How to build a diverse board
A Pacific Northwest credit union shares lessons it learned during its eight-year journey taking a holistic view of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The board of directors of Seattle Credit Union ($896.4M, Seattle, WA) boasts a diverse mix of racial and ethnic groups, genders and sexual identities, and industries prevalent in the Pacific Northwest, including technology and aerospace. In fact, the credit union is well-known locally for its diversity and inclusion.
This idyllic composition was not always the case, however, and the transformation did not happen overnight or by chance.
“It was a long and sometimes exhausting process,” says Tonita Webb, executive vice president, about the credit union’s eight-year journey to a more diverse board.
Like many cooperatives, Seattle Credit Union’s previous board was composed long-tenured members who had served for 30, 40, or even 50 years, and they did not want to give up their positions. Initial conversations about change were awkward, but change was necessary.
continue reading »
