Take the DSM USA Organizational Equity Practices Assessment

This article was co-written by the tri-chairs of Capital Crossroads:

• Marta Codina
• Renee Hardman
• Tanner Krause

DSM USA 4 Equity Collective

The DSM USA 4 Equity Collective is inviting area employers to participate in the DSM USA Organizational Equity Practices Assessment (OEPA). The DSM USA 4 Equity Collective is an effort developed through Capital Crossroads that is comprised of a broad range of community stakeholders purposefully selected to engage in the development of a metric system that seeks to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion in all community efforts. The data collected from the survey will be analyzed to better understand how businesses, nonprofits and government entities are implementing equity practices.

This survey is one piece of the Collective’s work to identify areas of success and improvement for our region, and it will provide critical insights that will guide the 4 Equity Collective’s efforts of building more equitable practices across businesses and communities for years to come.

Take Survey

The OEPA survey will be open through the end of February 2022.

Why This Matters

We know that some organizations have dedicated a lot of resources to equity practices, and some may just be getting started in that space. We want to hear from everyone, no matter where they are at in their journey; whether your organization is big or small, old or new, for profit or nonprofit, urban or rural.

Your participation in the OEPA, regardless of where your organization is at on the journey to equity, will play an important role in shaping the future of our community. The DSM USA 4 Equity Collective will use these results to create a comprehensive playbook for employers that will address the gaps indicated in the survey to create an inclusive environment for all in the region.

Important Information

The survey should take only 20 minutes and should be assigned to the chief executive officer, chief operations officer, chief human resources officer, chief diversity officer, director, manager, or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee leader. Only one response is allowed per organization. All responses are confidential, and results will be aggregated, analyzed and shared with the community in the coming months.

To learn more about the Collective’s work and ways to stay engaged, reach out to Capital Crossroads Director Britney Appelgate for more information.

Author Profiles

	Marta Codina After serving as region bank president for Wells Fargo Bank, Marta Codina has recently taken on a new enterprise level role in Wells Fargo with the Growth and Branch Administration team, where she is responsible for strategies and execution around customer experience and diverse segments. She is also a founding member of the Wells Fargo Central Iowa Diversity and Inclusion Council and is an executive sponsor of that group, which coordinates Wells Fargo’s local efforts around diversity and inclusion.
	Renee Hardman Renee Hardman is the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa, where she has served the organization for over 18 years as Big Sister, eight year Board member, and Big Sister of the Year in 1996. Renee also currently serves on the West Des Moines City Council. She made history in 2017 when she was elected as the first African American woman to the West Des Moines City Council in its 125-year history.
	Tanner Krause Tanner Krause is the CEO of Kum & Go, a convenience retail chain with over 400 stores across 11 states. He is the fourth generation to lead in the family business, and his work experience at Kum & Go dates back more than twenty years. Throughout his tenure, Tanner’s passion and commitment has always been to improve the lives and livelihoods of Kum & Go’s 5,000 Associates.

The DSM USA 4 Equity Collective is an effort developed through Capital Crossroads and is comprised of a broad range of community stakeholders purposefully selected to engage in the development of a metric system that seeks to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in all community efforts. The Collective seeks to develop tools, plans and goals that can build more equitable practices across businesses and communities. The Collective aims to assist our region in developing long-term metrics and indicators to gauge progress towards DEI efforts.