In April 2018, approximately 50 Lab employees across Berkeley Lab came together as a working group for a two-day Action Planning session. The purpose of the meeting was to gather employee input at the grassroots level on what Berkeley Lab should include as part of its Labwide diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy.
The session resulted in the creation of six ad hoc Task Forces that focused on various aspects of DEI. From April 2018 – September 2019 the groups reviewed the current state of Berkeley Lab’s activities, programs, and practices, and provided their recommendations to the DEI Senior Leadership Council (SLC) for consideration.
In September 2019 we held a Task Force Culmination Event so each group could share their process and accomplishments with the SLC.
Community-Builders
Lead: Tom Gallant (Nuclear Science)
Senior Leadership Council Sponsor: Bill Collins, Inder Monga
- Hosted a Resource Fair in 2018 to increase the Laboratory-wide visibility of all Employee Activity Associations (EAAs), Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and Task Forces.
- Created a consolidated list of EAA and ERG points of contact
- Contributed to IGB Staff Welcome efforts
- Came to a consensus on the need for a Staff Association.
DEI Messaging Mavens – Strategic Communications
Lead: Jackie Scoggins (IT)
Senior Leadership Council Sponsor: David Brown, Margaret Dick, John German
- Assisted with testing and implementation process of communication survey review, Elements, IDEA video and campaign launch, outreach communication across the Lab
- Worked with Employee Resource Groups (ERG) and divisions to assist with expanding DEI efforts at the division level
- Volunteered for DEI events and outreach
- Connected Strategic Communications with the ERGs
DEI Policy, Implementation, and Execution (PIE) – Policy
Lead: Stacy Curry (Engineering)
Logistics Coordinator: Andrea Taylor
Senior Leadership Council Sponsor: Mary Maxon, Mary Sidney
- Identified recruitment and promotion policies as the most critical areas to review
- Evaluated draft recruitment guidelines developed by HR: Assessed process variations across the Lab and UC and suggested “Required” and “Optional” parts of process
- To provide transparency, drafted an overview graphic describing LBNL‘s Promotion Process
L4DEI – Learning and Development
Lead: Massie Ballon (JGI)
Senior Leadership Council Sponsor: Horst Simon, Theresa Triplett
- Reviewed UC DEI certificate programs
- Curated existing DEI materials to identify core topics
- Drafted IDEA Change Agent Program
Project Sunshine – Data Analytics
Lead: Christopher Payne (ETA)
Senior Leadership Council Sponsor: Michael Brandt, Michelle Lee, Mary Ann Piette
- Group efforts were oriented toward understanding potential compensation equity issues with LBNL staff
- Discussed ways to use Lab’s EO/AA plans to identify longitudinal trends
Workforce Inclusion and Recruitment for Equity and Diversity (WIRED) Outreach – Diversity Outreach
Lead: Tammy Campbell (IT)
Senior Leadership Council Sponsor: Don Medley, Blake Simmons, Henrik von der Lippe
- In 2019 Lab hired Talent Outreach Coordinator
- Purchased talent outreach capture tool, iCapture Powerscan
- Purchased candidate relationship management tool, Monday.com, for immediate conference follow up and outreach workflow
