Nonprofit boards are the decision-making body at the highest level of organizational leadership, and play a critical role in prioritizing, supporting, and investing in nonprofit board diversity, inclusion, and equity.
As stewards of the public good, all social sector organizations, regardless of mission, are called on to embrace and celebrate our common humanity, and the inherent worth of all people. In doing so, we must also acknowledge that a climate of growing intolerance and inequity is a challenge to our democratic values and ideals. Divisions along economic, racial, religious, and political lines have created an increasingly polarized society in need of healing. The complex issues and dynamics at the intersection of race, class, and gender call for deeper thinking as we seek to understand each other.
Boards represent and govern our organizations on behalf of communities. Who is on the board can drastically change how the board operates and what role it plays.
Leading with Intent shows that “almost half of executives report that they do not have the right board members to “establish trust with the communities they serve.” Only a third of boards (32%) place a high priority on “knowledge of the community served,” and even fewer (28 percent) place a high priority on “membership within the community served.”
Whether in the hiring of the executive, the building of the board, the determination of strategy, the allocation of resources, or the goal of serving the community with authenticity, the board’s leadership on diversity, inclusion, and equity is paramount. BoardX believes that social sector organizations are better able to do this work effectively and with authenticity when they are led by boards that are:
BoardX invites and challenges you to reflect on your organization, consider its journey, identify areas of improvement, and take action to make improving diversity, inclusion and equity a top priority.
BoardX has made a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, for ourselves and for the social sector. BoardX firmly believes in the importance of each, understanding the significant harm that can result from their absence. The stakes are especially high when a board lacks the understanding to comprehend the impact of its decisions on its organization, mission, and community.