Equity Policy Directive
Presenters:
Bookda Gheisar, Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Tyler Emsky, Commission Office
March 28, 2023, Presentation to Commission
Item no. 10a_attach
Meeting date: April 11, 2023
Background
• Motion 2018-06
– Directed Port staff to create and implement an equity pilot program.
– This pilot program shall inform the development of an equity policy directive.
• Motion 2020-19 (sponsored by Commissioner Cho)
– Required racial equity and unconscious bias trainings
– Established an internal Change Team
– Called for annual assessments on state of equity in the Port starting in 2021
• 8/10 EWFD Committee Feedback
• Additional rounds of staff dialogue and edits
• 10/28 EWFD Committee Preliminary Approval
• January and February Listening Sessions (2 internal, 2 external)
• Final revisions responsive to community feedback
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Elements of Proposed Equity Policy Directive
Structural
• Makes permanent:
• Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Senior Director position
• Change Team
Operational
• Annual equity goal setting & reporting requirements
• All departments to use equitable budgeting tool
• OEDI to support employee growth, advancement, and knowledge of equity culture and practices
across the Port
External
• As-needed cohorts of external community equity advisors
• Port to pursue opportunities to expand community equity programs
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Highlights of the Equity Policy Directive Draft
• Makes equity a permanent, ongoing commitment by the Port
of Seattle for every level, every division, and every employee
– Annual equity goals set by depts to reflect where they want to grow
– Progress towards EDI goals shall be part of performance reviews of
the Executive & members of the ELT
– Utilization of Port developed 'equity tools' such as the equitable
budgeting tool
– Audit team to perform periodic assessments of OEDI work and report
to appropriate Commission committees
– Tools & supports to be developed to enhance and strengthen equity
in programs and policies
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Highlights (continued)
• Commits the Port to grow its portfolio of community-based equity work
and investments
• Language to address barriers to community participation in Port outreach,
as appropriate (stipends, language access)
• To inform future action, Port staff are tasked with :
– Examining past Port equity-related funding, in order to propose an ongoing
commitment of resources for equity
– Convening as-needed groups of community equity advisors on an issue-by-issue
basis.
– Developing the Port's environmental justice principles and framework through
engagement with near Port communities.
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Post-listening Session Edits to Equity Policy Directive
• Annual reporting on continuous process improvement
opportunities regarding Port contracting with community-
based organizations, informed by least one listening session
with these CBOs.
• Alignment of timelines to reflect proposed date of passage.
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Thank You
Questions?
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