Women pointing at diagram on a map

Diversity, Equity + Inclusion Action Plan

In July 2020, SOM released a comprehensive Diversity, Equity + Inclusion Action Plan, created in collaboration with SOM NOMA members and a broad group of colleagues. Since launching the plan, SOM’s Equity Action Committee and Equity Design Lab have been working to deliver on these goals.

Women pointing at diagram on a map

Advancing our culture and practices

Since we released our first Diversity, Equity + Inclusion Action Plan, we have been inspired by progress in advancing equity both within SOM and throughout the architecture, design, and engineering industries. We know there is more work to be done. Each year, we publish a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Report as part of our commitment to maintaining an open dialogue about equity at SOM, in our industry, and in the built environment that we shape through our work. We aim to help move our industry towards a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive future and we remain committed to continuing this work for many years to come.

Office workplace
Our New York studio at 7 World Trade Center

Building a safe and equitable work environment

  1. Reviewing and strengthening our global ethics guidelines and code of conduct training
  2. Rethinking the onboarding and orientation process for all new hires to establish an understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion, including fully revising our employee handbook
  3. Implementing flexible workplace policies to allow our colleagues to address their needs through flexible schedules and remote work
  4. Expanding the range of avenues for reporting discriminatory practices, including an anonymous third-party reporting platform, with clear protocols for follow-up

When your colleagues come from more than 60 countries and speak 40 languages, it doesn’t get more diverse than that. But it’s not diversity alone—it’s our culture of inclusion that makes the experience richer for everyone.

Preetam Biswas, Principal
Office workplace
Our New York studio at 7 World Trade Center
Office workplace

Expanding training programs to support equitable career growth

  1. Creating a holistic, global standard for training, development, and growth, inclusive of a broad spectrum of topics and ideas that enhance our work
  2. Conducting regular training on unintended bias and cultural sensitivity for everyone at SOM
  3. Committing to personal training plans to catalyze growth and build specific skills, including design training, public speaking, team management, project leadership, and more

With the Equity Action Committee I have been working with universities and colleges around the country to recruit diverse young professionals. This journey has shown me that SOM’s efforts to build an equitable workplace can make a real difference in our industry.

Ines Llopart, Global City Design and Planning Specialist
London studio interns on a site visit to Manhattan Loft Gardens

Recruiting talent that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve

  1. Reexamining and overhauling existing hiring practices to establish an inclusive hiring process at all levels, including leadership positions
  2. Developing and strengthening relationships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and an expanded group of institutions
  3. Expanding the role of Summer Internship and Year One programs to attract diverse talent equitably to SOM and the profession
  4. Increasing recognition of our Employee Resource Groups—SOM NOMA, Pride, Women’s Initiative, Asian Alliance, Arquitectos, and more—internally and externally, to represent the many voices and experiences at SOM
公平、多元化与包容性
London studio interns on a site visit to Manhattan Loft Gardens
SOM's Women's Initiative hosts a mentorship event with Chicago Womens In Architecture (AIA/CWA). Dave Burk © SOM

Mentoring and championing talent to become leaders at SOM

  1. Providing greater access to tools for success at SOM, including transparent criteria for evaluation, promotion, and compensation
  2. Evaluating existing career paths and supporting new, unconventional paths to success at SOM
  3. Creating a dedicated mentorship program for BIPOC employees, pairing mentees with mentors across all disciplines
  4. Celebrating our BIPOC colleagues’ contributions to the industry

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Ny Pride Toast

Cultivating dialogue on equity and social justice

  1. Expanding our global task force on Talent, Equity, Diversity and Development (TEDD) to include representatives from our Employee Resource Groups, including NOMA, Pride, Women’s Initiative, Arquitectos, and more
  2. Convening quarterly Equity Roundtables to foster dialogue with a cross section of our community at SOM
  3. Creating opportunities for reflection, learning, and conversation for significant dates and moments in history, including the anniversary of Whitney Young’s monumental speech at the 1968 AIA convention, and more 
  4. Establishing online forums for more frequent, informal conversation on equity, social justice, and action
  5. Providing dedicated annual budgets for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and employee resource groups

Racial justice is at the forefront of conversations at SOM and our industry right now. My personal focus is to bring a better understanding of the issues to my colleagues, develop a sustainable approach to build on, and concretely increase minority representation in design.

Julia Skeete, Associate Principal
Julia
Ny Pride Toast
Same Pie Chart

Reporting back to the SOM community

  1. Reporting annually to our global team on our demographics, progress with ongoing initiatives, philanthropy, and investments and partnerships with minority, BIPOC, and women-owned businesses and organizations
  2. Sharing progress quarterly within each studio about ongoing initiatives, training, volunteering, events, and community partnerships
  3. Creating a direct channel for ideas and suggestions to leadership, led by our Chief People Officer and our global task force on Talent, Equity, Diversity and Development
Read our 2023 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Report

Speaking up to create change in our industry

Our voices, actions, and choices can make a difference beyond our own workplace. We are using our influence to pave the way toward a more just, transparent, and inclusive industry by identifying and addressing the root causes of the lack of diversity in AEC—steering away from one-off initiatives and instead focusing on sustainable, long-term change.

Paul Bamson
SOM's Paul Bamson speaks at the NOMA Annual Conference in 2019

Advancing equity and inclusion in design

  1. Proposing, supporting, and advocating for equity initiatives in the AEC industry through our involvement in professional organizations including the AIA, NOMA, RIBA, NCSEA, NCARB, AICP, NCIDQ, and more
  2. Encouraging and actively supporting team members to take leadership roles in industry organizations and nonprofits focused on advancing equity
  3. Demonstrating thought leadership around issues of equity in design at conferences, in interviews, white papers, and in other forums
  4. Continuing to partner with and expand support of the National Organization of Minority Architects, including annual sponsorship of the NOMA Student Design Competition and more
  5. Expanding upon our two-decades-long commitment to the ACE Mentorship program and other student-focused organizations dedicated to creating access and mentorship opportunities for young people entering the AEC industry, including NOMA’s Project Pipeline, and others
Paul Bamson
SOM's Paul Bamson speaks at the NOMA Annual Conference in 2019

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Lower East Side Girl's Club. Lucas Blair Simpson © SOM

Pursuing projects with high social impact

  1. Launching SOM EQ Lab to establish and promote criteria for pursuing projects with equitable outcomes and develop best practices for including justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion in all of our designs
  2. Expanding our commitment to taking on projects with meaningful social and civic impact and pro-bono community-focused projects
  3. Supporting BIPOC-owned businesses by expanding our commitment to working with minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses as partners, consultants, and collaborators

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Year One designers volunteer for Habitat for Humanity in Chicago. © SOM

Promoting civic action in our communities

  1. Advocating for positive change and equity in our communities by joining local community boards and neighborhood organizations, and playing an active role in community-led initiatives
  2. Emphasizing the importance of civic participation to drive positive change, and reinforcing SOM’s paid time off policy for voting
  3. Developing a clear framework for volunteering for teams and individuals, including promoting internal philanthropic initiatives and explore introducing volunteer hours to encourage giving back to our communities

The DEI plan not only provides the foundation for how we recruit and develop diverse talent, but also outlines strategies for how our design teams can make a positive impact by foregrounding equity and inclusion in our projects.

Michael Leung, Senior Associate Principal
Year One designers volunteer for Habitat for Humanity in Chicago. © SOM

More News + Stories

Learn more about our efforts working towards a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive industry.

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