The Credit Union National Association (CUNA) is committed to building a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. As part of our DEi efforts, we held focus groups with staff to gather feedback on our workplace culture. In response to staff feedback, we added Inclusive as our fifth core value. Our core values lie at the very heart of our organization. They are the ideals and behaviors that drive our internal work, actions, and culture. If our strategic plan is the work we need to get done, then our values-and the behaviors that support them-are how we complete that work and achieve our goals.

Our recently formed DEi Advisory Group, composed of staff from across the organization, defined the Inclusive principle and its accompanying behaviors. The definition of our newest core value was communicated across the organization using multiple methods, including a video from DEi Advisory Group members talking about what inclusive meant to each of them. CUNA established staff-led Employee Engagement Groups (elsewhere known as Employee Resource Groups) and the DEi Advisory Group to foster an inclusive culture. CUNA also hosts speakers or organizes events aimed at raising awareness about diverse groups and their contributions. We also open spaces to hold difficult conversations aimed at listening, learning, and healing.

With the addition of Inclusive, we're working toward a CUNA that is strengthened by the talents and perspectives of all its employees and where everyone feels they belong, are respected, and valued. The response to this effort has been overwhelmingly positive. We expect that this is just the beginning of our journey toward creating a more inclusive workplace.