A Roadmap for Developing DEI Programming

Developing an authentic and successful DEI platform requires time, intention, and sensitivity. Here are some ideas to consider when building a program in your workplace:

1. It Starts with Leadership: One of the reasons that our DEI programming has been so successful is that we have the support of our leadership team. By securing executive sponsorship of DEI, we have a voice in leadership discussions and ensure that our goals are supported by action. A great place to start building your case for DEI is the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion website (linked at the end of this article), which provides a pledge statement to create buy-in, activities, and resources through peer-led committees.

2. Form a DEI Council: Activate your most important resource—your team. Ensure intentional representation across as many diversity dimensions as possible, including departments, ages, experience levels, race, beliefs, backgrounds, and gender. Engaging a member of senior leadership as an executive sponsor also boosts visibility and buy-in.

3. Create Your “Why” as a Team: Establish a shared mission and vision for DEI within your organization. By creating a mission statement and a compelling “why” that resonates with your team, you cultivate a united purpose that guides success. For example, our shared vision at DOC is to create a safe space for open, honest, thoughtful, and respectful conversations. By offering memorable, meaningful opportunities for engagement, we advance our goals and create true belonging for our team members.

4. Establish Working Groups: Create specialized sub-councils focused on specific aspects of DEI, such as talent attraction, inclusion, and education. This step empowers team members to drive lasting change in the areas in which they are most passionate. At DOC, we established three sub-councils that act as the working groups for the larger body: Attract, Include, and Support, each focused on a specific aspect of DEI.

• Our Attract group concentrates on strategies for attracting and retaining top talent through a diverse and inclusive workforce.

• The Include group prioritizes the intentional inclusion of diverse voices and backgrounds, fostering an environment that celebrates differences.

• The Support group emphasizes education and awareness of DEI themes, ensuring that all team members have access to opportunities for personal growth.

5. Set Goals and Measure Success: Annually, our subcouncils decide on initiatives based on Council members’ passion projects and team feedback from an anonymous engagement and belonging survey. This work ensures the Council’s alignment with team interests, promotes meaningful educational experiences, and establishes a baseline for DEI sentiment.

6. Transparency is Key: Foster a hyper-focus on transparency at every step of your journey to ensure that DEI programming feels like a collaborative effort toward shared goals. Consider creating an intranet hub to share Council meeting notes, action items, member contact information, and educational articles. Openly communicate progress and challenges.

7. Reporting and Measuring Outcomes: Regularly present DEI reports to senior leadership, any Board committees, and your full Board, if applicable. This level of visibility encourages engagement, accountability, and the fulfillment of DEI goals.

Highlighted Impacts of our DEI Initiatives

In 2022, DOC’s commitment to DEI led to significant outcomes by focusing on collaboration, communication, integrity, and relationship-building.

For example, the Attract sub-council conducted a comprehensive benefits review, resulting in the implementation of a wellness reimbursement program and an onboarding buddy program to support a sense of belonging. They also focused on increasing diversity in our pipeline through our summer internship program.

One of the Attract sub-council’s signature efforts is the Milwaukee-based MKE CRE week-long summer real estate immersion program for high school students from underrepresented backgrounds.

By providing scholarships to a diverse group of students, offering mentorship, and working to organize this program alongside NAIOP Wisconsin and Marquette University, DOC actively contributes to creating opportunities for underrepresented individuals to explore and thrive in the real estate sector.

The Include sub-council emphasized the intentional inclusion of diverse voices and backgrounds at DOC. They fueled content for a company-wide online intranet forum as a transparent space to communicate DEI initiatives, encourage feedback, and share personal stories. The forum’s team spotlight section facilitated understanding and created a sense of belonging by highlighting our team members’ individual and cultural experiences.

In the realm of supply chain management, DOC remains committed to supporting diverse-owned businesses and building stronger communities. Recognizing the value of a diverse supply chain, we actively seek partnerships with minority-, women-, veteran-, LGBTQIA-, disabled-, and historically underutilized-owned businesses.

To track our progress, we hired a Contract & Supplier Diversity Manager and began monitoring the number of diverse vendors used and spending with these suppliers. We have also implemented an outreach process to invite new and existing diverse vendors to bid on capital projects. Additionally, we collaborate with suppliers to track and monitor sustainability policies, aiming for enhanced decision-making and portfoliowide reporting. Working with certified diverse vendors and suppliers promotes innovation and contributes to economic growth.

The Support sub-council prioritized education and awareness of DEI themes. They organized various programming, including all-team lunch and learn sessions, informal “Coffee Talk” discussions, and women in leadership discussions with a Board of Trustees member serving as our guest speaker. These initiatives provided opportunities for personal growth and encouraged open and safe conversations around DEI topics.

Finally, as a full Council, and in response to team feedback, we worked to offer wraparound tools for mental health and wellness through more than eight hours of mental health programming.

These efforts included the introduction of app-based resources to help foster mental health and wellness; a new paid time off day for mental health; and resources surrounding observances of World Mental Health Day, Mental Health Awareness Month, and Stress Awareness Month.

DEI in the Commercial Real Estate Industry

DEI has the power to be a transformative force within the CRE industry, but it takes time and intention to be truly impactful. Implementing effective DEI strategies involves leadership commitment, establishing a diverse Council membership, creating a shared vision, setting goals, fostering transparency, and measuring outcomes.

At DOC, we recognize that our journey towards a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive company and CRE sector is ongoing. We strive to lead by example, drive positive change in the CRE industry, and work collaboratively to build a pipeline for CRE diversity. By remaining committed to our shared DEI vision, we believe we can make a meaningful difference and positively impact our team, clients, and the communities we serve.

About the Author

Trust (NYSE: DOC) in 2016, leading the company’s internal and external marketing strategy and execution.

Mester manages multi-channel marketing efforts to drive client engagement and business development for the company’s health care real estate portfolio, spanning 290 properties and over 16 million square feet in gross leasable area as of 2022. In addition, she has been instrumental in leading the company’s rebranding and its award-winning corporate sustainability platform.

Since 2022, Mester has chaired the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council, which received national recognition for excellence in 2022. She is a proud resident of Milwaukee’s vibrant Historic Third Ward and serves on the neighborhood association’s executive committee.

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