At True North EDI, we are committed to advancing social justice within organizations. We believe that equity, diversity, and interdependence (EDI) are essential values that should be at the heart of this work. There is a rich and constantly evolving language used in this field with different terms being used to express values, such as inclusion, belonging, and access.

Underneath this umbrella language exists more focused work that addresses intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and other identities. We are proud to be part of a community of peers and clients who are committed to examining and reimagining the narratives we’ve inherited about who belongs, who has value, and what rights—explicitly or implicitly—belong to whom.
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At True North EDI, our work is particularly centered on issues of race. As a black-owned company, this aligns with our history and values, and we are unapologetic about it.

Organizational Identity: Mission, Vision, and Values Work

Our Organizational identity work is designed to support clients in creating internal and external facing language that aligns with the values surfaced as part of their larger EDI work. Oftentimes, organizations go through an equity process only to find that the language they have used to share who they are and what they do no longer aligns with where they are and what they now know. Whether your organization is reimagining its mission, vision, or values statement, or you are creating a statement of purpose or action around a commitment to equity, antiracism or other social justice value, our facilitated process ensures in which the voice and contribution of the collective are included in the process.:

• Align your DEI goals to mission and vision 
• Recenter your mission and vision to create equitable impact 
• Create a values statement that guides your internal and external principles 
• Create a Racial Equity Statement of Purpose

Discovery: ​Assessment and Evaluation

• Surveys gather information about an organization's culture and alignment with EDI values as part of the discovery phase. They provide a broad overview of an organization's diversity and can identify patterns and trends. They can also be anonymous to encourage more honest feedback.
• Focus groups are a method of gathering information where a small group of people within an organization share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a facilitated setting. The composition of the groups may vary based on the goals of the work, such as differentiating by racial affinity in racial equity work. They allow for more in-depth exploration and discussion, and can create a sense of community and support among participants, encouraging them to share more openly and honestly. They can also be tailored to the specific needs and goals of the organization.
• Interviews are a method of assessing information where an organization conducts in-depth, personalized conversations with individuals. They may be preferred over focus groups or surveys because they allow for more nuance and individualized feedback. They may also be more feasible for small organizations or for gathering sensitive information that is not appropriate for a group setting. The decision on which method to use will depend on the organization's specific goals, resources and time available.

Facilitation: Learning, Development, Support

True North EDI facilitators are skilled, engaging, and passionate individuals who deeply understand the importance of creating group spaces that center experience, learning, and critical thinking. 
Because every space is unique, our facilitators come prepared to be responsive to the nuances of different groups and professional communities, while still centering the values—our own true north—that guide our work. Our offerings include:

• Topical and thematic workshops covering a number of EDI-related concepts tailored to each organization (frequently requested topics include 'Showing up to the Conversation, Exploring Microagressions and workshops tailored for Board Members as well as Managers)
• Facilitation of identity-based affinity spaces (I.e. racial, gender, LGBTQIA+ and others)
• Support in the development and facilitation of DEI Committees

If you are just beginning your journey in advancing equity, diversity, and interdependence (EDI) within your organization, we recommend our very popular three-session foundational learning arc (6-9 hours total). This program is designed to help organizations that are in the early stages of their EDI journey by providing the language, context, and skills necessary for authentic and lasting change.

Leadership and Executive Coaching

Coaching relationships offer individuals a chance to practice, be clumsy, and receive feedback and advice for all that can emerge through an EDI process. Much of what we ask leaders to grapple with and practice can run counter to historical leadership approaches and frameworks that don’t value people for more than what they can produce, and employ tactics that reproduce historically oppressive patterns and outcomes. Coaching is an opportunity to make visible our inheritances around leadership and to identify in explicit terms who and how we want to be as leaders.  One on one or small group coaching provided to:

• EDI "champions," or individuals who have taken a lead role in EDI work within their organization
• Managers and directors seeking to align their practices with EDI values
• Executives seeking guidance and practical skills during or outside of an EDI process ​

DEI Roadmap: Aspirations to Actions
Strategic, team-based objectives and key results 
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True North EDI’s Aspirations and Actions Process facilitates organizations in turning learning and reflection into actualized commitments for change. Unlike similar processes, ours galvanizes smaller teams and departments throughout the organization rather than solely centering the perspectives and voices of leadership. This process:

• Creates a pathway for individuals across and throughout the organization to participate in the process of EDI action planning 
• Utilizes a framework that ensures that aspirations for the future are rooted in history—that is, the past norms, practices, and policies that have reproduced oppressive and inequitable conditions and outcomes 
• Results in a dynamic, ambitious, and inspiring plan for the future

 

People and Talent

Attraction. Recruitment. Onboarding. Development. Engagement. Separation. Every point in what is often known as employee lifecycle is a vital opportunity to embody the EDI values that organizations have declared for themselves. True North EDI supports those in the realm of Human Resources, People, Talent, and Culture who are looking to reimagine an employee journey that honors the experience and identity of each individual, and that ensures organizational practices and policies are designed to truly support the existence of an equitable, diverse and inclusive environment. 

• Values-centered expansion of philosophy and approach to employee engagement and other Human Resources processes 
• Identify aspects of traditional processes where implicit—and sometimes explicit—bias may be operating and causing harm
• Conduct Audit and Insight processes to better understand how the practices, identity, and culture of organization are reproducing oppressive or inequitable outcomes.

Please email info@truenorthedi.com for more information.     ​