ThemePeople & Culture
CardCard 26 of 66
Questions5 to explore

Inclusion & diversity

Making sure everyone acts fair & non-discriminatory

Inclusion and diversity policies mean little if people cannot find them, understand them, or see them reflected in how the organization actually operates.

Documenting this area starts with what actually exists: written policies, hiring practices, any active programs or commitments, and the person or team responsible for driving progress. That foundation makes it possible to hold the organization accountable to its own stated intentions.

Beyond the formal side, there is the question of lived experience. Are people from different backgrounds genuinely included in decisions? Does the environment feel welcoming to people who are not like the founding team? Those questions are harder to capture but worth attempting honestly.

This is an area where many organizations have aspirations that outrun their practices. The most useful documentation is specific and current, naming what is in place, what is not yet in place, and what is actively being worked on.

What to capture

For this part of the company brain, what is worth writing down and keeping current. The goal is not a complete archive but a living record that new people can read and returning people can trust.

Hiring & promotion practices

Whether there are documented practices for reducing bias in hiring and promotion decisions, because this is where the biggest structural differences tend to show up.

Policies & commitments

The specific policies the organization has adopted and the commitments it has made, so that new people and external parties can see what the organization has actually decided, not just what it aspires to.

Current representation

An honest snapshot of who is in the organization across roles and levels, because without a baseline it is impossible to track whether things are changing.

Reporting & grievance process

What someone does when they experience discrimination or feel excluded, and who handles it, since the absence of a clear process is itself a message.

Questions to explore

Use these on your own or in a group. There are no right answers, only better conversations.

What concrete practices does the organization have to reduce bias in hiring and promotion?
How diverse is the organization across different roles and levels, and is that picture improving?
What does someone do here if they experience discrimination or feel excluded?
Who is responsible for driving inclusion and diversity, and what authority do they have?
Where is the gap biggest between the organization's stated commitment to inclusion and its current reality?

Things to notice

Aspirational statements without accompanying practices are not useful to document; focus on what actually exists and is being done.
Representation data can be sensitive depending on jurisdiction; check legal requirements before collecting or storing demographic information.
Avoid framing this as a completed project; the most credible documentation acknowledges what is still being worked on.