Call-To-Action Benchmarks

Prerequisites

  • Conduct cultural competency interviews, starting with leadership. Know where you and your office stand before engaging in the subsequent pledge (from individual employees to policies and practices). This is a pivotal first step for any entity looking to make effective change.

    1. Provide a minimum of one training conducted prior to the reporting deadline. 

    2. Detailed explanation of strategies and approaches. 

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

  • Openly state that Black Lives Matter, and follow through with actionable systemic changes. Work towards transforming the workplace into a safer space not just for BIPOC, but for all staff. When all staff feel valued, seen, and heard, employee retention is improved.

    1. Policy and/or guidelines in place to uphold safe and transparent working environments.

    2. Provide connections to BIPOC affinity groups.

    3. Advocate for BIPOC caucus groups.

    4. Solicit feedback from employees and follow through with actionable steps.

    5. Detailed explanation of strategies and approaches.

    1. Show initiative, planning and engagement (Provide details and examples)

  • …have historically existed within the United States, and continue to persist in new forms in the present day. Holistic buy-in from leadership, middle management, and staff on the reality and urgency of this issue is critical in establishing a common point of reference for which to begin the work (see Appendix).

    *Please note that this commitment resets annually to ensure continual cultural competency training.

    1. Taking an active and on-going stance internally within the workplace and publicly.

    2. Explaining how you are following through with actionable steps, policy, timeline, and engagement.

    3. Detailed explanation of strategies and approaches. 

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

  • This includes, but is not limited to: acknowledging, listening to, validating, valuing, supporting, and amplifying the voices of BIPOC professionals both inside and outside of your firm/organization’s domain (i.e. at formal and informal meetings, on job sites, in front of clients, within your communities/homes, in private and public spaces).

    1. Explain how intent is communicated to office staff.

    2. Explain new practices/policies that are being put into place for supporting or encouraging implementation of this commitment into firmwide culture.

    3. Detailed explanation of strategies and approaches.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

Foundation Commitments

  • Secure the services of a BIPOC expert/specialist on anti-racist educational initiatives.

    1. (2) annual open-to-all, firm-wide workshops on cultural competency completed.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

  • …to connect and support BIPOC staff in their career development within the profession.

    1. Explain a mentorship program that has been implemented within the last 12 months, and remains active by firm leadership and staff.

    2. Show clear objectives or framework for mentorship within your practice.

    3. Explain how perspectives and needs of mentees are heard, valued, and acted on.

    4. Explain what options, resources, and/ or tools are available to mentees

    5. Explain how career development and advancement are currently supported within your firm.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

  • Acknowledge and support the BIPOC community’s contributions to architectural history and the built environment.

    1. Firm has integrated BIPOC books, materials, and vendors into the office’s circulation of reference materials. (Ex. Theory, History, Urban Design, Contemporary, Policy related, MBE/MWBE small business vendors, craftsman, artisans, designers, etc.)

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

    1. Provide Clarity and Transparency of metrics for career advancement.

    2. Explain how metrics are available to all staff.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

  • …BIPOC-focused organizations, to attract Black or underrepresented BIPOC interns. Provide a competitive salary and benefits.

    1. NOMA PDX defines “collaborative partnerships” as: active, ongoing engagement with organizations. Genuine relationship building for the long term benefit of both entities.

    2. Provide measurable information on the makeup of these ongoing relationships, and how they are being initiated and maintained.

    3. Explain primary goals of stated relationships and how they positively affect the recruitment of BIPOC employees.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

  • Provide a competitive salary and benefits.

    1. Describe how equal opportunity is provided for underrepresented BIPOC professionals for the firm’s primary services.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

7. Develop an equitable, diverse, and inclusive workforce. This means:

  • All voices within this committee should be listened to (see Appendix).

    *Please note that, at this time, non-BIPOC individuals do not satisfy this or any of the commitments in the CTA.

    1. Have already created a hiring committee, which includes senior underrepresented BIPOC staff. (Provide supporting detail).

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

  • *Please note that, at this time, non-BIPOC individuals do not satisfy this or any of the commitments in the CTA.

    1. Collect data & provide measurable plans to improve recruitment and retention of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) employees. Provide data or a summary of these plans.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

  • …(i.e. Partner, Principal, Senior Associate, Executive board, etc.).

    *Please note that, at this time, non-BIPOC individuals do not satisfy this or any of the commitments in the CTA.

    1. Recognize efforts that need to be put forth in order to achieve diverse leadership. 

    2. Actively establishing a path to building diversity in leadership 

    3. Articulate time frame for implementation. 

    4. Provide details and/or descriptions that support promotion and retention outcomes.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

Ongoing Commitments

  • Advocate for policies that promote integrated neighborhoods; legislation that benefits the growth, resources, infrastructure and, therefore, prosperity of all communities and demographics.

    1. Have employees or leadership get involved in policy and engage with legislators in local jurisdictions in the above policies.

    2. Demonstrate how you are advocating for communities of color.

    3. Provide resources for employees on how to get involved. 

    4. If sustainability is a policy being pursued, provide an explanation on how this directly impacts BIPOC communities in the area.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

  • (see Appendix)

    1. Creating and distributing clear protocols for actively and judiciously addressing microaggressions and implicit biases against race, sexual orientation, and religion.

      1. Instill the above into the firm's values, culture and policy. 

      2. Show how policies that the office has created acknowledge and adjudicate these issues. 

      3. Show how the perspectives and needs of BIPOC employees are being heard and valued.

      4. Provide BIPOC employees clear options, resources, and/or tools that are available. Ensure that these are clear and addressed during onboarding, reviews and in office resources.

    2. Compensating a BIPOC professional when asking for EDI or other consultation/advice.

    1. Internal: Directly paying/ billable hours (overhead), voluntarily/ involuntary. 

    2. External: Pay professionals for their time. 

    3. Creating project teams that include Black and underrepresented women and people of color in prime management, partner, or consultant roles.

    1. Firm/organization demonstrates that they are exercising this action thoughtfully and understand tokenism is not ok. Provide a supporting description. 

    4. Allowing BIPOC and minority women employees equal opportunity to make mistakes, learn/grow, and feel fully supported/valued while doing so.

    1. Explain what plans and policies are in place that support BIPOC employees and set them up to succeed (i.e. to be seen, heard, valued).

    2. Provide examples where relevant

    5. Be respectful and accommodating of the needs of BIPOC cultures and religions

    1. Examples can include, but are not limited to, options for dietary restrictions, prayer rooms, disabilities, safe spaces to be heard without gaslighting or retaliation, etc.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

1. Actively work to increase the presence of underrepresented BIPOC professionals and provide clear path-to-leadership framework for:

  • *Please note that, at this time, non-BIPOC individuals do not satisfy this or any of the commitments in the CTA.

    1. BIPOC professionals are present in the above positions.

    2. Clarity and Transparency of metrics for career advancement (in print, the intranet, verbal announcements etc.).

    3. Ensure that this information is also included during onboarding of new employees.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

  • …businesses owned by underrepresented people of color, within the AEC Industry.

    *Please note that, at this time, non-BIPOC/BIWOC (Black, Indigenous Women of Color) individuals do not satisfy this or any of the commitments in the CTA. For MWBEs, businesses/individuals must be >75% Women of Color-owned.

    1. At least two projects are collaborated with a paid BIPOC consultant/partner, or a project with two paid BIPOC consultants/partners.

    2. AEC industry partners are included. List the firm/individuals and role.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

  • *Please note that, at this time, non-BIPOC individuals do not satisfy this or any of the commitments in the CTA.

    1. BIPOC professionals are present in the above positions.

    2. Clarity and Transparency of metrics for career advancement (in print, the intranet, verbal announcements etc.).

    3. Ensure that this information is also included during onboarding of new employees.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

  • …businesses* from historically disinherited communities of color each year.

    *Please note that working with non-BIPOC-owned organizations or businesses does not satisfy this commitment. This amendment will take effect from reporting periods #2, 3, and 4.

    1. Pro-bono design and/or consulting services provided to BIPOC-owned organizations or businesses* from historically disinherited communities of color each year.

    2. Provide a list of community partners - give examples of work being done and services.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

    1. Show what your firm/organization has done to continue relationships from Foundational Commitment #5.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

  • … materials, social media, and other professional publications (see Appendix).

    1. Provide examples and/or descriptions on intentional actions relating to marketing materials, social media, and other professional publications. Understand the local context which you are representing. For example, if you are working on a project that affects BIPOC communities, be mindful of who is in your renderings and marketing efforts.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)

    1. Firm/organization needs to demonstrate plans for future cultural competency training. 

    2. Firms/organizations need to show that they are continuing to provide an open attitude, self-awareness, awareness of others, cultural knowledge, and cultural skills.

    1. Show initiative, planning, and engagement. (Provide details and examples)