At Stash, our primary DEI objective is to cultivate an environment where individuals are encouraged and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work each day. However, while we have been working in earnest to achieve that objective since the company’s founding, we’ve historically faced the challenge of being able to effectively measure the progress of our inclusion efforts.

To overcome this challenge, we implemented a comprehensive framework that combined Gartner's Inclusion Index with our existing Employee Engagement Survey. By leveraging these tools, we developed a customized measurement system tailored specifically to Stash, encompassing seven key dimensions of inclusion.

In addition, our Employee Survey played a vital role in assessing the experiences and perceptions of our workforce. By gathering feedback directly from employees, we gained a deeper understanding of the prevailing culture and identified areas for improvement.

Through this combined approach, we established a robust system for measuring inclusion at Stash. It provided us with quantifiable data, enabling us to track our progress over time and identify specific areas of strength and areas in need of further attention.

The implementation of our inclusion measurement framework yielded promising results. Over the course of 2021 and 2022, we saw an 8% increase in our inclusion index year over year. This upward trend demonstrates the positive impact of our efforts in creating a more inclusive workplace but also the intentional action plans we put in place following our inclusion index readout.

The success of our inclusion initiatives can be attributed, in part, to the contributions and leadership of our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). These groups played a pivotal role in fostering an inclusive environment and ensuring that the diverse voices within our organization were heard and valued.

Moving forward, we will build upon the achievements of our inclusion measurement framework and continue to refine our efforts. We will continue nurturing an inclusive culture that recognizes the value of diversity and embraces the unique perspectives and contributions of every employee.

Erick Smith