--- title: "Assess Your DEI Maturity to Determine What’s Next" id: "61431" type: "post" slug: "assess-your-dei-maturity-to-determine-whats-next" published_at: "2022-05-09T12:00:17+00:00" modified_at: "2026-07-11T18:08:28+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2022/05/09/assess-your-dei-maturity-to-determine-whats-next/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2022/05/09/assess-your-dei-maturity-to-determine-whats-next.md" excerpt: "Associations looking to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion at their organizations often wonder where they stand and where to go next. This is where assessing your DEI maturity can come in handy. Experts offer some tips on figuring out where..." taxonomy_category: - "Conscious Inclusion" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Associations Now" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Director" - "Executive Team" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Assess Your DEI Maturity to Determine What’s Next Part of the Deep Dive[Make It Real](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/make-it-real-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-action/) The phrase “meet people where they are” comes up a lot in the realm of training. It helps explain that not everyone starts with the same base of knowledge, and therefore you have to start where they’re at and move forward based on their needs. The same is true in the realm of diversity, equity, and inclusion: Associations are all in different places in their DEI journey. Discovering where they are can help them make good decisions about what to do next, and there are a few steps associations can take to assess where they’re at. For example, the Association of Corporate Counsel Foundation created a [DEI Maturity Model (opens in a new tab)](https://www.acc.com/diversity-equity-inclusion) to help legal departments and other organizations figure out where they are and where to go next. “It’s for organizations that are interested in improving their DEI policies, but they’re not necessarily sure where to start,” said Jennifer Chen, director of the ACC Foundation. “The maturity model really provides a straightforward step to just get a program off the ground.” Nathan Victoria, executive director and CEO of the Society for Personality Assessment, said doing an assessment is a great place to begin. “Recognizing where you are regarding that journey and evolution is an important first step,” he said. “It’s a journey, and it’s about moving from where you’re currently at to the next step. You have to recognize where you’re starting. If you are an organization that has never said the word ‘whiteness’ before, that is where you’re starting, and your journey may be a little different from another organization that is open about race but now looking at social justice.” ### Honest Assessments For that initial assessment to work and provide a path to change, it’s crucial to be honest about your organization’s strengths and weaknesses. “If you’re an organization or department leader and you’re willing to take an honest look at your policies, the maturity model can help you quickly identify areas and steps to where you can change and improve,” Chen said. Victoria agreed, adding that the honest assessment—warts and all—will help associations better figure out what must be tackled in order to make progress. [Rasheeda Childress](https://associationsnow.com/author/rasheeda-childress/) Rasheeda Childress is a former senior editor at Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/rasheeda-childress/) Tags: [#Associations Now](https://associationsnow.com/tag/associations-now/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## More in this Deep Dive - [Sustain Your Focus on DEI](https://associationsnow.com/2022/05/09/sustain-your-focus-on-dei/) - [The CEO’s Role in DEI Success](https://associationsnow.com/2022/05/09/the-ceos-role-in-dei-success/) - [Engage Employees to Embed DEI Across Your Association](https://associationsnow.com/2022/05/09/engage-employees-to-embed-dei-across-your-association/) - [Managing Member Pushback to DEI Initiatives](https://associationsnow.com/2022/05/09/managing-member-pushback-to-dei-initiatives/) - [How Metrics Can Improve the Quality of Your DEI Initiatives](https://associationsnow.com/2022/05/09/how-metrics-can-improve-the-quality-of-your-dei-initiatives/) - [Taking Charge of Who’s in Charge](https://associationsnow.com/2022/05/09/taking-charge-of-whos-in-charge/) [View the full Deep Dive →](https://associationsnow.com/deep-dives/make-it-real-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-action/) ## You Might Like - [VideoASAE DELP Reunion 2025 & Introduction of New ClassAugust 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/18/asae-delp-reunion-2025-introduction-of-new-class-2/) - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond Accessibility: Building Neuroinclusive Association CommunitiesMay 28, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/05/28/associations-now-presents-beyond-accessibility-building-neuroinclusive-association-communities/) - [VideoLeading the Way in Neuroinclusion with ASAE Research Foundation and MPIDecember 16, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/16/leading-the-way-in-neuroinclusion-with-asae-research-foundation-and-mpi/) - [VideoWhy Neuroinclusion Matters: Raising Awareness Across the Association CommunityDecember 15, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/15/why-neuroinclusion-matters-raising-awareness-across-the-association-community/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2022%2F05%2F09%2Fassess-your-dei-maturity-to-determine-whats-next%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !