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OVERVIEW: DEMONSTRATING MANAGEMENT

ACCOUNTABILITY

Objective-voluntary compliance. As part of its continuing efforts in technical

assistance, outreach, and education the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

established a task force to examine private sector best practices in EEO policy, programsand practices. The task force's report, released in December 1997, is intended to facilitate

voluntary compliance through the examination of business polices, programs, and

practices that will be useful to employers in structuring systems and policies that areconsistent with their business priorities as well as with their EEO obligations and

diversity objectives.

The task force did not endorse any particular policy, program, or practice. Its goal in

identifying practices currently being implemented by employers was to disseminate

information about practices that are likely to promote voluntary compliance with the EEO

laws. The Task Force was of the view that management commitment and accountability

are driving forces behind all of the other practices. Accordingly, it set forth examples ofcompanies' management commitment and accountability mechanisms.

The comments by necessity had to express the company's commitment to equal

employment opportunity. There also had to be some statement of accountability.

Manifestations of management commitment included CEO- and other high levelmanagement- launched and supported EEO, Diversity, and Affirmative Action initiatives,

such as training; developing goals; and planning and implementing strategies.

Manifestations of management accountability included executive leadership reviews on

progress toward EEO/Diversity goals with linkage of incentive pay to the achievement ofthese goals, the identification of the importance of valuing diversity as a key executive

competency, and the evaluation of management on their success in actively fostering thecareers of and retaining high performing women and minority staff.

Since management commitment and accountability are driving forces behind all

practices, overlap with the other best practice categories is unavoidable. This overlapserves to reaffirm and reinforce the importance of management commitment and

accountability in the effectuation of equal employment opportunity.

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DEMONSTRATING MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY

____ 1. The CEO must be firmly behind the equal employment opportunity programsof the company. It may be desirable, or even necessary, that the CEO launch

and monitor initiatives.

____ 2. The management commitment must be clearly and continually communicated

throughout the organization and preferably outside as well.

A key element in that communication should be the concept that in a diverse

nation and in a diverse world, having a diverse workforce is a necessary asset

for continued success into the 21st century.

____ 3. Management must have continuing reviews and assessments of equal

employment opportunity programs of the company.

____ 4. Goals that have been set must be reviewed for what has been accomplished andthe results appropriately assessed.

____ 5. Equal employment opportunity, including diversity, affirmative action, and the

ability to respect and work effectively with diverse people, must be a

performance standard.

____ 6. Managers' compensation must be tied, in part, to their performance on EEO

evaluations.

____ 7. Accountability should be incorporated into performance reviews at all levels of

the organization.