Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Analysis

In 2020, the Academy commissioned The Exeter Group to conduct an analysis aimed at understanding members' perceptions, experiences and feedback on diversity, equity and inclusion. Results of the analysis highlighted key themes from listening sessions and qualitative feedback gathered through micro polls, emails, letters and social media posts received by the Academy on the topics of race and social justice.

Key themes include:

• Addressing barriers to entering/succeeding in the dietetics field: The master's degree requirement, a perceived lack of scholarships, lack of internship funding, low salaries, student loans and fees associated with Academy membership were consistently noted as major barriers for individuals of color and for those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Increasing diversity within the profession and organization: The perception of the dietetics profession and Academy leadership as white, female and middle- to upper-class was present throughout participants' comments, as were experiences of ageism, sizeism, discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation and disabilities.
• Strengthening commitment to and accountability around DEI: Survey results highlight a strong demand for improved DEI efforts within the organization, with a focus on professional development and DEI resources for practitioners. Participants also stressed the need for clear accountability measures and a reporting process for inappropriate behavior to foster a more inclusive environment.

The resulting report and recommendations were provided to the IDEA Committee in mid-November 2020 and the committee began the work of transforming the recommendations into an IDEA action plan with broad, overarching goals to address IDEA in the nutrition and dietetics profession.

Note: Transcripts of the listening sessions were posted to the Academy website in 2020. Following the advice of legal counsel about concerns over participant confidentiality, the transcripts subsequently were removed.

Following the is the Executive Summary of the November 16, 2020, report:

Academy At-a-Glance

Assessing member and stakeholder perceptions of the association is a best practice that can yield many benefits to both members and association leaders. Exeter administered a DEI Survey in September 2020 to ascertain how members were experiencing the association and profession. 186 people who were invited to the listening sessions were also invited to take the survey. 93 session invitees responded to the survey, therefore, results represent how 50% of invitees experience DEI both as members of the Academy and as observers of the Academy's work within the profession.

Ten listening sessions were conducted following the close of the survey. 202 people were invited to participate in listening sessions (some were invited after the survey closed). Each session had between two and twenty-one participants. In total, 126 participants took part in the listening sessions. Larger sessions allowed for diverse perspectives to be shared, while smaller sessions allowed for more in-depth conversations with participants. Participants consisted of both members and non-members. Listening sessions produced four main themes, with more than nine distinct sub-themes.

Feedback received by the Academy throughout 2020 was also analyzed for prevailing themes. Seven distinct themes were identified from feedback analysis.

Strengths

The Academy's willingness to participate in a DEI assessment is an undeniable strength. Such participation shows a commitment to knowledge, action, and DEI itself. It also shows that the Academy is committed to its members, wants to provide the best membership experience possible, and desires to influence the profession in meaningful ways. Listening session participants expressed gratitude to the Academy for hosting the sessions and seeking their feedback.

Given the fact that members expressed some distrust of the Academy, actions the association takes as a result of this survey will be another strength, and begin to rebuild trust with Academy membership.

A final strength is that the Academy has already started or completed some of the recommendations provided by assessment participants throughout the qualitative sections of this report. Participant recommendations such as creating a more comprehensive definition of diversity or devoting more resources to DEI, for example, have been undertaken by the Academy. Where appropriate, the Academy may benefit from sharing actions that have already been taken or are in progress with members and other stakeholders.

Opportunities

Survey results and feedback received from both members and non-members demonstrate the presence of distinct areas of opportunity for the Academy.

Responses provided in the survey and listening sessions reveal key areas of opportunity within the Academy’s commitment to and promotion of diversity and inclusion within the greater nutrition and dietetics profession. Members perceive a need for improvement in both diversity and inclusion. Survey results, in particular, indicate a desire for increased professional development and learning opportunities centered upon DEI topics. Participants expressed a particular desire for resources members can use to incorporate DEI into their day-to-day work.

Respondents also made it clear, through qualitative comments in both the survey and listening sessions, that they believe the Academy has additional opportunities for improvement where barriers to entry into the profession and increased diversity within senior leadership are concerned.

Recommendations

Recommendations encompass strategic overarching goals around which the Academy can develop action plans and specific tactics. Recommendations were based upon best practices and recurring participant themes.

Broadly, Exeter recommends the Academy address DEI in three areas: internally, within the profession, and with external stakeholders. Proposed goals for consideration include evaluating both financial and human resources for Academy DEI activities; assessing and developing solutions to the financial and DEI implications of the graduate degree requirement; considering the development of pipeline programs; and leveraging partnerships.