Drive for Diversity: TRSA Resources for Members

In June, amid rising social unrest, TRSA President and CEO Joseph Ricci launched an internal task group to develop resources to help staff and members navigate issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion. A Vision and Mission Statement appears below along with a quick review of online resources (click here for details), including:

• A definition of Diversity and Inclusion
• An overview of employer responsibilities under various equal-opportunity laws
• Information on “Identity Groups,” based on age, race, etc., that have legal protection from discrimination

VISION

To operate an association that:

• Is as free as humanly possible of prejudice based on various personal characteristics including, but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex/gender, national origin, age and sexual orientation
• Actively promotes opportunities for all without regard to the above/referenced characteristics
• Assists its staff and membership through accessible training and education to help eliminate all biases based on personal characteristics and perceptions
• Employs a diverse team that is reflective of our community, environment and the organization’s values
• Promote and recognize based on merit and performance

MISSION

To make this vision a reality, TRSA is committed to taking action in the following areas to help our organization, our industry and society at large address the problem of prejudicial attitudes among ourselves and others that place barriers to the hiring, advancement, and overall success of people due to social perceptions, rather than merit and performance including:

• Becoming aware of unconscious bias and internalized prejudice based on social characteristics and create a safe, trusted environment to discuss and hold each accountable for the change to root out any traces of unconscious bias
• Raising self-awareness of one’s own background and self-identifying how perceptions and attitudes toward others formed over time, and working to accept and understand people who have had different experiences based on their race, color, religion, sex/gender, national origin, age and sexual orientation
• Strengthening TRSA through DEI by promoting and accepting different experiences and knowledge which can help the organization and its employees to operate as successfully and collaboratively as possible
• Ultimately, as a global organization, we seek to develop a sustainable association that reflects all the constituents we serve by:
• • Seeking to recognize, recruit, retain and promote diverse talent
  • Seeking to provide diverse members of our organization with paths for advancement and success
  • Working to ensure that TRSA, in all programs involving staff and/or members, provides a welcoming, safe and collaborative environment for people of all backgrounds to help them reach their maximum potential
  • Working to foster an organization that respects and values all its employees and members of the industry by recognizing and understanding the variety of experiences

To learn more, click here.