CU Strategic Planning announces credit union DEI certification
TACOMA, WA (March 25, 2021) —
Credit Union Strategic Planning, the leading firm in developing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion leadership, has developed a brand new DEI Credit Union Designation.
“At CU Strategic Planning, we are passionate about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and we model it in everything we do,” Ronaldo Hardy, co-owner and chief diversity & inclusion officer at CU Strategic Planning, said. “After personally working on DEI efforts in credit unions for the last several years and as part of CU Strategic Planning for the last two, I’m very excited to announce the launch of our DEI Credit Union Designation.”
The first cohort can sign up beginning in April and will begin work in June. The program runs a full year, including six months of intense education and training, and then six additional months of a project that will be implemented in your organization.
The certification program is rigorous. CU Strategic Planning’s program begins with Harvard’s Implicit Association test as part of the Unconscious Bias Assessment to determine the organization’s baseline. Team members are confidentially assessed for potential bias in the areas of race, gender, disability and sexuality. We take it a step further with those in leadership who are making the hiring decisions, digging into weight, skin tone and age. All data are aggregated.
CU Strategic Planning reviews the results along with recruiting practices, demographic composition across the entire organization, disciplinary actions and lending and collection practices. Then a customized training plan is developed based on all of the information gathered and insights gleaned. To learn more, watch this video!
“I’m excited to see a lot of change, transformation and energy around DEI,” Hardy, who’s implemented DEI initiatives in the two credit unions he’s run, said. “We cannot wait to walk alongside you on the transformational journey your credit union is looking for.”
For more information on Hardy’s thoughts regarding the business case for DEI, download this free white paper, 7 Ways Highly Profitable Credit Union Calculate the Value of DEI.
About CU Strategic Planning
Since 2008, CU Strategic Planning has provided business planning services for credit unions, focusing on community development. The company is the No. 1 CDFI certification, grant-writing and compliance firm for credit unions in the country. Through grants, strategic and tactical planning, community summit facilitation and more, CU Strategic Planning achieves its mission to unlock opportunities for credit unions to change lives and their communities. CU Strategic Planning’s expert consulting includes securing and managing compliance for $945 million in US Treasury CDFI grants and related award funding.
About Ronaldo Hardy
Hardy, formerly CEO at Southwest Louisiana FCU, has headed up CU Strategic Planning DEI consultancy for two years. He is a thought leader and highly sought-after speaker on DEI, raising awareness of and knowledge about the practicum as a keynote speaker at CUNA Management School, SW CUNA Management School, Western CUNA Management Alumni Association, CUES, and the NCUA’s Inaugural Diversity Summit. Hardy has been published in many credit union industry publications and dozens of credit union CEOs seek his counsel. Ronaldo holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in human resource education with a concentration in leadership development. He is an alumnus of the Urban Leadership Development Institute and CUES Institute at the Wharton School of Business.
