Our Commitment
Insight is committed to long-term change. The kind of change that uproots institutional inequality in our practices, programs, and systems. The kind of change that ensures we respect, include, engage, and empower those touched by our work.
Racism and other forms of oppression are grounded in an inequitable distribution of power, built into systems, and maintained through entrenched beliefs. As a company that supports public programs, we recognize we are part of the system, and our own beliefs can influence our work. That’s why we ground our work in practices that are inclusive, participatory, and collaborative. Truly equitable health, education, nutrition, and family support programs require those in need to have a voice, and those with privilege to listen.
Since our company’s inception in 2001, we have focused on improving the lives of individuals historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and disparities in access to quality healthcare, nutritious food, education, and employment. We know that diverse teams make better decisions and tackling tough challenges requires many perspectives. We recognize that change starts with the commitments we make within our workplace. Our staff adapt and learn through dedication to consistent progress, action, and accountability. This work is not a one-time effort but an ongoing and integral part of Insight’s culture.
Insight’s vision is to build an inclusive, responsible company where all feel welcome, seen, and recognized. We actively promote culturally responsive engagement in our projects, and we commit to advancing equity in the communities we serve.
Our DEI Strategic Framework
Figure 1. Three Core Principles of Insight’s Framework Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Our company’s framework—developed by our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee—establishes long-term goals for sustainable change while tracking annual progress. Figure 1 provides an overview of Insight’s framework to further diversity, equity, and inclusivity in our organization. Our three core principles in the inner circle are surrounded by our corporate values in the blue ring. These values reflect who we are, what we reward, and what we tolerate.
Our Practice
We recognize the inherent power imbalances at play, and we are committed to fully understanding how our processes, behaviors, and culture can influence our efforts in the world. We follow our DEI review process to ensure all our materials (data collection instruments, protocols, and processes; data analysis methodology; data visualizations; technical assistance) reflect a culturally responsive perspective. Our Culturally Responsive and Equitable Evaluation (CREE) framework guides our work through the following themes:
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- Engage diverse and representative groups of individuals in the design and implementation of research and technical assistance plans.
- Replace deficit-based language with nonstigmatizing, asset-based terms.
- Disaggregate data and findings to illuminate disproportionality.
- Add recommendations that address gaps in equity of opportunity.
- Ensure dissemination plans address all audiences and partners.
We apply the CREE framework at the start of project development to ensure the proposed design incorporates these principles. From there, we apply CREE principles to the design of research study plans, technical assistance plans, and deliverables such as reports, training materials, and audience engagement protocols.
Our Progress
We believe commitment to DEI starts with corporate accountability. Our DEI Committee meets biweekly to oversee progress on our internal measures and metrics. We examine our recruiting, hiring, and retention policies to ensure they are equitable and inclusive. We work to ensure our partners are representative of the communities we serve and our corporate culture is welcoming and transparent.
The committee has engaged in a wide range of activities to support its mission. We—
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- Launched an ongoing series of expert-led presentations on equity topics
- Maintain a dedicated DEI communication channel to support communication and collaboration
- Formed an engagement committee to guide engagement and cultural activities
To monitor progress toward our goals, we track internal staff and applicant information for our Annual Report for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion HERE.
Our Examples
Our 21+ year portfolio of work focuses on improving policies and programs that affect family well-being, particularly in families that have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. See Advancing Equity for examples of our work in the areas of health, education, family support, and food and nutrition.