Reflecting on a momentous 2023, the DOC Equity (DEIA) Council continued to inspire us, ignite change, and spark action across the Department to cultivate a culture of fairness and inclusion. The Council made significant progress in the critical areas of external service delivery, internal workforce development, measurement, and infrastructure to create a world-class program of sustainability and accountability, including:

• Held an Equity Town Hall with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Q&A, hosted by Secretary Raimondo and Deputy Secretary Graves, and convened bureau Diversity Councils for enhanced coordination and collaboration
• Completed a new Equity Action Plan (Executive Order 14091) and developed an inventory of all DOC-wide equity initiatives 
• Ranked #2 in the FEVS DEIA Index for 2022 for large agencies and improved by 1% in 2023, demonstrating sustained progress at the highest levels
• Completed an Equitable Data Playbook with promising practices and examples and developed a framework for embedding equity into program lifecycles 
• Rolled out a revised DEIA performance element for all 450 executives and 150 senior level/scientific positions in FY 2023, with the issuance of revised DEIA performance language for all 1,200 supervisors and 50,000 employees in FY 2024
• Prioritized Equity and DEIA initiatives with the highest return on investment for FY 2024, including increasing engagement in the governance structure, promoting knowledge transfer from political staff to career staff, and ensuring adequate financial and organizational resources.

Equity is at the core of everything we do at the Department, and meeting our goals means including communities who are too often left behind. 

Thanks to the hard work of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), the Department of Commerce received an A+ rating for the Fiscal Year 2022 Small Business Procurement Scorecard for the seventh consecutive year. This achievement demonstrates the Department’s diligence in devising innovative procurement strategies to increase awards to small businesses in all socioeconomic categories while removing barriers that block small and disadvantaged businesses, especially new entrants.

The Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and DOC Equity (DEIA) Council are committed to ensuring that the Commerce Department fosters a diverse and inclusive environment where all employees feel valued and organizations are supported. 

As we turn the page on 2023, we look forward to an exceptionally great year in 2024!