Challenge
Emergency management organizations need to serve the actual needs of their constituents. However, understanding how to assess and measure diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in an organization can be challenging, complicated, and subjective. There is a need for a defensible and replicable methodology for conducting the assessment process, analyzing the information and continuously monitoring DEI initiatives and their overall effectiveness. This enables organizations to evaluate their readiness to apply equitable practices as well as the actual equitability of planning assumptions, community engagement approaches, and program-based service delivery.
Solution
4Cast combines deliberate and crisis action planning approaches with data science and decision intelligence to inform DEI assessments, trainings, and workshops. Our planning approach uses the most current and granular data available to support industry-standard processes in order to develop equity assessments, surveys, plans, and recommendations. Our advanced modeling techniques will help government, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations improve their internal operations, while understanding risk and vulnerability in order to make equitable decisions which foster smart growth in disaster-affected communities. I-DIEM is a trusted advisor in the emergency management community and utilizes the 4Cast platform to conduct more efficient DEI assessments for the people they serve.
Process
In collaboration with I-DIEM, 4Cast identified key processes to evaluate organizations’ equity readiness levels. We conducted a needs assessment to map the organization’s gaps and to conduct equity assessments. This resulted in the development of core processes that enable:
Semi-automation of large group assessments, data driven analysis and quantification, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation .
Results
Based on the collaborative sessions, we were able to design an online equity assessment tool powered by decision intelligence through the 4Cast platform, to expedite the efforts of any emergency management organization to achieve their equity goals. Key components include:
An equity survey tool, a tracking mechanism to conduct equity assessments more efficiently nationwide, insights to identify biases in plans, staffing, training, and exercises, and decision intelligence to identify community risks and vulnerabilities in the natural, built, and economic environment.
“This decision support solution represents the innovation our industry needs. I believe it’s going to help organizations far and wide as they seek to evaluate their current operational readiness and equity practices.”
Chauncia Willis, Co-Founder and CEO of The Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management (I-DIEM)
