Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute Recognized for Modeling Equity and Inclusion

The Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute in Greater Des Moines (DSM) has been recognized as a 2018 Inclusion Award Winner by the Greater Des Moines Partnership and the Business Record. The Inclusion Awards honor employers that have championed diversity and inclusion at their organizations and within the community.

Inclusion is an Area the Leadership Institute has Actively Focused on

“Our programs, because they help people become better community leaders, it’s important for us to teach equity and inclusion, for us to model equity and inclusion,” said Amy Jennings, Executive Director of the Leadership Institute. “For things like recruitment and selection for our programs it’s so important to make sure we have diversity, equity and inclusion all represented.”  

The percentage of diverse class members in the Leadership Institute’s Community Leadership Program increased from a three-year average of 6 percent in 2013 to a three-year average of 14 percent in 2019. Since 2015, the Community Connect program has had at least 25 percent ethnically diverse mentors, and its participation group has increased from 6 percent ethnic diversity to 24 percent in 2018. Underlying this growth, the Leadership Institute has changed the organization’s vision to say, “A thriving community for all, served by an endless source of civic stewards.”

The nominees for the Inclusion Award are evaluated by a selection committee made up of members of The Partnership’s Inclusion Council and past honorees.

Check out the video above produced by Victor Ayara with Kulture Bridge Concepts.

As one of the nation's fastest growing centers for business, Greater Des Moines (DSM) understands and endorses the importance of maintaining a vibrant and diverse workplace.