ASAE is committed to supporting associations on their path toward becoming consciously inclusive, providing leaders with knowledge and insight to grow and strengthen a diverse membership and helping leaders foster civil discourse and community mindedness.

Conscious Inclusion moves beyond creating awareness of implicit bias and its negative impact on workplace culture and performance to change the way we act. A Conscious Inclusion strategy installs a practical, action-oriented framework to cultivate the desired culture and environment of organizational diversity, inclusion and belonging. ASAE has adopted a Conscious Inclusion Business Strategy to help associations unlock their full potential of a diverse workforce and membership.

A Conscious Inclusion Business Strategy is about more than reacting to today’s environment – it is about developing a proactive strategy that positions ASAE to strategically support associations and individuals advance in their DEIA journeys.

ASAE will address the specific needs of associations and association professionals that drive cultural changes and create the conditions for long-term organizational changes.

ASAE’s Conscious Inclusion Advisory Committee is responsible for providing oversight of ASAE Conscious Inclusion Initiatives and reporting progress to the ASAE Board of Directors. Thanks to ASAE's Conscious Inclusion Advisory Committee, we have greater capacity to support associations and industry partners in developing their own Conscious Inclusion related concepts, policies, and practices to improve organizational outcomes.

ASAE’s Commitment to Conscious Inclusion

Board Statement. This brief statement, approved by the ASAE Board of Directors in August 2018, encapsulates ASAE’s commitment to D+I and Conscious Inclusion.

ASAE’s Core Ethical Standards. ASAE’s core ethical standards include that members should champion diversity, equity and inclusion.

ASAE’s Conscious Inclusion related policies. The ASAE board has approved several Conscious Inclusion related policies that guide the organization’s activities related to meetings, advocacy, and volunteer management:

• Meetings Accessibility Policy
• Religious and Non-religious Holiday Observances
• Board Diversity Policy and Volunteer Model

 

Learn More

Conscious Inclusion Definitions and Strategy Implementation Tool (2024 Draft)

Accessibility and ASAE