ASAE Debuts New Diversity + Inclusion Benchmarking Tool for Association Management

WASHINGTON, April 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Today, ASAE is introducing the first Diversity + Inclusion (D+I) tool for associations called the Association Inclusion Index. It's an online, diagnostic tool that evaluates D+I policies, philosophies, and practices against community standards. The tool offers strategies and solutions for expanding an organization's reach, relevance and reputation through practicing inclusive excellence. It focuses on five key D+I performance domains in associations which are: Mission and Focus, Roles and Leadership Accountability, Resources, Operations, and Communication and Culture.

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The tool allows associations to benchmark their own practices and immediately provide stakeholders with critical data to direct their time and funds in meaningful ways. In the future, associations who purchase the tool will be able to compare their results to their peers by industry, staff and budget size. ASAE will analyze D+I trends and create aggregate reports that will inform the community.

"It's critical for organizations to understand how diversity and inclusion plays a practical role in staffing, recruiting, retaining, and engaging members and volunteers," said ASAE President and CEO John H. Graham IV, CAE. "Whether you already have a diversity + inclusion commitment in place or are thinking about starting one, the Association Inclusion Index tool will provide CEOs of associations and nonprofit organizations with critical data points and communication tools to inform your employees, board of directors, and members about your results and next steps."

ASAE used various research methods to identify best practices and information related to D+I performance in nonprofits and association management. During the summer and fall of 2012, ASAE performed two rounds of beta testing to ensure the questions and responses yielded valid and reliable results.

"The first beta testing phase, in which I participated, immediately revealed which areas our association needed to improve in order to enhance our diversity and inclusion practices," said Dr. Rosa Aronson, CAE, TESOL International Association Executive Director and D+I Committee Chair. "Associations can greatly benefit from taking the Association Inclusion Index tool because it implicitly creates a roadmap for an inclusive culture in your organization."

The Association Inclusion Index is available to ASAE members for $199 and non-members for $299. For more information or to purchase the tool, please visit www.asaecenter.org/diversity and click on "Association Inclusion Index" in the side menu.

About ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership
ASAE is a membership organization of more than 21,000 association executives and industry partners representing 10,000 organizations. Its members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies and voluntary organizations across the United States and in nearly 50 countries around the world. With support of the ASAE Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession, and provides resources, education, ideas and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community. For more information about ASAE, visit www.asaecenter.org.

SOURCE ASAE