Your toolkit: While signing the AV Industry Pledge for an Equitable Future is an important first step toward a better future for the AV Industry, it is your continued efforts that will help us reach the goals of true diversity, inclusion and equity. Below are examples of how you and your company can increase your efforts.

1. Foster Awareness and Analysis

Positive change  starts with  understanding and acknowledge the existence of systemic  racism, leaning  in to  tough conversations, and analyzing how we can  contribute to creating a better world. This  can  include:

• Providing  diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and unconscious bias  education for your staff
• Creating safe spaces for  challenging  workplace  conversations about DEI
• Adopting zero tolerance  racism  policies
• Establishing  benchmarks for evolving  company culture
• Create an  internal task force dedicated to  DEI work
• Completing an  internal diversity audit  to map areas for enhanced diversity  at your company  (integrating employee feedback mechanisms)
• Participating  in AVIXA  research, furthering the reporting of diversity amongst the AV industry

2. Take Action

Take real action.  Pledge to  set measurable goals,  follow through on findings, and  commit resources. This can include: 

• Join  AVIXA’s  Diversity  Council  
• Hire and support a diverse workforce, executive leadership team and board of directors
• Update human resource  policies  and job descriptions/qualifications  to  offer  more  inclusive hiring policies and  more  candidates  from underrepresented  backgrounds  
• Broadcast job opportunities,  internships, and work experiences to underrepresented populations  in  wider networks and within your local communities
• Develop 360-degree mentoring programs  for  more leadership opportunities and nurturing of  BIPOC employees 
• Engage  and foster  diverse communities  in  your  spheres of influence 
• Build partnerships with  nonprofits and community organizations such as the Loop Lab,  EnventU, New Futures,  YearUp,  Boys & Girls Clubs, or Scouts
• Facilitate or host  events  and  DEI  exchanges  or events
• Present representative marketing and advertising in your media by showcasing underrepresented voices from all backgrounds in stories to help prospective employees and clients feel a sense of belonging
• Remove outdated and non-inclusive terminology from your content, marketing materials, and technology guides

3. Accountability

Upon signing the AV Industry pledge,  share  your  progress and report on both challenges and successes. This  can  include: 

• Sharing your experiences,  what you  learn, and what needs improvement  with peers and the greater AV industry 
• Creating and sharing actionable KPIs such as measurable change in hiring  in one year, three years, and five years 
• Sharing  growth in  representation  benchmarks 
• Demonstrating impact on your community and individuals from authentic relationships with new partners and/or organizations