Diversity, equity & inclusion policy

A practical DEI policy that goes beyond aspirations: hiring practices, accommodations, employee resource groups, and accountability mechanisms.

Live documentReviewed for United States (general)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy

Effective

1. Commitment

We build on the premise that diverse teams produce better work. This policy translates that premise into specific commitments — what we do, what we measure, and where you can raise a concern.

2. Protected grounds

The Company prohibits discrimination, harassment, and adverse treatment based on any characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, including but not limited to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

3. Hiring & advancement

Job descriptions list only requirements that genuinely matter for the role. Interview panels are diverse where the candidate pool allows it. Compensation decisions are reviewed for unexplained gaps across protected groups annually. Promotions follow documented criteria and are reviewed with the same lens.

4. Accommodations

If you need an accommodation related to a disability, religious practice, family status, or any other protected ground — to apply, to do your job, or to stay employed during a temporary change in circumstances — request it in writing or verbally. The Company will engage in a good-faith interactive process to find an accommodation that works, up to the point of undue hardship. Diagnoses are not required; functional information is.

5. Harassment & reporting

This policy is enforced together with the Company's Workplace Harassment, Violence & Discrimination Policy. Reports may be made to . Reports made in good faith — including by witnesses — are protected from retaliation.

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6. Employee resource groups

The Company supports the formation of employee resource groups (ERGs) for any underrepresented or affinity community that wants one. ERGs receive Company time during work hours, a small budget, and an executive sponsor. Membership is voluntary and confidential where the member chooses.

7. Measurement & accountability

We track representation, hiring funnel, attrition, compensation, and promotion rates by self-identified demographics. Self-identification is voluntary; aggregated results are shared internally; individual data stays confidential. The Company publishes a summary of progress and gaps at least annually.

8. Training

All employees complete anti-discrimination and inclusive-hiring training within 60 days of starting and annually thereafter. Managers complete additional training on bias in performance review, accommodation processes, and inclusive communication.

9. Review

This policy is reviewed at least annually. Material changes are communicated to the team in writing and require re-acknowledgement.

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Approved by

Name

Date

Made with WalnutsHR Paper · Reviewed for United States (general) · April 2026

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No compliance hints for this jurisdiction yet — your document looks good for the basics. Have a lawyer review before sending anything consequential.

About this template

A DEI policy is most useful when it commits to specific behaviours rather than aspirations. This template focuses on the concrete things — hiring practices, accommodations, ERGs, measurement — that distinguish a policy you can defend in court from a poster on the wall.

When to use it

Publishing or updating your handbook with a DEI section.
Standing up an ERG program or accommodation process for the first time.
Preparing for a regulatory audit, employee complaint, or investor diligence.

What to include

Specific protected grounds drawn from applicable human-rights legislation.
Hiring and advancement practices, not just statements.
An accommodation process — with the duty to engage.
A reporting channel and an anti-retaliation clause.
Measurement and accountability, ideally with public reporting.
Mandatory training cadence for everyone, with extra for managers.

Frequently asked questions

What about voluntary self-identification questions in surveys?

Voluntary, confidential, aggregated reporting is standard practice and supported by Statistics Canada and EEOC frameworks. Make participation truly voluntary, separate the demographic data from individual-identifying data in storage, and only share aggregated results when sample sizes are large enough not to re-identify.

Can we set hiring targets for underrepresented groups?

Aspirational goals are common and generally permitted. Hard quotas, race-based or gender-based selection criteria for individual hiring decisions, and "diverse-only" candidate slates raise legal risk in both Canada and the US — especially after recent US Supreme Court decisions. Talk to counsel before formalizing anything stronger than aspirational.

Do ERGs get paid time?

Best practice is yes — limited paid time during work hours is standard. Some companies cap it (e.g., 2 hours/month per ERG member). Document the cap in the policy or in the ERG charter to avoid uneven enforcement.

Legal disclaimer. DEI policies sit at the intersection of human-rights law, employment law, and (in the US) recent litigation around racial / gender preference programs. The accommodation and anti-discrimination obligations in this template flow from underlying statute and are non-negotiable; the ERG and measurement components are voluntary additions and have to be designed without crossing into protected-class preference. Have an employment lawyer review the specifics before publishing.

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