ALEXANDRIA, Va.–Sharing his own personal story of initially hiding who he really is, NCUA Board Member Todd Harper told credit unions gathered here that diversity and inclusion lead to better decision-making by credit unions.
Speaking to the agency’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit, Harper also called on credit unions to take five steps to improve performance and prepare for the future.
“By shining a light on diversity, equity and inclusion, we can create better workplaces, a more responsive government, and a credit union system that works for everyone,” Harper said. “We can, as our founders envisioned, create ‘a more perfect union.’”
Coming Out
Harper discussed his personal experience of not feeling accepted at the beginning of his career.
“I hid who I was,” Harper told the meeting. “After all, people lost their jobs simply for being gay. Fortunately, over time, I became more comfortable in my own skin. In doing so, I came out on my own terms and made friends who accepted me for who I am.”
Harper said his own experience illustrates the importance of employee resource groups, which he said can be a valuable resource for employees and employers because they help foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with an organization’s objectives.
NCUA currently has seven such employee resource groups, which he said is making it a stronger agency and a better place to work.
Five Steps to Take
Harper outlined five steps he said people in the credit union system can take to make an investment in greater diversity, equity and inclusion:
- Complete the NCUA’s annual Voluntary Credit Union Diversity Self-Assessment, which helps credit unions evaluate their diversity policies and practices
- Encourage others in the industry to take the assessment
- Practice inclusion every day, beginning with talking with coworkers about their priorities
- Create employee resource groups or individually mentor a woman, a person of color, or someone in need of a mentor
- If the credit union is large enough, create a supplier diversity program
“If you don’t deliberately include, you will unintentionally exclude,” Harper said. “Diversity, equity and inclusion are everyone’s responsibility. By taking these five steps, you and your credit union can become diversity champions.”