The U.S. Department of Commerce held its first Congress of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Councils to advance equitable services and a supportive work environment.
Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves and Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade Diane Farrell, co-chairs of the DOC Equity Council, led this inaugural meeting, according to a Jan. 31 news release.
“Commerce is vast with diverse missions, which can result in silos and duplication. However, I believe that we have a shared nexus and tremendous, unlocked potential. We have a collective mandate to forge data-driven, inclusive and equitable economic growth for all Americans,” Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves said in the release. “That’s why today is so exciting. This Congress is an opportunity for us to build our DEIA community of practice and mature our programs. We are all one civil service who will succeed and thrive in an inclusive work environment.”
The Congress shows the department’s commitment to DEIA initiatives and its goal to create a culture where employees can succeed and thrive, the release reported.
The Congress brought together 14 councils to work together, share information and best practices and develop competencies, according to the release. The goal is to maximize productivity, spur innovation and leverage the diverse talent pools in the country.
The Commerce Department aims to provide information and services that protect people, power business and benefit communities, the release reported. The DEIA Council will guide the creation of DEIA workflows and infrastructure.
The four workstreams of the DOC Equity Council include internal DOC workforce, external service delivery, measurable progress and infrastructure, the release reported. The council provides cross-bureau coordination and policy development to institutionalize equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility across programs and operations.
