Strada Education Foundation Receives Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workplace Certification

The recognition, awarded to Strada plus all four supported nonprofit organizations that make up Strada Collaborative — CAEL, Education at Work, InsideTrack, and Roadtrip Nation — signals a continued prioritization of DEI efforts.
May 3, 2023

Read Time

INDIANAPOLIS – Strada Education Foundation, which helps people achieve their career and life goals through education or training after high school, has received Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workplace Certification from Diversity for Social Impact, a strategic professional and organization development company dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion to drive social impact worldwide. The Diversity Equity Inclusion Workplace Certification assesses organizations against a set of rigorous standards and signifies that recipients have created and sustained a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace culture.

The certification’s audit process applies expertise in psychology, organizational development, and social justice to assess quantitative diversity and inclusion data as well the results from an independent survey of employee DEI perceptions and experiences. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workplace-certified organizations achieve a benchmark score that surpasses at least 70 percent of audited peers.

“Strada is committed to accelerating efforts to make meaningful and sustainable changes that create a more inclusive and diverse workplace environment,” said Chantée Eldridge, Strada senior vice president and chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer. “This work is especially important at an organization like Strada because in order to improve the link between education and opportunity, we need to ensure the system works better for those who historically have faced the greatest challenges accessing education and economic opportunity. We are proud of this certification because it acknowledges the work we’ve done so far and signals that we will continue to prioritize ensuring everyone gets what they deserve: a fair and equal opportunity to succeed.”

The Diversity Equity Inclusion Workplace Certification serves as a catalyst for organizations who meet the benchmark to continue their DEI journey by opening doors to additional training and resources, providing a recognized employer brand for attracting top talent, and boosting employee engagement and retention. The certification is eligible for renewal every two years.
“We are proud of this certification and the work it represents, but there is more work to be done,” Strada President and CEO Stephen Moret said. “Because our North Star is to help bring to life a postsecondary education and training ecosystem that provides equitable pathways to opportunity, we are prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion in both our internal and external efforts.”

About Strada Education Foundation
Providing access to college degrees isn’t enough. That’s why Strada Education Foundation focuses on stronger connections between postsecondary education and opportunity in the U.S. and focus on helping people whom our systems have failed to serve equitably. We advance this mission through research, grantmaking, social impact investments, and public policy solutions. We collaborate with students, educators, employers, policymakers, and other partners to help create more equitable pathways to prosperity. Learn more at stradaeducation.org.

About Diversity for Social Impact
The Diversity Equity Inclusion Workplace™ Certification is issued by Diversity for Social Impact, a strategic professional and organization development organization dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion to drive social impact worldwide. Diversity Equity Inclusion Workplace Certification recognizes organizations that meet a rigorous set of standards that reflect a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace culture. The certification process applies psychology, organizational development, and social justice methodologies to assess quantitative diversity and inclusion data. It also captures the voice of workers through independent surveys of employees’ DEI perceptions and experiences. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workplace-certified organizations achieve a benchmark score that surpasses at least 70 percent of audited peers.

###

Strada media contact: Brian Hendrickson, Interim Head of Communications, brian.hendrickson@stradaeducation.org.