Winrock believes that inclusive leadership is a skill that must continuously be developed and rewarded. Leaders must invest in their DEI learning and professionalize the DEI function, middle management must learn the practicalities of embedding DEI at the heart of their work plans, and staff across the entire organization must feel empowered and rewarded to innovate, challenge, and lead inclusively.

Winrock’s DEI education efforts aim to be holistic, collective, and long-term. We continually assess and revise how we learn, how we connect with others in our organization and communities, and how we hold ourselves accountable. Through our continued focus on DEI, Winrock strives to embody its core values of equity, innovation, integrity, accountability, and transformation.

An essential part of Winrock’s DEI initiatives is ongoing education. All onboarding staff participate in a 5 Part DEI Fundamentals Training, which is also available organization wide. Winrock has also introduced Implicit Bias Training. Of note, this training goes far beyond awareness because Winrock believes that simply recognizing and talking about bias won’t lead to transformative change. Instead, Winrock’s training includes interactive tools to interrupt and minimize our biases. Winrock is also implementing training on issues ranging from Self-Advocacy to Effective Allyship to Wellbeing and DEI.

Feedback and support are critical components of any learning process. To that end, Winrock has supplemented its learning resources with multiple avenues for staff to engage, seek guidance, and offer comments. AMPLIFY is Winrock’s first-ever DEI Newsletter, which develops its monthly content based on feedback and the priorities of its staff. The DEI Mailbox is a safe space for staff to ask difficult questions, have meaningful conversations, and offer guidance on requests and needs for additional learning and training. Winrock’s “Let’s Talk” is a weekly 3-minute video that summarizes some of the organization’s latest training, events, and global DEI issues. Winrock believes that the combination of sustained learning and continued engagement aligns with its strategic goal of transforming Winrock’s culture through holistic learning initiatives to enhance inclusion and belonging.

CEO Rodney Ferguson, DEI Director Anjali Bindra Patel