TAPCO Credit Union Taps CU Strategic Planning for DEIBA Institute
CEO: The board is saying this is a priority
Recognizing the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and accessibility to society’s prosperity, TAPCO Credit Union contracted with CU Strategic Planning to help the credit union along its journey, CEO Justin Martin explained. Research has shown time and again that having a diverse staff working in an environment in which everyone’s input is valued bolsters innovation that contributes to a superior bottom line.
As a first step in that journey, the credit union’s employees participated in an unconscious bias assessment. “We all have biases, especially unconscious biases,” Martin said. “Our goal was not to say what’s right or wrong, but to be aware of how they may impact our practices and policies.”
He acknowledged, “It’s important that we provide grace as we learn how we can do things differently. There’s a lot of messiness to the work. We need to get comfortable with the messiness. It’s been critical for us to have CU Strategic Planning to help us push our boundaries.”
CU Strategic Planning’s unconscious bias assessment includes an extensive qualitative and quantitative review of a credit union’s staff, leadership, policies and practices. It begins with the Harvard Implicit Association Test, assessing race, gender/career, disability and sexuality biases. Leadership is also assessed on attitudes about age, weight and skin tone. Results are collected anonymously and analyzed in aggregate. One-on-one interviews are performed with the board, executive management, and key leaders in HR, lending and collections. Relevant policies and practices are also reviewed, as well as the demographic composition of the membership, leadership and team members. The credit union then receives a report, along with appropriate KPIs and a 60-minute training session that tackles the most vital areas uncovered by the assessment.
In support of this strategic initiative, the TAPCO board also completed CU Strategic Planning’s DEIBA Institute, which includes two days of on-site instruction, facilitated conversation and collaboration. The agenda covers the history behind wealth gaps, pathways to eradicating poverty, access to credit and much more. The board came away with a plan for incorporating DEIBA into TAPCO’s strategic operations and with individual goals for each board member. CU Strategic Planning will be following up with quarterly board sessions and one-on-one discussions with individual board members.
Martin added, “The board shared with me that CU Strategic Planning’s DEIBA Institute was one of the best DEIBA trainings they’d participated in and were excited to face our collective and individual challenges. This is not just a side project for us as we position our credit union to show up authentically as a community organization – not just another bank.”