Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI)

DEI Links
Rotary International DEI videos
DEI videos
• Three Rotary members  share their personal experiences with diversity, equity, and inclusion and offer suggestions about how you can be an ally.
• Learn about Rotary's efforts  to become a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization.
• Discover how DEI can improve   the member and participant experience.
DEI Learning Center
Several courses from the Rotary International Learning Center will help you and other members of your club understand more about Diversity Equity Inclusion and help you commit to this important strategy of Rotary and take action.
Truth and Reconciliation
Land Acknowledgement in the Delta School District video (17:30): a compilation of candid thoughts from a number of staff of the Delta School District who have been learning their way through the Land Acknowledgment as a step on their respective journey towards reconciliation.
 
DEI and 4-Way Test
Supports exploration and discussion of ways to focus current members, especially newer members, and prospective members in the recruitment process, on the value of the 4-Way Test in business, in networking, and, in turn, the business value in membership and networking of Diversity Equity Inclusion. 
 
Taking an approach to DEI that focuses on the long-established and accepted 4-Way Test could help in the transition towards DEI among clubs over time. The proposition is that DEI is not an isolated, new program or idea, rather it’s an extension of what Rotarians have already been practicing for many decades.
Expand Our Reach: DEI
Why DEI? Expand our Reach: a conversation with Katey Halliday, member of Rotary's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force.
Your community profile match to your club
Clubs can determine the profile of their local communities and assess themselves in terms of how they do, or do not, reflect that profile. Using the profile of Smithers, BC, by the Town and the regional government here are examples of what the Rotary Club of Smithers might do to determine its community profile.
Business Case for DEI video, Microsoft
Although the context is private sector, this video, The Business Case, Sociopolitical Case and Human Case for Diversity & Inclusion, which Microsoft's Chief Diversity Officer Lindsay-Rae McIntyre provided to our District, can relate to our future of Rotary, particularly related to the preferences of Millenials and Gen X and Y, what they expect from employers and, in turn, what they expect from the volunteer organizations they join.  
Comment on rising Asian hate behaviour
Rotarian Jimmy Yan, a member of the District 5040 Diversity Equity Inclusion Committee, summarized his presentation to the Rotary Club of Tsawwassen on Jun 2, 2022.
 
"Canada's Asian population is growing. Anti-Asian hate crime and racism do exist. All of us should not shy away from our biases in order to help eradicate hate crime and racism. When I said all of us, I meant a victim may also be an offender. Fortunately, we are learning from mistakes and making actual efforts to build a more equitable society. There are hopeful signs for the future."
  
Jimmy Yan
C. 604.218.0793
jimmyj.yan@gmail.com
Whiteness
An abridged version of the academic paper, Whiteness. by Jimmy Yan, Rotary Club of Richmond, BC
Through immigration and interracial marriage the ethnic composition of Canada has changed considerably. Immigrants from nations where people are homogenous and share the same ethnicity and skin colour may not be conscious of the connection between ethnicity and skin colour in their new home in Canada. Those immigrants may seek explanations for the social inequalities they seek as they try to settle into life in their new communities and try to belong and avoid becoming a "victim". Read More
Canada's first Chief Accessibility Officer speaks up for those challenged by barriers
People with disabilities are under employed. 22% of Canadians live with a disability. They are 645,000 people ready, willing and able to work right now today. 50% of them have a post-secondary education, with at least one degree. But they're not working. Why? 27% of them will tell you it's because they can't get to work because there is no accessible transportation. Others will tell you about unconscious bias and artificial intelligence screening them out in the hiring process right from the beginning.
 
Stephanie Cadieux’s 4-year appointment as the Government of Canada’s first Chief Accessibility Officer began in May 2022. Ms. Cadieux is a change leader with more than 15 years of experience in planning and leadership roles. She has worked as an advocate for diversity, accessibility, and disability inclusion. Read More
4 Ps of Marketing and DEI
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is the future of Rotary. What can a club do to advance Rotary's DEI strategy to achieve a sustainable future by considering the basic elements of marketing. Each of the 4 Ps of Marketing can be considered in making your club more diverse, equitable and inclusive. Promotion (advertising, sales, communications) is only one of the 4 Ps. 
Old things in new ways, new things in new ways
Reducing costs to members is one way to attract more members, especially younger ones or retirees. Other ways to increase a club's flexibility so it can attract and keep members include taking an overall marketing approach to developing and promoting the Rotary experience (see separate document posted here on 4 Ps of Marketing). Clubs can do old things in new ways as well as new things in new ways.
Member Recruitment Appeal through DEI and Values
A focus on membership size is important for any club. The more the members, the more the performance for the community and the world. In recruiting and retaining members, however, more and more the “Rotary experience” needs to focus on a marketing approach related to our values including Diversity Equity and Inclusion.
 
Template proposal for club's transition to DEI
A Rotary club's transition to DEI ensures that the club continues as a relevant and sustainable organization in service above self to our community and world by becoming more diverse, inclusive and equitable in a way and at a pace most appropriate to the club and its members. Here is a template for a proposal to a club board -- provided for convenience should your club wish to proceed with DEI.
Global, local Rotary leaders saluted 2023 International Women's Day
story image preview2023 is a special year in Rotary worldwide, on International Women's Day, March 8th with the first female President of Rotary International in its 117 year history: Jennifer Jones. She is also a Canadian -- an extra source of pride for all of us. Not only worldwide, but here in our District 5040 of 49 clubs, we have a number of women as our leaders. 
 
 
Rotary District 5040 Governor in 2023-24 is Shirley-Pat Chamberlain, below left, and in 2025-26 is Jan Gisborne
 
 
 
World Bank and Rotary International celebrate International Women’s Day: Three Rotary women were recognized on 7 March at the World Bank in Washington, D.C., USA, for their commitment to improving lives through innovative humanitarian projects. The celebration, hosted by the World Bank Group Staff Association, and sponsored by Rotary International and investment firm Oppenheimer & Co., was one of many events held this week to mark International Women's Day, which is on 8 March each year. It highlighted the positive changes women make around the world. 
Your club: where you 'belong'
 
At Rotary, we're committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect, allowing everyone's voice to be heard, and providing equitable opportunities for fellowship, service, and leadership. 
 
Our members want and expect Rotary to be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. We're committed to creating supportive environments that foster open communication and shared learning. 
 
Rotary International has adopted a development strategy around Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI). While Rotary overall is a model of DEI, many of our 35,000 clubs are not. An international Task Force has been conducting research within Rotary and, as of January 2022, has started presenting its findings and recommendations. 
 
In 2021 Rotary District 5040 formed a DEI Committee to work with our 48 clubs on ways they can choose to reflect the communities they serve, develop and become more relevant by engaging with them, and become more sustainable through their own strategies related to DEI.
 
 
To establish a starting point in consulting with our clubs, the District DEI Committee has been conducting research with our club members to determine levels of awareness, understanding and commitment to DEI. 
 
These recommendations to District 5040 clubs, and the District system which supports them, come from members in 11 clubs of various sizes and locations who participated in focus groups in Fall 2021. Thank you to the 60 or so District members who led and participated in these focus groups.
 
These recommendations are, in turn, based on responses to an online survey of all District 5040 members in January 2022, to determine to what extent opinions -- identified in the focus groups -- were shared by all. Thank you to the more than 330 Rotary and Rotaract members who responded to the online survey.
 
The 15 recommendations aim to support a club-driven approach to DEI.
Rotary International statement on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Rotary.org
 
Rotary member, at Rotary International we are dedicated to enhancing your Rotary experience by supporting what is important to you, our members. You have consistently told us that you want Rotary to be a place that celebrates diversity, that fully represents our communities, and that offers all members equitable opportunities to thrive.

You also recognize that embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) will allow us to do more meaningful work while engaging with people who know they’ll be valued for the qualities that make them unique. These sentiments were reinforced last year by the more than 31,000 members around the world who responded to our first DEI survey.

To ensure that the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion are ingrained in everything we do, the RI Board of Directors, guided by the DEI Task Force, has strengthened our commitment to DEI and is taking action in response to the survey findings.

Our DEI Code of Conduct

What we say and how we behave matter. Although free expression is important, we must take responsibility for how our words and actions may affect others. The Board has approved a new DEI Code of Conduct to help Rotary members create and maintain an environment that is collaborative, positive, and healthy for everyone. 

Simply put, the DEI Code of Conduct asks you to:
  • Use respectful language
  • Be supportive
  • Foster a welcoming and inclusive environment
  • Celebrate diversity
All Rotary leaders, from club presidents and district governors to directors and trustees, are expected to apply the DEI Code of Conduct uniformly to help members recognize the impact that their words and actions can have on other people.

If you experience behavior that does not align with the DEI Code of Conduct, you have ways to respond:
  • If the situation can be resolved through discussion, please talk to the person directly. Often, the person who said something or acted in a way that made others feel excluded, marginalized, or targeted did not do so intentionally. Although there might be mistakes, missteps, and uncomfortable conversations along the way, having this dialogue will lead to a better and stronger Rotary.
  • If a discussion is not possible or the situation involves someone in a leadership role or another club, contact Rotary’s Club and District Support staff, who will review the information and follow up appropriately.
  • If you are in danger or your safety is in doubt, contact local law enforcement officers and notify Club and District Support staff.
As an organization, we are stronger when we embrace the diversity found in our clubs and communities. We are more effective when we offer a valuable, inclusive experience that provides equitable opportunities for people to serve, to lead, and to participate with us. To grow Rotary and become a more dynamic organization, we must take DEI seriously. And with your support, we are doing that. 

You can support DEI in Rotary by:
DEI Showcase, District 5040
BC's Write 2 Read program brings Education & Literacy Rotary focus to First Nation communities
 
 
“If you don’t know how to read, you don’t know how to do anything,” said Naomi White, librarian for her village of Lax Kw’alaams, north of Prince Rupert, on receiving 14 pallets of books and library furniture so that about 150 school-age children in her small village would get the chance to enhance their literacy through the Rotary-initiated Write2Read program throughout BC. Literacy, she said, is the key to more First Nations people advancing into higher education and holding down jobs in the trades, businesses and professions. 
 
“We’re just so remote here. Now we’re better able to foster the love of learning. And to pass on that reading is power. The more you know the better of you are,” said White, describing how many young people in the village are keen to learn about the larger world through the library. bobblacker@gmail.com  Read More
 
Rights of abused, widowed women in Tanzania supported 
 
 
Women in Tanzania face a great challenge to get justice when they suffer abuse or when left widowed left to bring up a young family. Violence against women is common in Tanzanian society with 40% being forced to marry before the age of 18 years. Of these women, 44% will experience both sexual and physical abuse in their marriage, enabled when 60% of women, themselves, believe spousal violence is acceptable and even a demonstration of a husband’s love. While Tanzanian Law does recognize the rights of women to inherit or receive financial or property provision when abused or widowed, most women tend to be unaware of their rights and how to access their entitlement. The not-for-profit, “Inherit Your Rights” (IYR) has formed to help women with access to what they are entitled. The Rotary Club of Richmond Sunrise is helping sponsor part of that program.   dalglishg@gmail.com     Read More
 
 
Seniors' expedition to Barkerville of 60 years longest continuous service project in District
 
Many of the 116 seniors who participated at no cost on September 7, 2022 in Quesnel Rotary's annual Expedition to Barkerville, the gold mining heritage town dating back to 1862 -- the largest living-history museum in western North America -- have been long-time supporters of local Rotary fundraisers. This expedition has become an annual tradition since 1962. In fact, other than the past two years of interruption because of the pandemic, it is the longest continuous service project in Rotary District 5040. rotaryclubofquesnel@gmail.com    Read More
 
 
EarlyAct elementary school pride parade
 
Over 500 students from Strathcona Elementary School marched through their Vancouver community on June 15, 2022 as the school's first annual Pride Parade led by members of the EarlyAct program, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Vancouver Sunrise. CONTACT: Ed Kwan, Rotary Club of Vancouver Sunrise, ed.kwan21@gmail.com
Read more...
Pride in Rotary District 5040
A group of Rotarians, Rotaracts, Vancouver Young Professionals, and Interacts from Rotary District 5040 participated in Vancouver's largest ever Pride Parade on August 6, 2023. More to come next year, according to organizer Ron Suzuki (left) https://tinyurl.com/yc2yjdu8
Courageous Conversations
 
Rotary Zone 28 & 32 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team hosted a session on Courageous Conversations, January 18, 2024, featuring Nabil Oudeh as speaker. 
 
Ottawa-based Past District Governor Nabil Oudeh is a Palestinian who grew up in Israel and experienced the impact of conflict on all aspects of life. He has become a lifelong peacebuilder challenging himself and others in the most difficult circumstances to utilize dialogue as a way of building greater understanding between peoples.
 
His graduate studies focused on peace and conflict resolution. For over 25 years he has been involved in workplace transformation, assisting leaders, professionals and their organizations.  He helps his clients develop and create effective solutions to their biggest challenges at work. Nabil offers a unique perspective on leadership, organizational effectiveness and workplace wellness.
 
A YouTube recording of Nabil Oudeh's presentation to Rotary DEI leaders and members in Districts across Canada and Northeast USA is available, starting at 1:45 and ending at 20:30.