Our mission is to make a lasting difference in the world by helping people improve their lives. We rely on our diverse cultures, backgrounds, and points of view to advance our mission, and our success depends on fostering a workplace where everyone, everywhere feels valued and empowered.
In line with our values, DAI is committed to fostering diversity, equity, engagement, and inclusion inside DAI, in our work around the world, and within the international development sector. You’ll notice that we add an extra “E” to the familiar DEI acronym, which stands for engagement—underscoring how important it is for us to have every member of staff energetically involved as part of our shared corporate purpose.
We weave diversity, equity, engagement, and inclusion into every aspect of our business and across every region and country where we operate, working across three pillars: people, solutions, and partnerships.
We nurture an inclusive culture that seeks out and harnesses the talents of a diverse workforce, giving our teams the space to be entrepreneurial and innovative in pushing our development goals forward. We keep staff informed, involved, and engaged in our DEEI efforts.
We work alongside underserved groups and communities to help them address the issues and inequities they face. From providing LGBTQI+ healthcare services in Colombia to expanding gender inclusion in Nepal and women's empowerment in the Middle East, we put DEEI and inclusive development at the heart of the work we do.
We are more effective in addressing racism, discrimination, and exclusion when we build bridges with like-minded organizations. DAI is a founding member of the Coalition for Racial & Ethnic Equity in Development (CREED) and a lead member of the WILD Network (Women in Global Development Leadership Forum). Global Head of DEEI Bobby Jefferson is a member of the Society for International Development–U.S. Executive Committee. In that role, he instituted the Race, Ethnicity, and Diversity workgroup and set their DEI strategic plan in motion. He is also co-chair of the Council of International Development Companies’ DEI Committee and participates in British Expertise International’s Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Working Group. Our goal is to advance DEEI within the development sector and beyond.
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“DAI is a diverse, multicultural company. But we know being diverse is not enough in itself. We have made a strong commitment to being an actively anti-racist company with diversity, equity, engagement, and inclusion deeply rooted in everything we do.” —Bobby Jefferson, Global Head of DEEI
While we have work to do to advance diversity and inclusion, we are proud of a workforce and workplaces that reflect the diverse world we live in.
Employee resource groups (ERG) are an essential part of the business at DAI. We work hand in hand with our ERGs to nurture an inclusive culture and create a sense of community and belonging for all. Together, we support employees' professional development and collaborate on companywide DEEI initiatives.
DAI API supports and fosters a sense of community among Asian and Pacific Islander employees around the world. Its mission is to provide learning and mentorship opportunities for members to advance their professional growth and promote API educational, cultural, and social awareness.
DAI GESI (Gender Equality and Social Inclusion) is a community of practice intended to build DAI’s capacity and awareness around gender equity and social inclusion and to develop and promote a nuanced, informed approach to GESI issues in DAI project activities and corporate practices.
DAI Noir's mission is to create a safe and supportive space for employees of African ancestry and their allies in DAI's corporate and project offices worldwide. The group partners with leaders to design and implement corporate policies and strategies that affect employees of African ancestry and to advocate for anti-racism, inclusion, and diversity across the company.
DAI Pride provides the LGBTQI+ community at DAI with a sense of belonging that fosters communication, support, and skill development. It promotes and supports corporate policies designed to address gender, issues of importance to sexually diverse communities, and the human rights of our staff, their families, and their loved ones.
The U.K. Gender and Inclusion (GANDI) group works to build DAI capacity and awareness around race, gender, and disability. They address the full spectrum of gender and social inclusion, focusing on the British context and related issues.
La Familia DAI is dedicated to building a supportive and uplifting environment, networking, professional development, and advocacy for the Latino/a community. Its mission is to foster an inclusive, diverse, and anti-racist culture at DAI.
DAI offers rewarding careers for talented and innovative technical, managerial, and support professionals. Check out our Careers page for more information on what it’s like to work here. Learn more about life at DAI.
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Developments is DAI’s newsletter. News and feature articles, opinion pieces, and interviews highlight DAI projects and offer insight into global development issues of the day.
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