Employee Resource Groups, Business Resource Groups, Employee Affinity Networks … whatever you want to call them, ERGs (for short) continue to grow as one of the main vehicles for companies to engage and empower diverse employees to contribute their best to the organization. ERGs help employees feel a sense of belonging, help recruit the very best diverse set of employees, help engage diverse customers, and assist with corporate – community engagement. As large companies continue to grow and enhance their ERGs, smaller and medium size companies are now launching them.

And now for my big announcement! I have been commissioned by the National Diversity Council to design and co-facilitate their brand new 1 and ½ days ERG Academy! And we intend to offer the best academy on this subject in the industry with a focus on practical information and building an ERG action plan.

For the past two years, I have enjoyed being on the faculty of the National Diversity Council’s DiversityFIRST week-long Certification Program taught at various locations around the US. This program prepares professionals to create and implement highly successful diversity and inclusion strategies. I will continue to teach the modules on best practices in diversity recruiting, employee resource groups, diversity councils and diversity training. And I am now thrilled to take the lead on this new NDC initiative.

The NDC will be launching this new one and a half day ERG (Employee Resource Group) Academy in Dallas, Texas. And I am thrilled to be the lead developer and co-facilitator of this new offering! Our inaugural academy will be in Dallas, Texas April 8-9th, just prior to the NDC’s annual Leadership and Diversity Conference.

The mission of the DiversityFIRST™ ERG Academy is to be a resource to both individuals and organizations seeking to start, grow or fully utilize their employee resource groups. The academy blends theory and practice over a one-and-a-half-day interactive curriculum, with the development of an action plan to effectively lead ERGs for the greatest business impact and sustainability.

The intended audience includes ERG leaders and members, HR leaders with responsibility for overseeing ERGs, HR advisors and executive sponsors supporting ERGs, and internal or external consultants working with ERGs

To read more about the objectives, the curriculum and enrollment information, please check out the NDC ERG Academy web page. And always feel free to email or call me with any questions.