Summary of DEI Workgroup Recommendations
The SGIM Executive Committee met in January 2021 to review the DEI Workgroup recommendations, taking into consideration the conversation on the January Council call and the input obtained from staff, and make suggestions on how best to prioritize and implement the recommendations.
- DEI is integral to all we do, not an “add on” activity. We need to charge all committees and commissions with the responsibility of integrating DEI concepts into their workplans and processes.
- The executive committee felt strongly that the professional code of conduct policy should apply only to SGIM activities and not to external or institutional events or behavior.
- The sequencing of the recommendations will be important to successful implementation. Overall, we need to collect data and formulate and communicate policies before we reach out to external partners for collaboration on DEI.
The following is the high-level recommended implementation sequence, with an approximate timeline and primary responsible party. These initiatives should be incorporated into the annual planning process for committees, commissions, working groups, Council, and staff over the next 12-24 months.
DATA TRACKING & ASSESSMENT
Collect & share data on race/ethnicity and other characteristics of SGIM membership that we want to track in order to assess progress toward goals To get baseline data on all committees, commissions, working groups within SGIM we first need to understand gaps in data and plan for the collection of this information from the membership.
Timeline: Assessment of current data and outreach to fill data gaps by July 2021. Communicated to Council, committee, and commissions by September 2021.
Resources: Queries and data structure understanding, survey tools to gather missing data, and communications to reinforce messaging from chairs and Council liaisons.
Responsible: Director of Member Relations & Membership Team, Chairs and Council liaisons.
Aim for transparency & standardization in existing processes for nominating and selecting leaders and making awards
Resources: Form two working groups. One to address the transparency & standardization of award selection committees; another to document and standardize nominations process for regional, national leadership roles. Groups should be made up of a cross section of past selection committee members, nominations chairs, regional and associate member representation. Models for award nominations include HEC and MIM’s efforts to identify and nominate URM candidates for all awards.
Responsible: Sr. Committees Project Manager/Committees Associate/Selection Committees for Awards & Grants, Deputy CEO/Nominations Committee for Nominations, Secretary or Secretary-Elect.
Timeline: Begin June 2021, conclude December 2021
Use past external reviews of our organizational culture as a reference for assessing progress toward achieving DEI goals.
Resources: Pyramid Report, Staff Satisfaction Index ESI Survey
Responsible: Deputy CEO, Council to establish DEI goals in June 2021
Timeline: August – September 2021
Questions: We first need to establish our DEI goals in order to assess progress toward achieving them. Council will need to set and finalize them during FY22 planning retreat.
Conduct an annual assessment of progress achieved with diversity, equity and inclusion efforts using a validated instrument that could be integrated into a dashboard metric. (Long-term goal after at least one calendar year of strategic DEI efforts)—Think about how to measure so that we can determine what is needed to measure in the long-term.
Resources: Using the March 2021 ASAE Association Inclusion Index results as baseline. Reassess annually
Responsible: Director of Member Relations and Deputy CEO
Timeline: June 2022
Identify a Council member responsible for ensuring overall progress toward achieving DEI goals
Resources: SGIM Council to identify member and set specific responsibilities—In addition, identify what the Council Member will be responsible for.
Responsible: SGIM Secretary, Secretary-Elect or Associate Member of Council
Timeline: June 2021 Council retreat
SETTING POLICY & COMMUNICATING TO MEMBERS
Share DEI policies created at the national level with all regional leaders, committees, and commissions.
Resources: Forum articles, SGIM E-news, website, Council & Chairs orientation, BRL orientation
Responsible: Director of Communications, SGIM President, SGIM CEO, SGIM Secretary, BRL Chair
Timeline: July – Aug 2021 Recommendation -
Share with entire membership the external partnerships SGIM has committed to developing and maintaining and summarize the results of these collaborations.
Resources: All Member Forum, SGIM Forum, Quarterly chairs calls
Responsible: CEO, Council and Dir. of Communications/Marketing Manager
Timeline: Bi-annually beginning Dec 2021
Formalize and disseminate a professional code of conduct for SGIM members, clarifying shared expectations for a commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in SGIM activities.
Resources: Draft code of conduct, Forum, website, all member forum, online registration policy acknowledgement.
Responsible: Women and Medicine Commission to revise draft policy/code of conduct to focus on SGIM related behavior, SGIM Meetings staff, Deputy CEO.
Timeline/Dependencies: Once policy has been finalized (Sept 2021), identify & deploy training for SGIM staff & leadership responsible for taking complaints (Dec 2021). Roll out of policy only once training is complete (Feb 2022).
Create an anti-racism strategy to guide SGIM’s research, education, clinical practice, and advocacy activities within the organization
Resources: Education Committee’s anti-racism paper; SGIM statements on racial justice; Health Equity Commission webinars
Responsible: Health Equity Commission to develop strategy and Research, Education, Clinical Practice and Health Policy Committees to execute.
Timeline: Q4 2022
Create mechanisms where members can donate funds to specific activities within the organization that support minorities underrepresented in medicine & members or health equity or social justice/advocacy focused initiatives.
Resources: Forging Our Future Program; UNLMTD
Responsible: Philanthropy Committee, Finance Committee, CEO & Development Officer, Director of Finance
Timeline: October 2021
Enhance the involvement of minorities underrepresented in medicine in the JGIM and SGIM Forum editorial teams.
Resources: Survey tool to first gather baseline data and set goals. Coordinate gathering of data with other SGIM committee/commissions data benchmarking; Springer incentive program.
Responsible: JGIM Editors, JGIM Editorial Staff, Director of Communications, SGIM Forum Editors
Timeline: October 2021 (Jan 2022)
Capitalize on opportunities created through our career development programs, leadership training, and leadership clusters to produce leaders underrepresented in medicine and identify leadership opportunities beneficial to those participants and/or our organization.
Resources: Baseline data from career development programs and national benchmarks for leadership positions held by underrepresented minorities.
Responsible: Director of Education, Volunteer Committee/Commission Leadership and BRL
Timeline: December 2021
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
Establish or strengthen partnerships with leaders, organizations, and institutions who have historically defended and supported anti-racism actions while sharing values core to the mission of SGIM at the national, regional, and local levels.
Resources: SGIM needs to have the focus and ability to fully collaborate with these groups before starting partnerships AND sharing with the overall membership. We can begin to explore potential partnerships by participating in the ACP’s recently launched DEI initiative, which includes AAIM, SHM, CSS, and several other organizations.
Responsible: CEO, Deputy CEO, Council appointed DEI representative on ACP’s group.
Timeline: Begin participation in ACP’s DEI initiative now. Reassess in June 2022 once we have successfully begun implementing and tracking the progress of DEI efforts.
