Organizational commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion: A strategic path forward.

White, Carla Y; Patel, Ami; Cossari, Dominique

DISCLAIMER In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. PURPOSE To describe an approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy development at a school of pharmacy aimed at stakeholder investment and infrastructure that can address systemic challenges in various healthcare settings. SUMMARY The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy utilized an organizational approach focused on infrastructure to produce a diverse and inclusive school community. The Office of Organizational Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) established vision and mission statements to represent the school's commitment and conducted a comprehensive environmental scan to compose a shared vision. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni participated in a series of retreats, symposiums, and focus groups to identify opportunities to cultivate a diverse and inclusive school community. A working group comprised of key leaders in the school developed and launched a 3-year DEI Strategic Plan along with initiatives and metrics for year 1. The plan's 3 priorities were (1) to recruit and retain diverse talent, (2) to prepare culturally intelligent professionals, and (3) to build an inclusive community. The ODI collaborated with internal and external stakeholders, which included students, faculty, staff, postdocs, alumni, and partners from health systems, industry, and other institutions and organizations, to initiate, implement, and monitor progress through an organizational approach to establish accountability and greater commitment. CONCLUSION An organizational approach to DEI strategy through stakeholder engagement and infrastructure increased commitment and shared ownership among members of the school community. Applications in an organizational approach can be adapted to multiple healthcare settings to contribute to the cultural transformation necessary to develop a diverse and inclusive healthcare workforce.