The case for diversity and inclusion as a business imperative has been well established, and the importance of having D+I programs and policies in place in organizations—including associations—is widely understood. But once you’ve adopted those programs and policies, what’s next? Research confirms that implementing D+I initiatives in organizations is challenging: Lack of sufficient resources, reliable data, and executive support may be obstacles to success.

Whether your organization is relatively new to D+I or you have already developed a D+I roadmap, it's essential to continually assess progress to ensure that your association is not just partially succeeding. Though you may be moving the needle in some areas, such as hiring practices and member engagement opportunities for underrepresented groups, consider whether you may be falling short in others, such as executive leadership, board representation, or supplier diversity.

To build a successful D+I program, you'll first need to know how you currently measure up. A good place to start is with ASAE’s Association Inclusion Index, which helps associations measure and improve the management of their current D+I philosophies, policies, and practices.

Though you may be moving the needle in some areas, such as hiring practices, consider whether you may be falling short in others, such as executive leadership, board representation, or supplier diversity.

It’s also useful to compare your organization to others that have been recognized as good role models. A growing number of organizations and media brands are evaluating diversity, inclusion, and equity by providing analysis, ratings, and research data. The list includes DiversityInc, Glassdoor, Fortune, and Working Mother. One of the best known is the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, which rates companies on their policies and practices related to LGBTQ employees and produces an annual “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality” report.

Thompson Reuters, under the corporate brand Refinitiv, created an index to transparently and objectively measure the relative performance of companies against factors that define diverse and inclusive workplaces. The index ranks more than 7,000 companies globally and identifies the top 100 publicly traded companies with the most diverse and inclusive workplaces, as measured by 24 metrics across four key pillars: diversity, inclusion, people development, and news and controversies. Not only have these companies scored well, but the index has outperformed the Thompson Reuters Global Total Return benchmark, demonstrating that diversity and inclusion can also lead to profitability.

If your association is serious about D+I, investing time and resources for measurement should be a top priority. Evaluation techniques will surely continue to evolve, but regardless of the method used, the goal is the same: When you take the initiative to identify areas that need improvement—and adjust your strategy accordingly—you will help your association excel as a D+I leader.