CFA Institute Wins Prestigious Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award

CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals, announces that it won a coveted Brandon Hall Group Gold award for excellence in the Best Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategy category.

By forging a new people-centric and data-driven D&I strategy called “The ABCs of Inclusion,” CFA Institute, in partnership with Blue Ocean Brain, engaged its global workforce on a journey of awareness, building skills, and making changes to mission-critical inclusion and diversity practices -- one that has yielded strong benefits both internally and externally to its constituents.

The resulting execution framework for the new strategy was the The ABCs of Inclusion, a program that encouraged and empowered every individual within CFA Institute to become aware, build skills, and implement change. The ABCs of Inclusion framework anchored an operational strategy that:

1. Drove consideration of policy and practice changes to help identify and remediate areas and processes that could allow for biased decision-making.
2. Guided internal advocacy in employee relations matters.
3. Provided ongoing educational offerings to help all employees create awareness, build skills, and feel confident in their ability to create change.

“The ABCs of Inclusion offer a healthy balance of challenge and support that results in behavior changes that improve the workplace and personal lives of our employees,” said Kelli Palmer, Ph.D., Head, Global Inclusion & Diversity and Corporate Citizenship at CFA Institute. “The Blue Ocean Brain platform is a key element of the learning component of the strategy, offering just in time microlearning to meet ongoing and evolving needs. This partnership is producing results, and we are appreciative of the recognition from Brandon Hall Group.”

“Best-practice companies understand that diversity, equity and inclusion is a journey that requires continuous learning moments to drive real change,” said Claire Herring, CEO, Blue Ocean Brain. “CFA Institute is challenging the investment management industry to think deeply about the impact biases have on work culture and employee performance. They are shining a bright light on important matters in pursuit of creating open, fair, and inclusive work cultures. Blue Ocean Brain is honored to partner with them in this journey and to have this partnership recognized with such a prestigious award.”

“Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards in 2021 provide much-needed and well-deserved recognition to organizations that went above and beyond to support their stakeholders during the unprecedented disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Brandon Hall Group COO and leader of the HCM Excellence Awards Program, Rachel Cooke. “The awards provide validation of best practices in all areas of HCM at a time when they have never been more important to employers, employees and customers.”

Entries were evaluated by a panel of veteran, independent senior industry experts, Brandon Hall Group analysts and executives based upon these criteria: fit the need, design of the program, functionality, innovation, and overall measurable benefits. The full list of award winners can be found at https://www.brandonhall.com/excellenceawards/excellence-diversityinclusion.php?year=2021

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