Last week, the ACEC Research Institute released its first-ever Diversity Roadmap Report on the state of DEI&B programs and practices at ACEC member firms. The Report offers a view of where we are as an industry on our DEI&B journey and, as its name implies, gives actionable suggestions on how firms can take the next steps that are right for them.

We gave a brief preview of the Roadmap’s findings at our Fall Conference in Austin, where we shared that most of our firms’ DEI&B programs are still in their early stages. That’s an important metric, but it tells only part of the story. As Chair of ACEC’s DEI&B Committee, I keep hearing one recurring theme: “We know we need to do better. We just need more support.”

And that is where the Roadmap comes in. Where there is a will, there is a way – and this Roadmap shows the way. A way for firms to see where they are (and to see they’re not alone in their progress) and how to move forward. A way to help our members build firms that attract talented candidates and enable them to thrive. A way to ensure that our industry is positioned to compete – and win – in a globalized and diverse marketplace.

To borrow a line from Yogi Berra: “If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.” Our industry can’t afford to wind up someplace else. Not when we’re all in the recruitment and retention trenches, fighting for talent. Building the kind of diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve is more than just the “right thing to do.” And of course it is that, but it is so much more than that. Our industry has assumed a great deal of responsibility for our country’s continued progress and prosperity. We have been charged with building the future, and the more skills, backgrounds, and perspectives we can bring to our efforts, the better we all will be.

There is still time to participate in the Roadmap and enter your 2022 data; the tool will close for responses on December 31. It will reopen in Spring 2024 to enter 2023 data. So if you don’t already have your login information, please email institute@acec.org and they will get you set up. Let’s close the year strong.