Leading DEIA: CivicActions’ Path to a More Inclusive Workforce

At CivicActions, we’re not just building technology; we’re pioneering a new era of inclusivity in the digital realm. Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a guiding principle ingrained in every facet of our work. As such, we conduct annual surveys among team members to gain more insight into how people identify. These surveys serve as a vital tool for gathering feedback, identifying areas for improvement, and measuring progress towards our goals of making CivicActions a more inclusive place to work. By listening to the voices of our team members, we ensure that our DEIA initiatives are informed by their experiences and perspectives, driving meaningful change from within.

Advocating for an Inclusive Digital Future

Our journey towards an inclusive digital future is rooted in advocacy and empathy. We believe that government services should be accessible to all, especially the most vulnerable in our society. Because of our deeply held values, diversity isn’t just a statistic at CivicActions; it’s our strength. Out of the candidates hired since January 2023, 77% come from diverse backgrounds including people of color , women, veterans, or those with a disability which reflects our commitment to diversifying our team. Our team is composed of individuals from diverse backgrounds, showcasing our dedication to amplifying underrepresented voices. From 2022–2023, the percentage of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) grew from 25% to 27%, which is a number we hope to continuously grow.

We also host our own in-house DEIA Committee which is composed of team members who volunteer their time in support of the educating, advocating, and continuous growth towards an inclusive culture. This committee conducts bi-weekly meetings where they plan company training events specific to DEIA topics, address ways to improve inclusivity, and create action plans in response to results of our DEIA Survey.

Supporting Disabled Team Members and Veterans

We are proud to support disabled team members and veterans within our workforce. The increase in disability representation from 12% to 23% from 2022 to 2023 reflects our commitment to creating a workplace where individuals of all abilities can thrive and where accessible digital services can be created by people who understand the diverse needs of the American public. This also showcases our cultivation of an environment for those to feel safe in sharing their disabilities and providing support.

Additionally, the doubling in the representation of veterans within our workforce demonstrates our dedication to supporting military personnel transitioning to civilian roles.

“I have been called to duty as a guardsman several times since being a CivicActions team member. Whenever I have to be gone for my military service training and exercises, I am met with nothing but support by my team members and leadership. Working at CivicActions makes me feel empowered to excel in both my military and civilian career.” — Em Wilson, People and Talent Specialist and Air National Guard Member

Launching a People-Led ERG Program

Aligned with our dedication to fostering inclusivity, CivicActions is taking the initial steps to build out our people-led Employee Resource Group (ERG) program. This initiative marks the beginning of a journey where employees can convene, exchange experiences, and champion positive transformations within our organization. Whether it’s bolstering underrepresented communities, enhancing diversity in hiring processes, or tackling systemic challenges, our ERG program will be developed to empower individuals to initiate substantial change and mold the trajectory of our workplace culture.

Conclusions

At CivicActions, we understand that true progress requires collective effort. That’s why we’re actively engaging with our employees, partners, and the broader community to advance DEIA initiatives. There have been a number of initiatives that have been impactful on a company-level to uplift marginalized communities, from the aforementioned launching of ERGs, to our DEIA committee that works to share knowledge to the broader CivicActions community about systemic racism and driving meaningful, anti–racist change through ongoing conversations open to all team members. In our recruitment, we are working to make our company — and industry at large — more inclusive through reaching out to underrepresented communities in our talent acquisition process, through diversifying our job boards, external communities, and encouraging underrepresented candidates to reach out to us directly. These efforts, of course, are just a start. We recognize that building a truly anti-racist and anti-ableist company is an ongoing process, one that we are learning more about every day. As we continue to implement best DEIA practices, we welcome ideas, support, and encouragement as we work to build a better, more inclusive tech industry.

Appendix*

*Chart based on self-reported survey