DEI Toolkit

The What and Why of DEI

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are three interconnected principles that guide efforts to create a fair, representative, and welcoming environment. Diversity is about the presence of different identities, backgrounds, and perspectives—across race, gender, age, ability, and more. Equity focuses on ensuring fair treatment, access, and opportunities by addressing systemic barriers. Inclusion ensures that all individuals feel respected, valued, and able to fully participate. The why of DEI lies in its ability to foster innovation, improve decision-making, and build stronger, more adaptable organizations and communities. Beyond business benefits, DEI addresses historical and systemic inequalities, promotes fairness, and cultivates environments where everyone can thrive.

• Defining Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

• Getting Serious About Diversity: Enough Already with the Business Case
  As organizations update their policies on diversity and inclusion, this article focuses on four actions that leaders can take to change the power structure of a conversation and allow for more effective decision making.
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• Calendar of Observances – Acknowledge Holidays of All Cultures
  Be aware of the significant ethnic and religious holidays and observational days to help honor your diverse community.
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• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Glossary
  For those just starting or needing a refresher on terms in the diversity, equity and inclusion space, this glossary will provide you with essential definitions.
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• 15 Best Diversity and Inclusion Books for 2023
  Are you searching for the right source to inform you about the diversity, equity and inclusion space? Here is a list of books crafted to teach professionals on how to navigate race, gender, age, physical ability, religion, and sexual orientation in the workplace.
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• Authentic Conversations
  Dive into the stories of our membership as they discuss the overall actuarial profession, as well as topics pertaining to race, gender, sexuality and more.

• Privilege

• How to Build an Inclusive Workplace
  Psychologist John Amaechi explores the real work behind building truly inclusive workplaces, highlighting how individual behavior and organizational culture must change together. Amaechi emphasizes that lasting inclusion is defined not by the best behavior tolerated—but by the worst behavior you refuse to accept.

• How to Be a Better Ally

• A Guide to Becoming a Better Ally
  Explore how individuals—especially those without positional power—can become effective allies in the workplace by first recognizing their own privilege and understanding systemic inequities.
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• How to Become a Better Ally: Three Priorities for Leaders
  Dive into a focused three-part framework for leaders to become more effective allies by addressing bias incidents, advancing marginalized employees, and scaling allyship across the organization.
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• How to Be an Ally
  Learn about five practical steps for becoming an ally: self-identifying as an ally, avoiding assumptions, engaging in active listening, building empathy, and advocating through inclusive language and actions.
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• From AI Ethics to Inclusive Leadership: How Professional Development Gives Businesses an Edge
  Discover more about flexible professional development programs that empower business leaders to implement governance, reduce bias, and align technology use with organizational values — giving companies a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving world.
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• Allyship – The Key to Unlocking the Power of Diversity
  Be a supporter for a marginalized group and show your advocacy for those who deserve a voice. Discover more on the definition of ally and how to be consistent in every environment.

• Barriers to Entry/Success

• Ten Barriers to Effective Diversity Policy
  Identify ten common barriers that undermine diversity initiatives, including misalignment in how leaders and affected groups perceive value, oversimplified or one-size-fits-all policies, and lack of data to track progress.
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• To Overcome Resistance to DEI, Understand What’s Driving It
  Employees often resist DEI initiatives because they perceive one of three threats: status threat (fear of losing social standing), merit threat (concern over fair evaluation), or moral threat (belief that DEI conflicts with their moral values). These perceived threats typically trigger defensive responses—such as defending, denying, or distancing—but can be mitigated by understanding their roots and adopting tailored strategies that address each group's
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• 19 DEI Obstacles Leaders Have Overcome
  Discover 19 specific challenges DEI leaders have overcome, such as budget cuts, resistance from leadership, and evolving the mindset around diversity to view it as a strategic imperative rather than just a checkbox.
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• How to Overcome Barriers to Inclusion and Diversity
  Explore key obstacles to achieving diversity and inclusion in organizations, including unconscious bias, leadership skill gaps, and superficial approaches to diversity.

Innovate With Inclusion (Breaking Barriers)

Inclusion drives innovation. Innovation breaks barriers. By embracing diverse perspectives, experiences, and talents, we unlock new pathways for creativity and problem-solving. This section provides strategies for fostering an inclusive culture where everyone has the opportunity to contribute, collaborate, and thrive.

• Best Practices

• Diversity and Inclusion: 7 Best Practices for Changing Your Culture
  Examine strategies for fostering inclusive workplaces, including setting measurable diversity goals, addressing inclusion challenges before recruitment, and providing platforms for employees to share their stories.
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• DEI Best Practices Resource Guide
  Review a comprehensive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Best Practices Resource Guide to learn how to support organizations in fostering an inclusive environment.
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• Top 10 DEI and Talent Practices for 2024
  Dive into a concise, actionable roadmap highlighting the top five high-impact diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and talent practices of 2023, which include strategies such as strategic talent management, global inclusion efforts, and fostering inclusive leadership to promote workplace inclusion during turbulent times.
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• How to Start an Employee Resource Group at Your Company
  Learn more about how ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) are voluntary, identity-based communities where employees connect, share experiences, and advocate for inclusive change within an organization.

• Everyday Acts of Inclusion

• Promoting Diversity and Inclusion Through Conversation
  Learn to create a conversation that artfully revolves around diversity and inclusion. Through this blog, you’ll find conversation starters for these topics that can encourage interesting and important dialogue.
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• Adopting Inclusive Language
  Make use of language that can empathize and show awareness of your diverse climate. In “Adopting Inclusive Language” from The Actuary, explore the intricacies and languages of different cultures around the world.
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• The Power of Small Acts of Inclusion
  Discover that genuine inclusion isn’t about feel‑good gestures or events, but about ensuring all team members are genuinely heard and able to contribute to meaningful work.
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• 7 Small Ways to Be a More Inclusive Colleague
  Explore how small, everyday behaviors—like highlighting others’ contributions, adopting gender‑inclusive language, and being genuinely curious about colleagues—can significantly foster belonging without requiring formal DEI programs.
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• 10 Examples of Inclusive Behaviors in the Workplace
  Dive into practical ways organizations can foster inclusion—such as addressing unconscious bias through bias-filtered decision-making and inclusive recruitment practices—and emphasizes the financial and cultural benefits of these actions.

Attract and Hire Diverse Candidates

Attracting and hiring diverse candidates is essential for building innovative, resilient, and inclusive organizations. A diverse workforce brings a wide range of perspectives, experiences, and problem-solving approaches, which can lead to better decision-making and a deeper understanding of diverse customer needs. To successfully hire diverse talent, organizations must go beyond traditional recruitment channels and implement equitable practices—such as using inclusive job descriptions, partnering with diverse professional networks, and reducing unconscious bias in screening and interviewing.

• Recruitment of Candidates for Employers

• Recruiting Best Practices to Help You Win Talent
  Learn how to emphasize your employer brand through targeted social media efforts and recruitment videos, as well as reducing friction in the application process by simplifying forms and ensuring timely communication with candidates.
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• 5 Strategies to Hire More Diverse Talent
  Consider common excuses for failing to recruit diverse talent, arguments about outdated hiring practices and how the lack of accountability are the real barriers.
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• How to Attract Diverse Candidates with Better Job Postings
  Discover how organizations are advised to (1) conduct a diversity and inclusion audit of their job descriptions to ensure inclusive language and criteria, (2) explicitly communicate commitment to DEI by highlighting inclusive culture and equal opportunity in postings, and (3) simplify requirements—focusing on essential skills, avoiding unnecessary qualifications, and encouraging candidates to apply even if they don’t meet every listed criterion.
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• The Importance of Network Diversity
  As you expand your network both personally and professionally, what type of diversity do you see within those groups? Are you receiving enough differentiating opinions from those of different backgrounds and cultures? This article discusses how diversifying your network allows for fresh ideas and a better understanding of the world around you.
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• Tips for Writing a Diversity Statement
  Make an impact with your diversity statement and show your overall contributions and successes to the advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion for the future. This article highlights what a diversity statement is and will assist you in constructing an impactful one.
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• ADA: Accessible Career Sites
  Browse through guidance for HR professionals to ensure their job application platforms comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It provides resources such as checklists, how-to guides, and toolkits to help organizations create inclusive, accessible online hiring processes.

• Generational Differences

• Real Talk: Generation and DE&I
  Review this discussion on the complexities of integrating five generations in the workplace, each with distinct perspectives on DEI, highlighting challenges such as differing communication styles and varying levels of exposure to DEI concepts.
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• Generational Diversity: Effects and Insights
  Explore the significant impact of generational diversity on workplace dynamics and how it emphasizes the importance of understanding and leveraging the unique perspectives and experiences of different generations to foster a more inclusive and innovative work environment.

Performance and Progression

Equity-focused practices help ensure fair access to advancement by removing systemic barriers and creating clear paths for underrepresented groups to reach leadership. Tracking DEI metrics, like promotion rates and leadership diversity, holds organizations accountable and drives continuous improvement. Ultimately, embedding DEI into practices boosts performance, fosters equitable career growth, and builds a stronger, more innovative workforce.

• Promotion Within the Profession

• Building an Equitable Work Environment in 2025: 7 Key Examples
  Examine practical strategies for organizations to foster workplace equity, emphasizing the importance of personalized career development, transparent promotion processes, and bias reduction in hiring and performance evaluations.
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• A Guide to DEI Best Practices for Talent Management: How to Foster an Inclusive and Equitable Workplace
  Explore strategies to foster an inclusive and equitable workplace, emphasizing the importance of leadership commitment, inclusive recruitment practices, and employee resource groups (ERGs).
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• Promotion Policies with an Equity Lens
  Take a look at organizations with a framework to assess and improve their promotion processes through an equity-focused approach. It outlines four key principles—focusing on equity versus equality, giving voice to marginalized groups, being data-driven, and assigning adequate resources—and offers 10 practical tips to help organizations create transparent, inclusive, and effective promotion policies that reduce advancement gaps for underrepresented employees.
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• How Can You Ensure Equitable Career Progression on Your Team?
  Learn about strategies for leaders to promote fairness in employee advancement by conducting thorough assessments of current practices, providing regular and meaningful feedback, creating individualized development plans, offering diverse and inclusive opportunities, and celebrating achievements to foster an equitable work environment.
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• Crafting a Growth-Focused Performance Review
  Discover how performance reviews should foster open communication and set clear, actionable goals to support employee development by outlining the importance of aligning individual objectives with organizational goals and providing constructive feedback to enhance performance and engagement.

• Career & Historically Marginalized Experiences in the Profession

• The Complete Guide to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace: How to Create More Inclusive Careers
  Explore a deep dive into the ongoing issues of workplace discrimination and prejudice which create a career mobility barrier for diverse team members. This article explains the beneficial opportunities that an inclusive workforce provides and how your company can take advantage of a diversified talent pool.
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• How Clear Career Paths Strengthen Retention – and Diversity
  Transparency and a clearly defined career ladder to climb are great for employee retention, especially for an inclusive work environment. Check out this article that discusses the retainment of good employees from a diversified talent pool.
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• Recommendations for Employers in North America to Increase the Number of Successful Black Actuaries
  Peruse this guide that is made to help remind companies of the ways in which they can do their part to influence change in the Actuarial industry, as well as the professional workplace culture.
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• Diversifying the Actuarial Profession
  Read this interview with David Guede, ASA, FCA, a health actuary at Deloitte Consulting LLP and leader of the Chicago affiliate chapter of the International Association of Black Actuaries (IABA) where he discusses the importance of early awareness and mentorship in diversifying the actuarial profession.

• Navigation of the Actuarial Career (New to Senior-Level Profession)

• The Six Signature Traits of Inclusive Leadership
  Review a framework for leaders to effectively navigate and leverage workplace diversity. The six traits—Commitment, Courage, Cognizance of Bias, Curiosity, Cultural Intelligence, and Collaboration—serve as essential capabilities for leaders to foster an inclusive environment that enhances team performance and innovation.
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• Inviting Inclusivity
  Learn about the initial steps leaders can take to cultivate a culture of belonging within their organizations, especially the importance of intentional actions, such as forming inclusive committees and promoting diversity in leadership, to create an environment where all individuals feel valued and included.
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• Supporting a Nontraditional Pathway to the Actuarial Profession
  Read about the journey of Fernando Marín, who transitioned from undocumented immigrant status and various labor-intensive jobs to pursuing a career in actuarial science.
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• Empowering Society, the Actuarial Profession and Each Other
  Read this Q&A with Society of Actuaries (SOA) Board members Karen Burnett and Sherry Chan, discussing their career journeys and the importance of mentorship and diversity in the actuarial profession.

• Mentorship

• Mentoring Can Empower Your Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives
  Mentorship can take on many different forms to create an influential and encouraging space for you. In this article, you will learn the four different types of mentorship and how they can benefit you and the ongoing objective to include diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace.
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• Start a Diversity and Inclusion Mentorship Program: A Guide
  If you’re wondering about the specific benefits of starting a mentorship program, then this article will go into further detail about the successes of these opportunities. Learn more about the different types of mentorship programs, as well as how to build one with diversity, equity and inclusion at the forefront.
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• Five Ways to Use Mentoring to Create an Inclusive Workplace
  Mentorship can help create cultural competency, build equity and drive inclusion in the workplace. Use this article to learn more about the beneficial uses of mentorship and the crucial ways mentoring opportunities can produce a better workplace for all.
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• How a Mentorship Program Can Boost Internal DEI Initiatives
  Work toward the expansion of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives within the internal culture of your workplace utilizing mentorship programs. This article focuses on the essential ways to develop inclusivity for every race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or other attribute.

• Evaluation/Feedback

• Rethinking Feedback Processes: How to Make Performance Reviews Inclusive, Equitable and Effective for All Employees
  Explore the importance of moving beyond traditional, annual performance reviews to foster a more inclusive and equitable workplace through advocation for regular, constructive feedback that is tailored to individual needs, encourages open communication, and actively addresses biases to ensure all employees have equal opportunities for growth and advancement.
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• How to Build an Inclusive Performance Management System
  Learn how performance management bias can undermine DEI efforts and reinforce inequitable outcomes and discriminatory structures.
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• In the Spotlight: Performance Management That Puts People First
  Discover more about traditional performance reviews and how they can perpetuate bias and inequity if they lack structure and rely on subjective assessments.
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• 5 Tips for Managers to Make Annual Reviews More Inclusive
  Review strategies for managers to enhance the inclusivity of performance evaluations. Learn about the importance of reflecting on manager-employee relationships, probing feedback narratives for potential biases, involving multiple reviewers, partnering with employees on growth, and being prepared for courageous conversations about inclusion.
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• Deep Dive: Performance Management to Support Inclusive Cultures
  Determine how integrating disability inclusion into regular performance discussions helps to signal its priority within organizations.
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• Giving Feedback: 5 Elements of a More Inclusive Approach
  Discover strategies for managers to enhance the inclusivity of performance evaluations, including the reflection on manager-employee relationships, how to probe feedback narratives for potential biases, and how to involve multiple reviewers.
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• When Diversity Meets Feedback
  Explore how candid feedback improves performance, cultural, gender, and generational differences and how they can cause messages to be misinterpreted as hostile.
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• Strategies for More Inclusive and Effective Feedback
  Managers often unintentionally perpetuate bias or miss opportunities for growth by not tailoring feedback delivery to individuals’ cultural backgrounds, communication styles, or identities. Learn about how to do a structured, inclusive feedback approach—like maintaining a 5:1 positive-to-constructive ratio, reflecting on personal biases before delivering feedback, and adapting to recipients' preferences—to foster trust, clarity, and fairness in performance conversations.

• Sponsorship Within the Profession

• How a Lack of Sponsorship Keeps Black Women Out of the C-Suite
  Do you want to encourage a diverse, successful community? Discover the importance of inclusive sponsorship, opening future opportunities of leadership and growth. This article focuses on an explanation of true diversity sponsorship and how representation for Black women can be achieved.
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• Transgender, Gender-Fluid, Nonbinary, and Gender –Nonconforming Employees Deserve Better Policies
  Awareness of how workplaces and society sustain cultural shifts in gender identity is crucial for the future of a diverse community. Dive into this article focusing four opportunities companies have for leaders to create policies that constitute diversity and equality as a priority.

Biases

Biases may manifest in hiring practices, performance evaluations, or leadership development opportunities, where unconscious preferences for certain backgrounds, communication styles, or appearances can marginalize underrepresented groups. Recognizing and addressing these internal biases is essential to creating genuinely inclusive and equitable environments.

• Bias Within Hiring/Work in the Profession

• Examples of Workplace Microaggressions and How to Reduce Them
  Explore the effects of microaggressions in the workplace, whether you’re the recipient or you’re observing them. This blog will assist in your understanding of microaggressions, as well as teach you how to address and prevent them.
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• Examples of Workplace Microaggressions and How to Reduce Them
  Be able to define microaggressions as everyday verbal, behavioral, or environmental slights—often unintentional—that demean marginalized groups (such as complimenting a Black coworker’s English proficiency or assuming an older colleague can't use tech).
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• Unconscious Bias 18 Examples and How to Avoid Them in the Workplace
  If you’re unsure of what unconscious bias is or how to identify it in the workplace, this article offers brief examples. In addition to defining this concept, take advantage of the offered tips to reduce unconscious bias and microaggressions.

• How to Uncover Your Own Biases

• Learn to identify and address your own implicit biases and gain an overview on what implicit biases are. Use this as a guide of self-awareness and improvement toward becoming more well-versed in diversity, equity and inclusion.
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• Microaggressions are a Big Deal: How to Talk Them Out and When to Walk Away (Podcast)
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• Dive into an overview about microaggressions with this article and podcast that will run you through the small moments in conversations that feed into bias toward marginalized groups. This offers an opportunity to learn how people cope with and spot them.

Candidate and Employee Resources

Whereas the other sections in this toolkit are focused around employers, the following resources are more specifically geared toward the candidate and employee DEI perspective. These resources support candidates and employees to highlight and embrace DEI in building their actuarial career paths.

• STEM Stars Actuarial Scholars Program
  The "STEM Stars Actuarial Scholars Program" by The Actuarial Foundation and SOA offers talented, math-skilled high school seniors from historically underrepresented backgrounds $20,000 ($5K annually) in renewable scholarships to pursue actuarial studies.
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• Building a Fulfilling Actuarial Career Path
  Learn from Sean Kim, head of M&A Solutions at Munich Re, about how a growth mindset enables actuaries to take on unconventional, high-impact roles aligned with personal purpose.
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• Eight Interview Questions About Diversity and Inclusion Every Job Seeker Should Be Able to Answer
  Preparing for and completing an interview process can be stressful. This article focuses on potential diversity, equity and inclusion questions that may be asked during an interview. You can also find advice on how to craft well-stated answers that will help you secure a position.
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• Showing Diversity and Inclusion on Your Resume
  Your resume is a snapshot of who you are, what you’ve experienced and how you will fit with a particular company. To encourage the expansion and acceptance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within job hunting standards, use this article to incorporate DEI into your experience and utilize it as an asset.
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• Five Tips for Highlighting Your Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion in Your Resume: Here’s How
  Interested in further advice on perfecting your resume to properly address your successes within the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) space? This blog provides more tips on how to make DEI a focal point.
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• How to Find Inclusive Employers: A Guide for Job Seekers
  Learn about how candidates should look beyond corporate DEI statements by researching tangible evidence to identify genuinely committed companies. It also recommends using diverse-focused job boards, scrutinizing employee reviews, verifying leadership representation, and asking pointed DEI questions during interviews to ensure alignment between a company’s words and actions.

The Actuary Magazine

There are a multitude of articles in the diversity, equity and inclusion space hosted in The Actuary Magazine. Peruse the current articles available.

• Celebrating Pride Month
• Celebrating Asian Heritage Month
• Celebrating Asian Heritage Month
• Celebrating Women’s History Month
• Celebrating Black History Month
• My Life as the SOA President
• Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
• Celebrating AAPI Month: Asian Actuaries in the Actuarial Profession
• Building a Fulfilling Actuarial Career Path
• Canadian Women in Actuarial Science
• Empowering Society, the Actuarial Profession and Each Other
• Diversifying the Actuarial Profession (Diversifying the Actuarial Profession
• Living on Purpose
• Take DEI to Heart
• Looking Beyond Sex
• The Importance of Pronoun Disclosure
• Understanding the Gender Construct and the Emergence of ‘Latinx’
• Diversity Recruiting
• Practical Ways to Implement DEI Initiatives
• Positive Impact of Actuarial DEI Scholarship and Boot Camp
• Leadership Team Commitment to Diversity
• Understanding Barriers to Entry in the Actuarial Profession
• SOA Commitment to DEI
• Why Diversity Matters to the Actuarial Profession in the United States
• Career Perseverance
• Supporting a Nontraditional Pathway to the Actuarial Profession