Results
Known for our creativity and flexibility, our principals have led successful change and developed groundbreaking solutions to help executives and advance diversity and inclusion and boost the bottom line
Case Studies
RACIAL EQUITY ASSESSMENTS
Working IDEAL has a unique record of conducting successful racial equity audits – although we prefer the term racial equity assessments. We have done this work for large companies, small businesses, leading nonprofits and universities. These range from reports on racial equity impacts of business operations to workplace practices and culture and climate reviews.At Working IDEAL, we believe that every organization, from a local small business or nonprofit to a signature company like BlackRock, can benefit from applying equity assessment tools. This enables them to document progress, identify gaps between aspirations and outcomes, and use that knowledge to write a roadmap that builds on progress and helps to close those gaps. Read our recommendations for effective equity assessment here: How Racial Equity Assessment Can Change Your Company for the Better.
BLACKROCK
In 2022, BlackRock asked Working IDEAL to join a team led by Covington & Burling, LLP, to conduct a racial equity assessment of the company. The interdisciplinary Working IDEAL team completed that work in 2023 with a final written report. Our assessment work focused on racial equity in the company’s client engagement, investment products, business partnerships, and social impact and public policy work.
The assessment focused on the goals set in BlackRock’s internal DEI strategy, and the progress made against that strategy. The assessment report provides BlackRock’s stakeholders – its employees, clients, business partners, content partners, civil rights organizations, and the communities it engages and impacts – with a better understanding of BlackRock’s progress in advancing its DEI-related goals, and the opportunities to go further.
The report ultimately concludes that BlackRock has set forth an ambitious strategy that addresses not only its workforce but also key business operations and external stakeholders, and that the firm has made progress on many of its goals. The report identifies areas where BlackRock can further advance that progress and makes recommendations. You can read the report below.
PROMOTING FAIR PAY THAT ALIGNS WITH VALUES OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION
Working IDEAL has deep expertise in creating innovative and effective pay, promotion and job architecture frameworks that advance principles of equity and transparency. We have worked with our clients to build financially sustainable and equitable pay philosophies and career development programs. We provide a strategic review of roles and job levels and tools for improving job architecture to promote clarity and consistency, and make hiring, promotion and pay decisions easier and more equitable. We help organizations wanting to make sure their pay practices align with their values, including increasing transparency and ensuring racial and gender equity. We look at data but also policy, practice and culture, and provide recommendations for more fair, efficient and consistent compensation programs.
Leading Nonprofits and Progressive Employers
Working IDEAL has developed a unique methodology for assessing gender and racial pay equity and designing pay policies, job architecture frameworks, and career path initiatives — advising a number of leading national civil rights and other nonprofit organizations who have successfully implemented these tools. Our most recent projects include working with Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, the Humane League, and Supermajority, to implement innovative pay and career path initiatives designed around principles of equity and transparency. Work across these projects included components such as market analysis, developing new pay and promotion philosophies, updating job architecture and building out competency-based job and pay levels, creating career pathing, and supporting implementation. Working IDEAL also partnered with the National Women’s Law Center, which developed its approach with Working IDEAL several years ago, in follow-up work to further grow and strengthen its program.
Reel Equity
In 2018, Working IDEAL conducted an analysis of gender pay equity for women on film and television crews for IATSE Local 871, a union that represents traditionally female crafts. Using a survey, payroll data analysis and legal analysis, we identified gender-based differences in pay and representation. Download the report.
CREATING EFFECTIVE RECRUITMENT, HIRING AND LEADERSHIP ADVANCEMENT ACROSS A RANGE OF SECTORS AND INDUSTRIES
Working IDEAL has worked with leading organizations across industries and sectors to foster inclusive and effective programs to recruit, hire, and retain diverse talent, and create effective career development and advancement tools that bring individuals with a range of backgrounds and experiences into leadership. Our principals played a foundational role in the “Rooney Rule” diverse slate initiatives that have become best practices, and we understand that their actual impact depends on strategic and well-designed implementation. We have also used DEI analytics strategies to identify strengths and opportunities, helped strengthen hiring and talent development programs, and advised on Board diversity. We help organizations ensure racial and gender equity, LGBT and disability inclusion, and fair practices for all. We also provide holistic risk management support for ensuring you can keep your DEI goals on track in a complex environment.
Inclusive Hiring, Recruitment and Promotion Strategies
Working IDEAL’s expertise in equity assessment and DEI analytics enables us to help organizations identify the best opportunities to improve equity and inclusion in every step of the employee lifecycle. This starts with ensuring clear job architecture with defined job competencies reflected in position descriptions and hiring rubrics, to creating career ladders, development plans and strong feedback, to debiasing work with hiring managers, to making sure your data and reporting systems provide up to date tracking of your progress. Read more about our advice on 7 Ways to Promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Hiring.
NIKE
Working IDEAL advised Nike on the development and implementation of a diverse slate policy for external hires and internally competitive positions, with the goal of increasing representation of people of color in U.S. based leadership roles and of women in leadership globally. Working IDEAL applied its own experience with the “Rooney Rule” diverse slate policies and the importance of effective implementation, ongoing support, and accountability for success. We recommended a strategic measurement framework and identified the key measures needed for quarterly reporting, data sources and calculations, considering not just outcomes, but also inputs and measures of consistency, quality and engagement in carrying out the policy. Nike’s commitment to excellence coupled with the focus on implementation – and continual evaluation, testing, and improvement on both – led to substantial increases in the representation of women and people of color in the leadership positions targeted by the 2018 work, compared with the 2017 baseline.
ROONEY RULE
NFL
Cyrus has had a unique role advising the National Football League for almost two decades on equity and inclusion, leading to a 400% increase in the head coach minority hiring rate — and making the “Rooney Rule” a best practice in organizations around the country. Since Cyrus started this work, ten Superbowl teams have been led by a minority head coach or general manager, and there are now record numbers of minority coaches in the pipeline and an increased emphasis on cultural change. In 2022 when the league faced questions about the Rule’s effectiveness, Cyrus identified key implementation factors that need to be in place.
COCA COLA
Cyrus and Pam’s landmark 2001 settlement with the Coca-Cola Company led to innovative reforms to remove barriers and increase opportunities in pay and promotion for Black employees, including the original diverse slate policy that was the foundation for the Rooney Rule, using DEI as a business performance measure for leadership, and establishing accountable reporting and oversight through the Diversity Task Force. Network member Rene Redwood was one of the seven members of that court-appointed Coca-Cola Diversity Task Force, and she spent five years partnering with the company to review and improve practices and culture. During this time, Black representation in Executive positions in the U.S. increased tenfold — from 1.5% in 1998 when the case began, to 15% in 2010, four years after the Task Force completed its work.
SAFE AND TRUSTED HARASSMENT PREVENTION
From developing safe and trusted reporting practices to building respectful culture to investigating serious harassment and misconduct, we apply our experience from a worker perspective to promote safety, inclusion and equity. We have helped organizations in crisis understand how weaknesses in their system created risks and how to close those gaps and rebuild trust. We have worked with organizations seeking to proactively establish best practices and strengthen culture and climate. Our work includes strengthening formal policy and practice, capacity building with human resources and internal investigation functions, and providing structures for assessment and confidential feedback. Read our tips on how to create a model program for harassment prevention.
Independent Investigation at AFGE
In 2019, the National President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) asked Working IDEAL to investigate allegations of sexual harassment and other related misconduct by its then-President. We conducted an independent, thorough, and impartial investigation of allegations of misconduct, evaluating AFGE’s policies and practices related to preventing and responding to workplace harassment, and making recommendations for AFGE to strengthen its workplace.
On March 16, 2020, Working IDEAL provided our report to AFGE on the findings and conclusions of our investigation into the allegations of sexual harassment and related misconduct, along with a set of recommendations arising out of the investigation. On March 19, AFGE publicly released the report. You can download a copy of this report here: Independent Investigation at AFGE
STRATEGIC PLANNING, ADVISORY AND LEADERSHIP COACHING
In addition to conducting equity assessments and strengthening workplace policy and practice, Working IDEAL also advises leaders and organizations at a strategic level. In our assessment, facilitation and training work we coach leaders through the challenges of strengthening DEI in their organizations. In our strategic advisory portfolio, we facilitate planning and execution of key milestones, from start-up to new long term directions. This work often requires thinking through challenges, impacts and opportunities related to workplace culture and practices, trust and relationships, and change management frameworks. We help leaders set norms and align with values – and solve practical problems ranging from employee engagement to workplace behavior to effective communication. We also help leaders with strategic planning tools to create accountable and effective roadmaps to move their organizations forward.
Strategic Advisory Services for the Black Orchestral Network
Working IDEAL has supported the Black Orchestral Network since 2021, helping the organization develop and implement actions to better support Black orchestral musicians and share their ideas and stories. Over the past year we provided recommendations and strategic advice to the BON organization and its leaders in several ways. Most recently we assisted in the creation of an open letter demanding the reform of orchestral tenure practices, seeking more transparent, more inclusive and more effective approaches to awarding tenure to musicians.
Strategic Advisory Services for the Human Rights Campaign
Working IDEAL partnered with Holliday Advisors to support the Human Rights Campaign’s strategic planning work through a DEI lens at a critically important juncture for LGBTQ+ rights across the nation. Pam and Sarah provided facilitation and project management services and strategic advising to organization leaders through several months of internal discussion and development. Working IDEAL is committed to the movement for LGBTQ+ equality and welcomed this opportunity to support such an important organization in its work.
SUPPORTING DEI GOALS FOR SMALL BUSINESS
We work with employers of all sizes, and frequently conduct evaluations and assessments of workplace culture and climate, equity and inclusion. Because our work is customized and includes significant qualitative elements, it can be an effective tool for smaller businesses.
Linea Solutions
We work with employers of all sizes, and frequently conduct evaluations and assessments of workplace culture and climate, equity and inclusion. Because our work is customized and includes significant qualitative elements, it can be an effective tool for smaller businesses.
One example of this work is the DEI assessment Working IDEAL conducted in 2021 for Linea Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in pension, health, and insurance markets with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Toronto. This project was led by the company’s internal DEI committee and strongly supported by leadership, two elements that we find can result in more successful projects.
Our review encompassed a quantitative and qualitative analysis of data relating to employee demographics, workplace culture, perceptions and experiences of fairness and equity, and equity in policies and practices — including recruitment, hiring, retention, promotion, career development, and training. Because many employees are consultants embedded in client workspaces, we also explored ways for Linea to provide connection and consistency – an emerging challenge for many workplaces developing stronger remote work policies. We identified strengths, challenges, and opportunities, and we recommended best practices supported by research literature and tailored to the organization.
FOUNDATIONS AND EQUITY IN GRANTMAKING
Democracy Fund
In 2020, Working IDEAL initiated an analysis of grantee DEI capacity and needs for Democracy Fund, a foundation working to defend American democracy and challenge it to be more open and just. We designed a survey to better understand Board, leadership, and staff representation, and what grantees would need to strengthen racial and all forms of equity in their organizations. In 2021, we shared findings with grantees and developed a toolkit of resources on best practices.
CAMPUS CULTURE AND CLIMATE
John Jay
Working IDEAL led a team that conducted a DEI-based climate review, engaging students, staff and faculty to identify John Jay’s strengths, assesses key challenges, and provide recommendations across key areas, including Shared Values and Belonging, Respectful Learning and Working Environments, Expanding and Coordinating Resources for Reporting and Response, Communication and Transparency, Leadership Development, Strategic Capacity and Support, Training and Other Resources for Holistic Prevention. This project led to a public report, available here.
EQUITY FOR POLITICAL WORKPLACES
Campaigns are workplaces too, and we help candidates build positive culture among staff and volunteers, from field offices to Slack channels so you can win with integrity. These lessons can help other start-ups who want to move fast in building new operations without compromising values.
Bernie Sanders 2020
In 2019, the Bernie Sanders 2020 Presidential campaign engaged Working IDEAL to facilitate a dialogue with 2016 staff around lessons learned about safety, equity and inclusion in campaign workspaces. That work led to the creation of a #CampaignEquity Blueprint of best practices to align campaign culture and workplace practices with the candidate’s values.
Campaign Equity Handbook
HELPING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ADVANCE EQUITY IN PUBLIC SERVICE
City of Cambridge, MA
In the summer of 2021, we completed a deep multi-year engagement with the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts, conducting an independent external assessment of recruitment, hiring and promotion through a diversity, equity and inclusion lens. Through a survey of all City employees, analysis of workforce data and interviews and documents, we evaluated the City’s structure, practices, policies, and culture as they relate to fostering a diverse workforce. Our recommendations, which were included in a publicly-available report on our website, included expanding the ability to promote opportunities and connect with a broader pool of talent by strategic outreach, building relationships, strengthening tools and resources, leveraging the current workforce and city residents, and better utilizing technology.
City of Cambridge Assessment of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Recruitment, Hiring and Promotion
Prince George’s County, MD
Pam Coukos served as the settlement expert in an Equal Pay Act case brought by the US EEOC, where she recommended new criteria for compensation in Engineer positions at one of the County agencies and was asked to conduct a second review related to other positions in that agency and make additional recommendations. She also provided training on pay equity requirements to the County-wide senior management and to some individual agencies.