Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

By Rodneikka Scott, Chief Membership & Diversity Programs Officer; and Kirsta Suggs, Associate Director of Professional Development 

The Endocrine Society is committed to developing and supporting a diverse and inclusive membership of clinicians, researchers, and educators. Our common goal is to promote health equity among all populations, and eliminate endocrine health disparities in our local, national, and global communities.

We strive every day to achieve these goals, but they are not new. The society’s objectives on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have been a topic of discussion among Society leaders for well over 25 years. 

In the early 1990s, the Society established a Minority Affairs Committee (MAC) — now known as the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (CoDI) — to provide a framework for our efforts in this area.

Over the years, much of the focus was on “who’s in the room” — looking to ensure a balanced representation of different groups, as representation is a bedrock factor in achieving DEI goals. We have made strides in this area and continue working to ensure all decision-making bodies and programs across the Society reflect our diverse membership and the communities we serve. 

Working with CoDI and other groups, we also have advocated for DEI principles in the broader health care arena. Among recent activities, we:

• Held a 100 Years of Insulin webinar in September on health disparities and breaking down barriers to diabetes care; 
• Conducted a June 24, 2021, virtual congressional briefing titled “Obesity In America: What You Need to Know About the Impact of COVID-19, Disparities, and Policy Options;” 
• Called attention to disparities in women’s health research and policy at a March 2, 2021, congressional briefing: “Women’s Health Research – Understanding the Roles of Sex and Gender;” and 
• Provided feedback to the House Ways & Means Committee (Subcommittee on Health) on various health disparity issues, including rural and underserved communities and racial health equity.

But the work of equity, diversity, and inclusion is not a solo job. It’s not just CoDI members or the Chief Membership & Diversity Programs Officer saying, “This is the way we are going to move forward.” 

To make enduring progress, we must clearly articulate the Society’s DEI mission and make sure its goals are understood and carried out by member leaders. We must establish programs and policies to create a cohesive vision that result in tangible and measurable outcomes. And we must harness the power of our DEI values to strengthen the Society’s collective scientific and clinical excellence.

In this next phase, we will begin to partner with member groups and staff to conduct DEI audits to establish baselines while reviewing policies, practices, and procedures. Our leadership is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that will enable the recruitment and retention of a diverse membership that reflects the communities served. 

Over the next 24 months, you will see such things as: