Organization Development Network

Diversity & Inclusion:
A Statement by the OD Network Board of Trustees

January 2008

The Board of Trustees of the Organization Development Network makes the following statement:

1. Understanding and addressing issues of diversity, inclusion, privilege, and access are inherent to OD practice in the 21st century.
   
2. OD practitioners should be able to recognize the dynamics of marginalization, exclusion, and oppression.  They should understand how those dynamics can be internalized as individual beliefs and institutionalized in a system.
   
3. There are a range of orientations and approaches to diversity and inclusion, and the Board does not endorse one over another.  However, practitioners should be conscious of the options before they choose a particular approach.

Given this statement, the OD Network will pursue an agenda that attends to diversity, inclusion, and access.  Diversity and inclusion are one of the board’s three strategic goals in support of our efforts to be a leader in advancing the theory and practice of organization development.

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Strategic Goals

The board of trustees has announced three strategic goals that are important to providing direction to and strengthening our intent to be a leader in advancing the theory and practice of OD. 

1. Define the practice of organization development according to the OD Network
1. Catalog the actions of organization development
2. Map the network of related fields
3. Describe synergies with related fields
4. Articulate the value to potential users
2. Be a “network of networks;” an attractor of new ideas; a dynamic organization that generates, socializes and accelerates new ideas
1. Create a supportive and professional organization in which diverse people thrive
2. Harness the power of new technologies
3. Support processes that reach out and engage new voices
4. Sponsor platforms for divergent and innovative points of view
3. Accelerate progress on diversity and inclusion; create momentum and a call-to-action
1. Make a simple, public statement by the board about the OD Network’s beliefs and intent
2. Put our beliefs and intent into practice in the running of the organization, the creation of policy and the monitoring of the OD Network’s activities
3. Catalyze, facilitate and encourage conversations about diversity and inclusion in the formal OD Network, on our website, at the conference, in the board and with our partners.