This case study highlights the work of Independent Sector’s 2014 American Express NGen Fellows, who partnered with the National Audubon Society to refine and improve the organization’s diversity and inclusion goals of attracting, retaining and advancing leaders of color. Through this project, the NGen Fellows assessed and recommended specific ways that organizations can improve their diversity and inclusion efforts, including:

• Creating a broader pipeline
• Refining recruitment and hiring
• Improving retention and development opportunities
• Promoting an atmosphere that values various capabilities and cultures
• Leveraging its Employer Brand and diversity, inclusion, and equity commitment

As your organization contemplates how to accomplish its diversity and inclusion work, it’s easy to become stalled by a desire to identify the ‘best’ way to do it. The truth is, there is no ‘best’ way, and learning from partnerships like this one gives you a number of ideas to consider. It is very important that your organization views its diversity and inclusion efforts as iterative and not final; an adaptive mindset is key. There will be mistakes made, lessons learned, and approaches in need of refinement; remaining flexible and open to change is critical. A follow up article is available on Bridgespan’s website: Five Ways to Build and Maintain Staff Diversity.