Saint Leonard’s empowers formerly incarcerated men and women to lead whole and productive lives.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Policy

Adopted 7/28/23

Purpose

Saint Leonard’s Ministries is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB). This is integrated throughout all aspects of the organization in intentional, impactful, and measurable ways. Saint Leonard’s must advocate internally and externally for DEIB and against oppression.

Our Commitment

Saint Leonard’s Ministries DEIB applies to all our employees and collaborators but is not limited to them: we apply the same values and respect when engaging with our community members, partners, and stakeholders. As such this policy works in alignment with our DEIB Action Plan. At Saint Leonard’s Ministries, we believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce is vital to the future of sustainable growth.

We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in all aspects, including but not limited to, race, color, national origin, cultural background, age, gender, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, languages, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, religion, sexual orientation, parental status, marital status, educational levels, socio-economic status, military or veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique.

We are committed to making sure that potential, future and current Saint Leonard’s Ministries employees and community members are guaranteed equal opportunities and fair treatment regardless of their background. Everyone must feel safe, valued, respected, and have a sense of belonging, and know that their voice will be heard.

Definition of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)

At Saint Leonard’s Ministries we recognize that DEIB is the cultural foundation that enables everyone to embrace and unleash their full potential without fear of criticism.

• Diversity is a fact – We recognize that every one of us brings their unique self and skills to our space which is why we want our workplace to be societally representative. We believe that true diversity captures people’s different identities, backgrounds, and lived experiences.
• Equity is a process – We want to be a part of the solution and break down barriers that may have prevented some people from receiving fair treatment and equal opportunities in the past. Equity is about fairness and justice, and it is discernible by acknowledging that not all people are the same due to historical or systemic bias.
• Inclusion is a behavior – We want everyone to create and maintain an environment where all are included, and that they feel understood, respected and heard.
• Belonging is a freedom to be your true self – We want everyone to feel like they belong to the Saint Leonard’s Ministries community, and they are valued for who they are.

Principles of Behavior:

The following principles are intended to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging as a matter of fairness, dignity and respect within the Saint Leonard’s community: At Saint Leonard’s Ministries we promise to:

1. Lead with respect and tolerance to encourage all employees and demonstrate a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
2. Commit to encouraging people to develop their unique talents to uplift their individual potential and to open the door to everyone to have a tangible impact in our organization.
3. Ensure that all programs, recruitment processes, polices and services do promote fairness and equal treatment for all. This can be achieved by applying principles of equity and social justice to achieve equal opportunities for qualified individuals of all backgrounds.
4. Incorporate DEIB principles into the design and execution of all programs and services, including helping community members to understand the importance of DEIB in their lives and relationships.
5. Commit to strengthen education around equity to prevent unconscious bias and other forms of silent discrimination.
6. Commit to use of language that is people-centered and inclusive.
7. Encourage employees to value and respect cultures and experiences that are different from their own.
8. Provide an environment safe from harassment and discrimination for all employees to voice their opinion and to report misconduct.
9. Invest in initiatives aimed at creating a workplace culture that prioritizes employee well-being, dignity, respect, collaboration and trust.
10. To be strategic and intentional in formalizing and pursuing meaningful diversity goals and measures as central aspects of governance, training, operations, and strategies.
11. Regularly review of all employment and program policies, practices and procedures so that fairness is always upheld. KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and potential targets are identified, monitored, and reported on a regular basis according to the DEIB Action Plan.
12. To advance operational effectiveness by encouraging voluntary diversity practices that have shown potential to enhance performance – including:
    • Diversity plans to help the organization design specific and concrete steps to expand representation and engagement from diverse communities.
    • Building peer networks to help individuals and organizations to achieve diversity.
    • Periodic assessment and tracking progress, communicating accomplishments and sharing lessons learned to enhance transparency and accountability.
    • Publicly promoting the benefits of diversity and identifying new strategies that lead to greater effectiveness.

Questions about the Policy:

Questions regarding this policy should be submitted to the Human Resource Department.