The Department of the Interior recently released its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Strategic Plan, which outlines plans to root the agency’s work in equity and justice, address barriers to access to the outdoors and increase equal employment opportunities throughout their bureaus and offices.
According to an Aug. 26 news release, the DOI will make efforts to advance the plan in the current and future workforce designed to capture a meaningful life cycle experience for all current and prospective employees.
“The Interior Department has a unique responsibility to be a model for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility as we work to tell America’s story and increase access to public lands and waters for all Americans," Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in the release. "We can serve communities best when we have people who share those experiences contributing to our work.”
Efforts will include revamping the recruitment and hiring process in order to increase qualified applicants from historically underrepresented groups, ensuring employees can fully contribute to the department’s mission of fostering an inclusive and safe work environment and providing opportunities for fair and attainable professional development and career advancement at all levels, the release reported.
“By advancing equity across the Department — from our work to spur a clean energy economy and increase access to outdoor spaces to our contracting and employment efforts — we can empower communities that have been historically underserved, which benefits all Americans,” Haaland said in the release.
To fulfill these objectives, Haaland established a DEIA Council in February 2022, to embed DEIA principles and actions in everything the Interior Department and its bureaus do, according to the release.
The council establishes executive leadership across the agency to coordinate the development and implementation of the policies, programs and initiatives related to advancing DEIA both internally for the Interior workforce and externally for citizens. the release reported. With senior representatives from every Interior bureau, the council will ensure decision-making includes input from Interior employees at all levels and that bureaus are held accountable for achieving results. It will also serve as a forum for collaboratively identifying and promoting best practices for integrating DEIA across the Department.
