: A diverse leadership team that includes people of color and women who share
the CEO’s commitment to organizational diversity
Measurement: numbers and percentages of people of color and women on the team
(GUIDELINES– “Leadership team” refers to the group that sets policy for the
organization. It may or may not be restricted to the CEO’s direct reports. Also, in this and other
benchmarks, “people of color” should be reported as on Labor Department forms, using the four
categories: Black/African American; Asian/Pacific Islander; American Indian/ Alaskan Native;
and Hispanic.)

2 Indicator: Active CEO engagement in organization's diversity efforts
Measurement: CEO written statements, speaking engagements and other activities that
show commitment to diversity

3 Indicator: CEO expectations for top managers that reward progress toward diversity
goals
Measurement: Clear written policies, criteria and goals that are used by CEO to assess
performance of top managers

4 Indicator: Budget and human resources dedicated to achieving diversity goals, and
monitoring and reporting mechanisms to track progress
Measurement: Actual funding and identified personnel/committees focused on achieving
diversity goals and periodic updates and written assessments to the CEO & board to
track progress

5 Indicator: An organizational statement of values & strategic goals that include diversity
and inclusion
Measurement: Prominent use of such a statement within the organization and periodic
review/revision as needed
(GUIDELINE – Include when any such statement was written or last revised.)

6 Indicator: An organizational culture that values all employees and customers, regardless
of race, ethnicity or gender, and that solicits their input and participation
Measurement: Periodic surveys of employees and consumers and other means to assess
attitudes and provide feedback to management on a periodic basis
(GUIDELINE – If such surveys are conducted, include most recent principal findings.)



II. Boards/Governance
(GUIDELINE: Organizations with more than one board should report data on the
governing board. Organizations such as law firms that have no board of directors should
leave this section blank.)
7 Indicator: A diverse membership that reflects the consumer population/geographic area
served
Measurement: numbers and percentages of people of color and women on the board


8 Indicator: People of color and women who are given significant roles within the board
Measurement: number of people of color and women in board officer and committee chair
roles

9 Indicator: Clear board efforts to retain and support people of color and women as
members
Measurement: Board member mentoring, orientation and training; ongoing board
assessment; people of color and women board member tenures comparable to their white
male colleagues
(GUIDELINE: include tenure figures for white board members, people of color, and
women.)

10 Indicator: An ongoing process for identifying a diverse pool of candidates for board
service
Measurement: A standing nominating/board governance committee with ongoing
responsibility in this area

11 Indicator: A clear board commitment to the organization's overall diversity goals
Measurement: Written and verbal statements from the board on diversity, board meeting
time devoted to review of organization's diversity goals



III. Workplace/Personnel
12 Indicator: A diverse workforce, at all levels and across all job categories, that is reflective
of the consumer population/geographic area served
Measurement: Breakdown of numbers and percentages of employees, by job category and
level, throughout the organization
(GUIDELINE: Organizations that have collected data using the Labor Department’s 7 Job
Groups are welcome to report it in that form. Other organizations could use three
categories that consolidate the groups: 1 Officials and managers, exclusive of the
leadership team; 2 Professionals and sales workers; 3 Clerical, craft workers, operatives
and laborers.)

13 Indicator: People of color and women who develop and advance their careers and who
achieve increased levels of responsibility and seniority
Measurement: Data on people of color and women who have advanced within the
organization, and who have tenure, with comparisons to their white male colleagues

14 Indicator: Processes that reach out to people or color and women and produce diverse
pools of candidates Measurement: Breakdown of numbers and percentages of applicants for recent job
openings and comparisons to the consumer population/geographic area served

15 Indicator: Mentoring programs, training and other activities that support employees
and sustain diversity
Measurement: Existence of mentoring, training and other activities and ongoing
assessment of them


16 Indicator: A performance review system that rewards efforts to foster diversity and
inclusion
Measurement: Existence and use of specific performance review policies and forms that
incorporate diversity goals

17 Indicator: Compliance with Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity legal
requirements
Measurement: Documentation of compliance with these legal requirements.

IV. Customers/Consumers/Services
18 Indicator: Customers and consumers who reflect the larger consumer base or geographic
area being served
Measurement: numbers and percentages of customers and consumers and comparisons to
larger consumer base/geographic area
(GUIDELINE: Questions of definition should seek common-sense answers. At
universities, for instance, students would be classified as customers, while
administrators and faculty would both be in the workforce. )

19 Indicator: Programs/services/products that are accessible to a diverse group of
consumers and are provided in a culturally relevant way
Measurement: Comparisons between organization's programs/services/products with
identified"best practices" in areas of accessibility and cultural relevance;
customer/consumer feedback as noted below

20 Indicator: Mechanisms for customer/consumer feedback that gauge levels of satisfaction
and areas for improvement
Measurement: Surveys, focus groups and other means of gathering customer/consumer
feedback an