Diversity And Inclusion

Strategic Plan For Fy 2009-2013

A framework for creating and sustaining a diverse workforce.

Offi ce of Diversity and Inclusion

February 2009
Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2009-2013

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MESSAGE FROM THE DAS

Dear Colleagues:

It is with great pride that we present the Department of Veterans 

Affairs (VA) fi rst Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan (Plan). This 

Plan, developed in collaboration with VA’s Administrations, Staff Offi ces, and 

many other stakeholders internally and externally, serves as a living road map 

to guide our efforts in making VA a leader in creating and sustaining a highperforming workforce that leverages diversity and empowers all employees to 

achieve superior results in serving our Nation’s Veterans.

The Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan is specifi cally aligned with VA’s 

strategic objective to “recruit, develop, and retain a competent, committed, 

and diverse workforce that provides high-quality service to Veterans and their 

families.” VA is the second-largest of the 15 Cabinet departments, with over 

280,000 employees in its ranks all working to fulfi ll President Abraham Lincoln’s 

promise: “To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, 

and his orphan.” As a major health care and benefi ts provider, VA must maintain 

a workforce that is refl ective of the communities it serves and treat its employees 

with fairness and dignity.

The Plan was developed with the underlying mission in mind: “to foster a diverse 

workforce and inclusive work environment that ensures equal opportunity 

through national policy development, workforce analysis, outreach, retention, 

and education to best serve our Nation’s Veterans.” It is designed to achieve 

three over-arching goals: 

 1) Create a diverse, results-oriented, high-performing workforce that 

 refl ects the communities we serve by identifying and eliminating barriers 

 to equal opportunity; 

 2) Cultivate a fl exible and inclusive work environment that enables full 

 participation through strategic outreach and retention; and 

 3) Facilitate outstanding customer service and stakeholder relations by 

 promoting cultural competency, accountability, education, and 

 communication.
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In order to be a high performing organization in the 21st century, VA must tap 

into the rich resources of our global community and strengthen our commitment 

to equity and justice in the workplace. We must also defi ne diversity in its 

broadest context, including but not limited to the legally protected classes. 

Diversity must encompass all that makes us unique, including the diversity of 

thought and perspective that accompanies our human identity. Only then can we 

realize the full performance potential and competitive advantages of a diverse 

workforce. This is more than a legal or moral imperative, it is the business case 

for diversity that we in the Offi ce of Diversity and Inclusion will also champion.

The implementation of this Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan refl ects the 

Department’s continued efforts to improve service to our Nation’s Veterans. As 

a public service agency, diversity and inclusion must be the cornerstones of our 

human capital management strategy. Working collaboratively with you—the 

highly-dedicated employees, managers, and stakeholders of VA—we will seize 

the challenges and opportunities to create and sustain a diverse and inclusive 

workforce that best serves our Nation’s most precious assets—our Veterans.

We invite you to join us in this important journey. Thank you for your support.

Georgia Coffey

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Diversity and Inclusion

Department of Veterans Affairs
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Foreword

I

n 2008, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Offi ce of Diversity and 

Inclusion (ODI), formerly the Offi ce of Diversity Management and Equal 

Employment Opportunity, embarked on strategic planning initiative for the 

offi ce—the fi rst of its kind in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The 

intent was to develop a leading-edge, living road map for incorporating diversity 

and inclusion in VA based on the best practices in the public and private sectors. 

The public sector is on the cusp of a major transformation that presents us 

with great challenges and even greater opportunities in the area of workforce 

diversity and inclusion. As we witness the dramatic effects of the globalization 

of our economy, never before has it been more critical that we adapt to the 

rapidly changing profi le of our global marketplace. Equally important is how 

we demonstrate our commitment to equal opportunity, fairness, and justice in 

this new emerging workforce. The viability of agencies in the 21st century will 

depend on their ability to service an increasingly diversifi ed market through a 

strategically managed workforce that refl ects the global community it serves.

As a result of extensive benchmarking, it was revealed that the fi eld of equal 

employment opportunity (EEO) and diversity management had changed 

dramatically since its statutory inception in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 

the 1970s, EEO evolved into Affi rmative Action; in the 1980s, it expanded 

into “respecting differences”; and in the 1990s, it was transformed by the 

groundbreaking work of Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas who introduced the concept 

of “diversity management.” With each of these iterations, the concept of 

EEO moved from a reactive, exclusively legalistic model to a more proactive, 

business-driven paradigm.

The millennium has also ushered in a new framework. In recent years, the focus 

has shifted from diversity to inclusion, a rapidly emerging trend born in the 

private sector. This sea change occurred quietly as companies found themselves 

vigorously competing for diverse workforce talent in a globalized economy. 

They soon realized that it was not enough to simply recruit a diverse workforce, 

but they must also retain and leverage that diverse workforce to advance the 

mission.

Companies began looking internally at the organizational culture and the 

institutional processes that impacted employees’ ability to fully participate and 

contribute to the goals of the organization. This required examining systemic 

barriers to inclusion in all aspects of the organizations: cultural norms, business 
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practices, communications, leadership development, training and education, 

performance management, management accountability, strategic recruitment, and 

work life. Organizational inclusion became the means to actualize the potential 

of workforce diversity.

The term “diversity and inclusion” refl ects the emerging need to complement 

diversity practices which focused largely on recruitment outreach, with 

internal retention strategies to sustain, develop, and leverage the diversity in 

all human resources. The concept of inclusion galvanized the fi eld of diversity 

management by stressing inclusion of all employees, not just legally-protected 

classes. Through inclusion, organizations create the facilitating conditions in the 

work environment that enable the competitive advantages of diversity to fl ourish. 

This relatively new terminology of “diversity and inclusion” supports the 

business case for diversity, a concept championed by ODI. The business case 

spoke to the higher performance outcomes associated with workforce diversity 

and inclusion.

In championing this “business case for diversity and inclusion,” we rely on the 

research in this area. Empirical studies have shown that workforce diversity 

offers quantifi able advantages to organizational performance and productivity. 

Specifi cally, studies show that under facilitating conditions, workforce diversity 

is positively correlated with higher performance outcomes and greater economic 

returns. The Diversity Research Network conducted a major study on Fortune 

500 companies and found that racial diversity was positively associated with 

higher performance outcome measures in organizations that “integrate and 

leverage diverse perspectives.” It also found that gender diversity yielded 

more effective group processes and performance in organizations with “peopleoriented” performance cultures. Research is demonstrating the strong link 

between perceptions of fairness in the workplace and employee engagement. 

This speaks to the need for strategies that support “inclusion” as well as diversity 

in the workplace.

The renowned Center for Creative Leadership conducted a large scale study on 

team dynamics and work productivity which revealed that diverse teams were 

more creative and performed better than homogenous teams. The study team 

analyzed employer and employee data of over 20,000 business establishments in 

the manufacturing, retail, and service commercial sectors. The results showed 

that racial and gender diversity was positively correlated with establishment 

productivity, product quality, and economic return on investment. Similarly, in 

2004, the Urban League reported that diverse companies generated 18 percent 

higher productivity than the U.S. economy overall. Finally, a study published in 
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the Journal of the American Medical Association and Science Daily illustrated 

the business case for diversity in patient care. This study revealed that medical 

students who attend racially and ethnically diverse medical schools say they are 

better equipped to care for patients in a diverse society. Here again, empirical 

data illuminates the nexus between workforce diversity and higher performance 

outcomes in the health care fi eld.

While the private sector is in the business of profi ts, government is in the 

business of equity—equity of service, protections, opportunity. The same 

benefi ts apply in this context and the stakes are even higher. As a major health 

care and benefi ts provider, VA must maintain a workforce that is refl ective of 

constituencies it serves so it can provide high quality, responsive, and equitable 

services. This is not only a matter of legal compliance, but smart business. 

It is important to note that the business case for diversity in no way diminishes 

our commitment to the legal and social imperatives for equal opportunity. VA 

remains unequivocally committed to ensuring the statutory protections for equal 

employment opportunity as prescribed by law. We will continue to enforce 

the laws that protect all of our rights to work free from discrimination in the 

workplace, and assiduously commit ourselves to fairness in the workplace. This 

is the foundation upon which the business case can thrive. We must fi rst protect 

the fundamental civil rights of every individual in the workplace. Only then can 

individuals feel safe and empowered to contribute to their optimum potential 

in support of the mission. In fact, the social imperatives are strengthened by 

the business case. The business case is predicated on the value of diversity 

of thought—which is rooted in our human diversity. It is the inseverable 

link between diversity of thought and our human diversity that makes equal 

opportunity in the workplace essential. 

ODI defi nes diversity in its broadest context to include all that makes us unique: 

race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, 

culture, educational background, socioeconomic status, intellectual perspective, 

organizational level, and more. By doing so, we are able to harvest the full 

performance potential and competitive advantages diversity has to offer. We are 

proud to lead the effort to promote policies in VA operationalize this concept so 

that we can provide superior service to our Veterans and all Americans. To that 

end, we present to you VA’s inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for 

FY 2009-2013.
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THE CuRRENT STATE OF VA

In order to design a responsive strategic plan that addresses diversity and 

inclusion in the workforce, we must fi rst examine the strengths and challenges in 

the area of the current workforce.

Overall Workforce

Although the Department of Veterans Affairs defi nes diversity in the broadest 

possible sense, a key measure of diversity is the demographic composition of the 

workforce by race, gender, ethnicity, disability and Veteran status. We measure 

success by comparing these demographic to the relevant civilian labor force 

(RCLF). The RCLF refl ects all the people in the U.S. employed in or actively 

seeking employment in specifi c occupations that VA hires.

At the end of FY 2009, the comparison of VA’s workforce to the RCLF shows 

that VA is one of the most diverse agencies in the Federal government. However, 

while there is parity in some areas, there are challenges others. For example, 

representation of Blacks, Asians, Native Hawaiian and Pacifi c Islanders, and 

American Indians are all above the RCLF. White women and Hispanics are 

below their RCLF levels.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

WM WW BM BW HM HW AM AW NH/P

IM

NH/P

IW AIM AIW OM OW

Sep. 09 24.8 36.2 9.11 14.9 3.11 3.51 2.31 3.92 0.07 0.11 0.53 0.78 0.22 0.29

RCLF 24.8 48.2 3.22 8.28 3.22 4.40 2.25 3.16 0.03 0.06 0.31 0.63 0.34 0.54

VA Workforce vs. RCLF
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Underrepresentation of White women is a national issue affecting every 

occupation and every administration—VHA, VBA, NCA, and Staff Offi ces. 

Hispanic men are slightly underrepresented while Hispanic women are 

underrepresented to a greater degree, but their underrepresentation is localized 

to specifi c regions—primarily the Southwestern region of the United States. In 

addition, a little over 30 percent of VA permanent employees were Veterans, 

approximately 10 percent of VA employees reported having a disability, and 

1.49 percent of VA employees reported having a targeted disability—50 percent 

higher than the government average.

Senior Executive Service

Senior Executive Service represents VA’s highest ranked career employees. The 

demographic breakout of VA’s Senior Executive Service shows that almost 85 

percent are White men or White women. About 10 percent are represented by 

Black men and Black Women. Hispanic, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacifi c Islander, 

American Indian, and Other (two or more races) make up the remaining 5 

percent.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

WM WW BM BW HM HW AM AW NH/P

IM

NH/P

IW AIM AIW OM OF

Sep. 2008 55.7 26.7 5.61 4.95 2.97 0.99 0.99 0.33 0.00 0.00 1.65 0.00 0.00 0.00

Sep. 2009 56.7 28.0 5.28 4.95 2.97 0.99 0.99 0.33 0.33 0.00 1.32 0.00 0.00 0.33

Senior Executive Service Onboard
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Hires and Separations

Workforce composition is affected by the hires and separation of employees. 

From FY 2008 to FY 2009, VA hired 27,350 permanent employees, equivalent to 

approximately 10 percent of its total workforce.

All groups, except for White women and Hispanics, were hired above national 

availability. White women and Hispanics were hired at rates lower than their 

availability in the RCLF.

From FY 2008 to FY 2009, a total of 15,488 (approximately 6 percent) 

permanent employees left VA through retirement, resignation, termination of 

appointment, death, or separation. Nearly eighty percent of separations are 

attributed to voluntary retirement and resignation.

White women had the highest rate of resignation at 38 percent while White men 

had a resignation rate of almost 26 percent. White men, the oldest group in VA’s 

workforce, matched White women in voluntary retirement from FY 2008 to FY 

2009 at 35 percent. White men and White women left VA through voluntary 

retirement at 35 percent. Black women ranked third in voluntary retirement at 

almost 11 percent followed by Black men at about 9 percent. At the current rate 

of hire, Hispanic men would reach RCLF parity within the coming year. 

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

WM WW BM BW HM HW AM AW NH/P

IM

NH/P

IW AIM AIW OM OW

Hire 29.3 35.0 10.2 12.4 2.64 2.60 2.23 2.61 0.17 0.23 0.88 1.00 0.27 0.30

Onboard 24.8 36.2 9.11 14.9 3.11 3.51 2.31 3.92 0.07 0.11 0.53 0.78 0.22 0.29

RCLF 24.8 48.2 3.22 8.28 3.22 4.40 2.25 3.16 0.03 0.06 0.31 0.63 0.34 0.54

FY 2009 Hires vs. Onboard and RCLF
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Of all demographic groups measured, only White men, Black men, and Asian 

men separated at rates higher than their on-board representation.

Conclusion

The workforce data presented above serves as a context for the strengths and 

challenges inherent in our strategic planning process.

The goals, objectives, and strategies presented in this strategic plan are intended 

to build upon the existing diversity in VA’s workforce and address the current 

challenges that remain. The three goals presented herein are generally focused on 

addressing these challenges in the workforce, workplace, and marketplace.

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

WM WW BM BW HM HW AM AW NH/P

IM

NH/P

IW AIM AIW OM OW

Perm. Sep. 29.4 34.8 9.76 12.9 3.11 2.69 2.23 2.81 0.05 0.05 0.76 0.85 0.21 0.30

Onboard 24.8 36.2 9.11 14.9 3.11 3.51 2.31 3.92 0.07 0.11 0.53 0.78 0.22 0.29

Separation vs. Onboard
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Mission

The mission of the Offi ce of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) is to foster a diverse 

workforce and an inclusive work environment that ensures equal opportunity 

through national policy development, workforce analysis, outreach, retention, 

and education to best serve our Nation’s Veterans.

Vision

It is the vision of ODI that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a leader in 

creating and sustaining a high-performing workforce by leveraging diversity and 

empowering all employees to achieve superior results in service to our Veterans.

Values

We serve our Nation’s Veterans. We are committed to pursuing the agency’s 

mission and fully utilizing the creativity, energy, and diversity of our workforce. 

To this end, we hold ourselves to the values of respect, trust, and responsiveness 

to promote a culture of performance excellence.

Goals

The following primary goals have been identifi ed in pursuit of this mission:

1. Create a diverse, results-oriented, high-performing workforce that 

refl ects the communities we serve by identifying and eliminating barriers 

to equal opportunity.

2. Cultivate a fl exible and inclusive work environment that enables full 

participation through strategic outreach and retention.

3. Facilitate outstanding customer service and stakeholder relations 

by promoting cultural competency, accountability, education, and 

communication.

Implementation

The following pages present the programmatic objectives, strategies, and 

measures designed to achieve the identifi ed goals. The Diversity and Inclusion 

Strategic Plan is intended to be a multi-year effort and is not intended to be 

a static document as changing conditions will likely require refi nement to the 

strategies published here. Implementation of this Plan will be led by the staff of 
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ODI, in partnership with VA’s internal and external stakeholders. VA’s leadership 

plays a key role in the effective implementation of this Strategic Plan. Each year, 

ODI will revisit the Plan and in concert with VA’s stakeholders, evaluate the 

effectiveness of the strategies outlined here in a Diversity and Inclusion Annual 

Performance Report.
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GOALS, OBJECTIVES & STRATEGIES

Objective 1A

Identify underrepresentation in the VA workforce in accordance with equal 

employment opportunity (EEO) laws, regulations, and management directives.

Strategies

• Analyze workforce demographic data in comparison with the Relevant 

Civilian Labor Force (RCLF) to identify triggers and potential barriers to 

EEO.

• Compile data, conduct annual barrier analysis, and submit annual EEO Plan 

and Program Status report to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 

(EEOC) in compliance with Management Directive 715 (MD 715).

• Compile data and submit Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Report 

(FEORP) to Offi ce of Personnel Management (OPM).

• Compile workforce diversity data for Monthly Performance Reviews (MPR) 

for agency leadership.

• Conduct monthly technical assistance meetings with agency EEO and 

diversity managers and annual briefi ngs with agency leadership on MD 715 

planning and reporting.

• Conduct individualized live and virtual MD 715 EEO Plan technical 

assistance conferences with all VA subcomponents.

• Provide ad hoc workforce diversity reports and trends analyses to internal 

and external stakeholders.

• In partnership with key business process owners, identify and implement an 

automated applicant fl ow/adverse impact analysis system to identify barriers 

to equal opportunity in the selection process.

Measures

• Reduce number of historically underrepresented groups in the VA workforce.

Goal 1

Create a diverse, results-oriented, high-performing workforce that 

refl ects the communities we serve by identifying and eliminating 

barriers to equal opportunity.
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• Reduce underrepresentation in historically underrepresented groups in VA 

workforce and leadership pipeline each year.

• Submit timely and accurate MD 715 Report to EEOC by designated deadline 

each year.

• Submit timely and accurate FEORP Report to OPM by designated deadline 

each year.

• Provide monthly performance report (MPR) updates and quarterly workforce 

analyses on EEO program metrics to agency leadership by 2009.

• ODI will provide ad hoc workforce diversity reports and trends analyses 

within fi ve business days of request.

• Improve quality of agency sub-component and facility level EEO plans and 

reports.

• Identify appropriate applicant fl ow data system by 2010 and implement 

applicant fl ow data system by 2012.

Objective 1B

Develop strategies to address underrepresentation and eliminate identifi ed 

barriers to equal employment opportunity.

Strategies

• Analyze workforce data to determine if promotions, awards, recognitions, 

training, and upward mobility opportunities are occurring equitably.

• Benchmark “best practices” in recruitment outreach strategies in the fi eld and 

provide consultation service to fi eld components.

• Assess attrition rates and develop models to support diversity in succession 

planning efforts.

• Collaborate with Offi ce of Human Resources Management (OHRM) to 

design and administer employee exit surveys six months after employee 

leaves the organization.

• Analyze exit survey data to identify trends and potential EEO-related root 

causes for attrition.

• Analyze employee separation data to identify triggers for barriers to equal 

opportunity.

Measures

• ODI will respond to requests for data analysis on promotions, awards, 

recognitions, training, and upward mobility opportunities within fi ve days of 

initial request.
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• ODI will provide customized guidance to VA Administrations, VA Central 

Offi ce (VACO), and fi eld components annually in fi rst quarter of fi scal year 

MD 715 to support their MD 715 EEO planning efforts.

• Provide timely workforce data and technical assistance in support of VA 

succession planning efforts as requested.

• Implement pilot delayed exit surveys in FY 2010.

• Reduce “regrettable losses” (i.e, pre-retirement age separations) of employees 

in mission critical occupations agency-wide.

Objective 1C

Maintain state-of-the-art EEOC-compliant standardized workforce analysis 

system to effi ciently support the agency’s workforce data management needs.

Strategies

• Continually upgrade and enhance VSSC to remain accurate, legally 

compliant, and user-friendly to aid managers in workforce planning efforts.

• Train and facilitate EEO managers on the use of the VHA Support Service 

Center workforce analysis system (VSSC) VA-wide.

• Perform random quality assurance checks on VSSC workforce data accuracy.

• Utilize variety of communications tools to distribute workforce analysis 

information (newsletter, video, CDs, Web site).

Measures

• Produce reliable and accurate workforce analysis tables in support of the 

MD 715 planning.

• Receive accurate, responsive, and reliable EEO plans and reports from VA 

Administrations and VACO.

• Reduce number of MD 715 EEO Program Status Report defi ciencies cited by 

EEOC.
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Objective 2A

Promote strategic recruitment outreach in order to maintain a competent, 

committed, and diverse workforce.

Strategies

• Conduct Technical Assistance Reviews (TARs) at agency facilities to address 

EEO program strengths and defi ciencies and perform follow-up activities to 

ensure responsive corrective actions are implemented.

• Provide guidance to agency Administrations, VACO, and fi eld components 

on best practices in recruitment outreach strategies.

• Partner with OHRM and Offi ce of Resolution Management (ORM) in 

conducting consolidated technical assistance on-site reviews.

• Provide training and guidance in the area of Special Emphasis Programs 

(SEP) and related mandated reports.

• Compile data and information for annual submission of Federally mandated 

SEP/diversity related reports (e.g., Hispanic Employment in Federal 

Government, Disabled Veterans Affi rmative Action Program, etc.)

• Design educational programs and outreach campaigns to promote science, 

medical, technology, engineering, and math occupations in diverse 

communities.

• Develop strategic partnerships and collaborations with community 

organizations, public and private agencies, affi nity groups, professional 

associations, and educational institutions to promote recruitment outreach to 

underrepresented populations.

• Develop Recruitment Outreach and Selection Process Guide providing 

guidance on conducting a barrier-free and EEO-compliant selection process 

and citing strategic use of special hiring authorities for underrepresented 

groups.

• Administer Community Prosperity Partnership (CPP) to leverage community 

resources for outreach to underrepresented communities.

• Establish a full-time EEO Manager position in VACO.

• Develop diversity-focused Employment Outreach Plans to promote 

strategically focused outreach to communities with low representation in the 

VA workforce.

Goal 2

Cultivate a fl exible and inclusive work environment that enables full 

participation through strategic outreach and retention.
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Measures

• Perform a minimum of six TARs on an annual basis at facilities based on 

established multidimensional needs assessment criteria.

• Perform follow-up to TARs within six months of initial visit to monitor 

progress on implementation of recommended corrective actions.

• Provide issue-updated guidance to agency subcomponents on “best practices” 

in recruitment outreach strategies in fi rst quarter of fi scal year.

• Develop a TAR tracking system to ensure continuity in recommending best 

practices.

• Provide SEP training at 20 percent of the facilities by end of FY 2013.

• Submit timely and accurate SEP/diversity-related Federally mandated reports 

to oversights agencies by designated deadlines each year.

• Distribute SEP announcement memoranda to agency subcomponents 

annually and 30 days in advance of the SEP event.

• Participate in six national affi nity group conferences or outreach venues 

annually.

• ODI will coordinate three CPP events annually based in diverse, 

underrepresented communities.

• ODI will issue Recruitment Outreach and Selection Process Guide by end of 

FY 2009.

• Establish a baseline for the purpose of measuring and improving diversity in 

applicant pools in underrepresented areas by 2012.

• Increase representation of people with targeted disabilities to 2 percent of the 

agency workforce by 2013.

• Reduce EEO complaints based on non-selection through appropriate EEO 

training for managers and supervisors.

• Recruit EEO Manager for VACO by 2010, budget permitting.

• Issue the fi rst diversity-focused Employment Outreach Plan on Hispanic 

Outreach by March 30, 2010.

Objective 2B

Support the retention and full participation of employees in order to provide 

high-quality service to Veterans and their families.

Strategies

• Analyze Federal Human Capital Survey (FHCS) and Annual Employee 

Survey (AES) data to identify trends with regard to diversity and inclusion.

• Coordinate with national selective placement services to place applicants/

employees with disabilities.
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• Implement accurate reasonable accommodation tracking system to report 

national data.

• Establish and train selective placement coordinators for placement of people 

with disabilities utilizing Schedule A Hiring Authorities.

• Improve partnership and build strategic alliances with OHRM on EEO, 

diversity, and inclusion issues.

Measures

• Increase retention of historically underrepresented groups in VA workforce 

and mission critical occupations.

• Increase favorable responses to diversity related items on employee surveys 

over prior year baselines.

• Implement automated reasonable accommodation tracking system by 

FY 2010.

• Identify baseline and increase timeliness of processing of reasonable 

accommodation requests by 2010.

• Produce one marketing/promotional material on reasonable accommodation 

requests by end of FY 2009.

• Reduce EEO complaints based on failure to accommodate through 

appropriate EEO training of managers and supervisors.

• Establish selective placement coordinator function in all facilities by 

FY 2010; provide initial training in FY 2010.

• Implement monthly strategy meetings between ODI and OHRM key staff in 

FY 2009.

Objective 2C

Create a diverse pipeline for recruitment and career advancement opportunities in 

order to support agency succession planning and leadership development.

Strategies

• Coordinate agency-wide student non-traditional internship programs, 

including but not limited Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities 

(HACU), National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, 

American Indian Science and Engineering Society, Washington Internships 

for Native Students, Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP), The 

Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, International 

Leadership Foundation.

• Create a national internship database for tracking the recruitment of 

nontraditional interns and track work experience in database and on Standard 

Federal 50 forms.
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• Develop mentoring program framework and coaching toolkit to support 

diversity in succession planning.

• Monitor Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program 

(SESCDP) and Leadership VA (LVA) candidate selection processes to ensure 

there are no barriers to equal opportunity.

• ODI will collaborate with OHRM to develop a diversity focused marketing/

outreach plan to market the SES CDP and LVA programs.

• Send VA SES job opportunity announcement to diversity organizations 

through diversity listserv.

• Include voluntary race, gender, ethnicity disclosure form with all SES 

vacancies to anonymously track diversity of leadership applicant pool.

• Develop Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with diverse institutions 

of higher education and professional organizations to facilitate recruitment 

outreach to underrepresented groups.

• Develop guide on conducting EEO compliant selection process, including 

legally compliant ways to incorporate diversity in selection panels.

• In conjunction with OHRM, increase use of “open continuous” database in 

mission critical occupational.

Measures

• Sponsor 20 WRP and 50 HACU interns annually.

• Convert 5 percent of qualifi ed, sponsored WRP students utilizing special 

hiring authorities (e.g., Schedule A, 30 percent disabled Veterans) annually, 

subject to availability of budget resources.

• Establish a non-traditional internship database by end of FY 2009.

• Establish a guide and materials on mentoring and coaching to improve 

retention and enhance diversity in leadership pipeline by FY 2011.

• Increase marketing and outreach for leadership development programs such 

as SESCDP and LVA.

• Increase number of internships, work-study cooperative arrangements, and 

student/faculty exchanges under MOUs.

• Issue guidance on conducting EEO compliant selection processes by 

FY 2010.

• Develop open continuous database for diverse candidates in mission critical 

occupational categories by FY 2011.
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Objective 3A

Develop agency policies that ensure commitment to and accountability for 

maintaining a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace.

Strategies

• Develop consolidated EEO, Diversity & Inclusion, and No FEAR Policy and 

related guidance in coordination with process owners.

• Develop and implement VA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan.

• Develop VA Diversity and Inclusion Annual Performance Report.

• Implement offi ce name change from “Offi ce of Diversity Management and 

Equal Employment Opportunity” (DM&EEO) to “Offi ce of Diversity and 

Inclusion.”

• Develop recommended performance elements addressing EEO, diversity, and 

inclusion in management and supervisory performance plans.

• Update reasonable accommodation and accessibility (RA) policy directive; 

and provide timely and effective (RA) guidance and training.

• Establish local reasonable accommodation coordinator function throughout 

agency.

• Develop and implement VA Diversity and Inclusion Awards program.

• Benchmark best practices for diversity and inclusion.

• Develop and implement diversity product surveys.

Measures

• Issue consolidated EEO, Diversity and Inclusion, and No FEAR Policy 

and related guidance annually and within 6 months of appointment of new 

Secretary.

• Develop and implement initial Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan in 

FY 09; update the Plan no later than FY 2014.

• Issue fi rst VA Diversity and Inclusion Annual Performance Report by January 

2010; issue succeeding Annual Reports within 100 days of the close of the 

reported fi scal year.

• Publish and market best practices in diversity and inclusion by end of 

FY 2009.

Goal 3

Facilitate outstanding customer service and stakeholder relations by 

promoting cultural competency, accountability, education, and 

communication.
Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2009-2013

Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2009-2013

21

• Promulgate offi ce name change to “Offi ce of Diversity and Inclusion” by 

FY 2009.

• Establish recommended EEOC MD 715 compliant diversity and inclusion 

performance element for SES, supervisors, and manager performance plans 

by FY 2010.

• Issue new agency-wide Reasonable Accommodation Directive by May 2009.

• Begin training of reasonable accommodation coordinators in FY 2010.

• Increase nominations for Diversity and Inclusion Awards by FY 2009.

Objective 3B

Educate employees and managers on EEO, diversity, and inclusion matters to 

promote competency in maintaining a fair, high-performing, and healthy work 

environment. 

Strategies

• Develop minimum standards for diversity, EEO, and confl ict management 

training for all managers and supervisors.

• Evaluate and update EEO, Harassment, No FEAR, and diversity-related 

training for employees.

• Develop and conduct training on Business Case for Diversity, including 

diversity of thought and perspective in workforce, internal operations, and 

service delivery.

• Add content of the business case for diversity and inclusion to the ODI 

inclusion Web site.

• Perform organizational needs assessments to assess need for cultural 

competency training in workforce management and service delivery.

• Implement cultural competency training and evaluations to address identifi ed 

workforce and client services needs in this area. 

Measures

• Develop VA-wide standards for recurring diversity, EEO, and confl ict 

management training (content and delivery) for managers and supervisors by 

end of FY 2009; implement supervisory training by FY 2010.

• Train supervisors/managers in diversity, EEO, and confl ict management 

annually in accordance with timeframes contained in VA policies and 

directives.

• Conduct training on Business Case for Diversity and Inclusion at a minimum 

of four leadership venues annually beginning in FY 2009.

• Reduce VA’s per capita rate of EEO complaints through appropriate EEO and 

diversity training. 
Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2009-2013

22

• Post diversity-related training content to diversity Web site agency-wide by 

end of FY 2009; update training content annually.

• Improve patient/client satisfaction scores in workforce and diverse 

communities.

Objective 3C

Promote effective communication with employees and stakeholders on diversity 

and inclusion issues to heighten awareness and share best practices.

Strategies

• Implement VA Diversity Advisory Council and provide coordination and staff 

support. 

• Redesign ODI Web site to feature more content in a user-friendly format.

• Enhance format and informational content of Diversity@Work newsletter.

• Enhance educational format and content of Diversity News video broadcast.

• Electronically disseminate educational articles in the area of diversity and 

inclusion on NewsLink.

• Develop systems to track viewership of communications vehicles and 

establish baseline measures.

• Monitor responses on diversity related survey items on FHCS and AES; 

participate in develop of diversity-related items as appropriate.

• Develop a survey for recipients of diversity products to measure their 

effectiveness.

• Develop and distribute marketing materials on diversity and inclusion.

Measures

• Standup VA-wide Diversity Advisory Council by FY 2009 and provide staff 

support as needed.

• Redesign ODI Web site by FY 2010.

• Increase electronic distribution of Diversity@Work newsletter annually.

• Establish baseline of Diversity News viewership on diversity Web site by end 

of FY 2009, and increase viewership by 5 percent in FY 2010.

• Increase distribution of diversity related Web-based NewsLink annually.

• Increase favorable responses to EEO and diversity related survey items in 

employee surveys (FHCS or AES) beginning in FY 2010.

• Majority of respondents to diversity product surveys indicate understanding 

of business case for diversity and inclusion.

• Implement at least one diversity and inclusion initiative annually 

agency-wide beginning in FY 2010.
Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2009-2013

Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for FY 2009-2013
For more information,

please contact:

Offi ce of Diversity and Inclusion

810 Vermont Avenue, NW (06)

Washington, DC 20420

Phone: (202) 461-4131

Email: odi@va.gov