---
name: diversity-policy
description: "Writes diversity, equity, and inclusion policies with commitments, programs, accountability measures, and implementation timelines. Use when building or updating your company DEI framework."
allowed-tools: Read Write Glob
metadata:
  author: matthewhitcham
  version: "1.0"
---

# Diversity Policy

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Draft a diversity, equity, and inclusion policy for your company
- Update an existing DEI policy with stronger commitments and accountability
- Create a DEI framework for a growing team or new organization
- Prepare DEI documentation for investor due diligence, partnerships, or compliance

**DO NOT** use this skill for individual bias training content, legal compliance audits, or HR complaint procedures. This is for policy documents that articulate organizational DEI commitments.

---

## Core Principle

A DEI POLICY MUST CONTAIN SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE COMMITMENTS WITH ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS — VAGUE STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT WITHOUT ACTION PLANS ARE PERFORMATIVE.

---

## Phase 1: Brief

Gather context before drafting. Every policy must reflect the specific organization.

### Required Inputs

| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|-------|------------|---------|
| **Company size** | "How many employees or team members?" | 1-20 (small business) |
| **Industry** | "What industry are you in?" | General / tech |
| **Current state** | "Do you have any existing DEI initiatives or policies?" | Starting from scratch |
| **Priority areas** | "Which areas matter most? (hiring, pay equity, culture, supplier diversity, accessibility)" | Hiring and culture |
| **Audience** | "Who will read this? (employees, public website, investors, partners)" | Internal employees |
| **Legal jurisdiction** | "Where is your company based? (affects compliance language)" | United States |

Present the brief summary and wait for confirmation.

**GATE: Do not proceed until the user confirms the brief.**

---

## Phase 2: Outline

Structure the policy document with clear sections.

### Standard Policy Sections

1. **Purpose and Vision Statement** — why DEI matters to this specific company
2. **Scope** — who and what the policy covers
3. **Definitions** — clear definitions of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
4. **Commitments by Area** — specific commitments for each priority area
5. **Programs and Initiatives** — concrete actions, not just promises
6. **Accountability and Measurement** — who owns it, how progress is tracked
7. **Reporting and Feedback** — how employees raise concerns or suggestions
8. **Review Cadence** — when the policy is reviewed and updated

**GATE: Present the outline and wait for approval before writing the full policy.**

---

## Phase 3: Write

Draft the complete policy following these rules.

### Writing Rules

- Use specific, measurable language ("We will track demographic data quarterly" not "We value diversity")
- Include at least one concrete initiative per priority area
- Name the accountability owner for each commitment (role, not person name)
- Set timelines — annual reviews minimum
- Write in plain language accessible to all employees
- Avoid legal jargon unless jurisdiction requires specific phrasing

### Commitment Examples by Area

**Hiring:** Diverse candidate slates, structured interviews, blind resume review
**Pay Equity:** Annual compensation audits, transparent salary bands
**Culture:** Employee resource groups, inclusive meeting practices, holiday recognition
**Supplier Diversity:** Percentage targets for diverse-owned vendors
**Accessibility:** Digital accessibility standards, accommodation processes

---

## Phase 4: Polish

### Final Deliverables

1. **Complete policy document** — formatted for the stated audience
2. **Implementation checklist** — 30/60/90 day action items to activate the policy
3. **Communication template** — announcement message introducing the policy to the team
4. **Annual review template** — questions and metrics to evaluate at each review cycle

### Compliance Note

Add a disclaimer that the policy should be reviewed by legal counsel for jurisdiction-specific compliance. This skill produces a business framework, not legal advice.

---

## Example 1: Small Startup (10 people, tech, hiring focus)

**Commitment excerpt:**
- All job postings reviewed for inclusive language before publishing
- Minimum 2 sourcing channels targeting underrepresented candidates per role
- Structured interview scorecards used for every hire
- Quarterly team discussion on inclusion practices (30 minutes, facilitated)

## Example 2: Growing Agency (40 people, creative industry, culture focus)

**Commitment excerpt:**
- Launch 2 employee resource groups by Q2
- Inclusive meeting guidelines distributed and practiced (round-robin input, async options)
- Annual anonymous inclusion survey with results shared company-wide
- DEI budget line item: $5,000/year for training and events

---

## Anti-Patterns

- **Vague virtue signaling** — "We believe in diversity" with zero action items is worse than no policy. Every statement needs a corresponding commitment.
- **Copy-paste from big corporations** — a 10-person startup does not need the same framework as a Fortune 500. Scale appropriately.
- **No accountability owner** — if nobody owns it, nobody does it. Assign a role to every commitment.
- **One-and-done mentality** — a policy without review cadence becomes stale. Build in annual reviews minimum.
- **Ignoring intersectionality** — diversity is not one dimension. Address multiple facets in the commitments.

---

## Recovery

- **User uncomfortable with DEI language:** Reframe around "building the best team" and "removing barriers to great work." The substance matters more than the label.
- **Very small team (1-5):** Focus on hiring practices and foundational culture norms. Skip programs that require critical mass.
- **No budget for initiatives:** Recommend zero-cost actions (inclusive language in postings, structured interviews, meeting norms). Many impactful practices are free.
- **User wants legal compliance only:** Clarify this skill produces business policy, not legal documents. Recommend legal review and focus the draft on exceeding minimums.
