American Campus Communities’ Metrics and Accountability
Challenge
American Campus Communities (ACC) is the largest owner, manager, and developer of high-quality student housing communities in the United States. We take responsibility to intentionally execute an evolving set of goals specific to inclusion, diversity, and accountability, driven by empathetic leadership and embraced by all with zero tolerance for racism and discrimination.
Actions
We are in the process of finalizing specific short-term and long-term goals. Our strategy is to create a transparent, 360-degree approach to diversity and inclusion through a framework of Talent, Community, and Partnership initiatives that foster an environment that drives evolution through the following categories:
- TALENT: Adequately reflect our vision of diversity through innovative talent acquisition, development, and opportunity for recognition and advancement. Examples include mentoring programs, recruiting strategies, and leadership engagement opportunities.
- COMMUNITY: We engage in and support the advancement of diversity and inclusion in our communities. Examples include university engagement, resident programs, and staff training.
- 3. PARTNERSHIPS: We strive to partner with others who align with our vision for diversity and inclusion including with vendors, team members, non-profits, and collaborators.
Outcomes
This year we launched our diversity and inclusion task force, which contains members from a range of departmental areas and position levels within our organization to ensure comprehensive representation is achieved. Diversity and inclusion is an agenda topic at our quarterly board meetings, where goals and progress updates are reviewed and evaluated. As part of our strategy, we will begin publishing diversity and inclusion employee demographic metrics in our next Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Report for 2021 and provide a summary update of our programs and initiatives.
Contact
Gina Cowart
Quote
We continually strive to have and promote an inclusive culture where every individual’s voice is heard and valued. To us, our core value ‘do the right thing’ includes us tapping into our heartfelt compassion and our collective sense of humanity to cultivate a workplace and a world that acknowledges, respects and includes every individual.