The "D" Word

In the 2010 Board Source Nonprofit Governance Index, a survey of 978 CEO's and 780 board members, performance regarding diversity ranked at the bottom of the report card, sadly, just above fundraising.  It seems that most concern for diversity is understood in terms of ethnicity.  Eighty four percent of the board members in the survey are white, 74% think that's okay, and about 20% have plans to explicitly address diversity.  At the same time, board members highest priority is representing constituents.

Discussion of ethnic diversity is usually fraught with social, political, and emotional implications.  As such, it is a sensitive and challenging issue when it comes to nonprofit governance.  

Should we try to address discrimination through ethnically diverse governance?  Is it the responsibility of boards to make ethnic diversity a distinguishing characteristic of governance?  Many foundations appear to believe that it is when they ask nonprofits to report board ethnicity in their funding applications.  This focus solely on the numbers distracts boards from deeper consideration of their responsibilities.  When concern for diversity trumps concern for character and competence, the result is just tokenism.  

In the Board Source survey, I think boards have it right when they put representing constituents at the top of the list.  So, how should they deal with diversity?  

One practical way is to use a lens already in place for most:  representing constituents.  When a board has true concern for its constituents it pays attention to the cultural diversity--ethnicity, gender, politics, religion, socio-economic status, sexual preference--and seeks representation and advice from these various points of view in governance, staffing, programs, and mission delivery.    

The deeper questions that boards need to answer are:  What role does diversity play in our organization so that we best serve our community and lead with integrity?  Do we seek out diverse points of view?  Are we missing important points of view in our decision making due to lack of diversity?  Do we promote and support diversity throughout our organization in all of our actions and policies?  Is there equality in recruiting?  Is their equity in compensation?  Do we welcome outside critique of both governance and operations in regard to diversity?  

As generations age, as traditionalists and baby boomers relinquish leadership to Gen Xers and Millennials, I believe cultural integration and diversity will become more prevalent and natural.  I am not saying this to excuse us today from the responsibility of striving for equality.  What I am saying is that we must not make our focus too narrow and try to fix inequality and discrimination simply through the composition of governing boards. We must know why diversity is important, what type of board diversity is appropriate; and then focus attention on equality throughout the entire organization.