WGR Position: Women in Government Relations (WGR) is committed to advancing a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive professional community. We support women’s leadership in every career level of government relations, including executive positions in both the public and private sector. Moreover, we foster professional cultures that harness the strengths of diverse women, including but not limited to age, disability, economic background, gender identity, political affiliation, race/ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation. These priorities are central to WGR’s mission, vision and strategic direction.

WGR values different perspectives and strongly believes that inclusive dialogue and advocacy drives better public policy. WGR strives to model a culture that welcomes and values diverse viewpoints, both within its membership and across the broader professional community. We practice inclusive and supportive dialogue that is open-minded, balances voices, encourages honesty, and criticizes ideas not people. We create and facilitate brave spaces by acknowledging and addressing harm where it occurs.

WGR’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: To ensure diversity, equity, and, inclusion within the field of government relations, as well as within the WGR membership, WGR will:

1. Engage members and the broader professional community in the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion through strategic communications, dialogue, and programming;
2. Elevate our commitment to DEI through an annual summit that champions diversity, equity, and inclusion and shares strategies for government relations professionals engaging in this work;
3. Diversify our membership by broadening access to more inclusive professional development, mentorship, and networking opportunities;
4. Develop and implement a strategy to diversify the WGR leadership pipeline that includes promoting the voices, influence, and impact of volunteers across the organization;
5. Sustain an inclusive culture that ensures equitable treatment of each and every member;
6. Strengthen external DEI efforts by participating in coalitions to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of government relations; and
7. Create a system for internal progress monitoring to support data-informed decision-making to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
   

 

DEI Committee Recommendations:

1. Engage members and the broader professional community in the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion through strategic communications, dialogue, and programming.

Outcome: WGR champions greater awareness and community around its DEI values, which positions WGR leaders and members as effective allies driving change across the field of government relations.

Strategies

• Host monthly DEI Committee Meetings– open to all WGR members– to foster issue awareness and inclusive dialogue skills through diverse discussion topics.
• Host quarterly DEI Social Events and Happy Hours that create joy and belonging to sustain internal DEI efforts.
• Host ad-hoc Open Forums that increase organizational responsiveness to emergent DEI issues affecting members’ personal and professional lives.
• Promote DEI visibility on WGR website and social media– including events, marketing campaigns, and blog series– to raise the public profile of WGR’s DEI position.
• Appoint DEI committee members to liaise on all WGR signature events to advise and share strategies.

  Owners/support: DEI Committee

2. Elevate our commitment to DEI through an annual summit that champions diversity, equity, and inclusion and shares strategies for government relations professionals engaging in this work.

Outcome: WGR’s DEI Summit develops government relations professionals’ commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and provides a platform to share and deepen strategies for advocating on behalf of a diverse populace and finding common ground among peers in the profession.

Strategies

• Raise DEI awareness and dispositions by planning and marketing engaging, practical content sessions that are tailored to government relations professionals.
• Offer networking and sponsorship opportunities that build community and raise the profile of DEI leaders operating across the field.
• Analyze Summit outcomes (e.g., feedback surveys, registration & attendance) to foster internal learnings and deepen our organizational DEI journey.

Owners/support: DEI Committee, Personal and Professional Development Committee

 

3. Diversify our membership by broadening access to more inclusive professional development, mentorship, and networking opportunities.

Outcome: WGR maintains a safe forum for members and the communities they represent to share and learn ideas and perspectives through increasing membership and removing accessibility roadblocks to WGR members.

Strategies

• Marketing: Social media campaigns, targeted outreach
• Mentoring: The annual Mentor/Mentee Program and associated events

Owners/support: Membership and Engagement Committee, Personal and Professional Development Committee, WGR Board of Directors

 

4. Model a strategy to diversify the WGR leadership pipeline that includes promoting the voices, influence, and impact of volunteers across the organization.

Outcome: WGR committees and task forces have increased interest in their events and are consistently sharing their work with new members while lifting up new leaders to bring in additional thought partners.

Strategies

• DEI committee members liaise on WGR Committees (e.g. Elections, Awards) in order to cultivate, recognize, and celebrate diverse WGR leaders.
• Marketing: DEI Component to WGR Member spotlights

Owners/support: All Leaders, Elections Committee, Awards Committee, DEI Committee, WGR Board

 

5. Sustain an inclusive culture that ensures equitable treatment of each and every member.

Outcome: WGR is characterized by the quality and depth of relationships in its diverse community. Members with many different experiences, identities, and perspectives feel heard, trusted, and empowered within the organization.

Strategies

• Develop organizational policies and practices that facilitate inclusive culture (e.g., DEI Discussion Norms, Inclusive Style Guide, Speaker Disclaimer).
• Co-host an annual DEI Leadership Training to build inclusive leadership skills across the organization.
• Provide proactive and inclusive networking opportunities at all WGR signature events, including DEI visibility via table or buttons.
• Institutionalize a process to raise and resolve instances of inequity/exclusion in a timely, deliberative, and responsive manner.
• Continuous data monitoring via questions on belonging in the Annual Membership Survey.

Owners/support: WGR Board of Directors, DEI Committee, Membership & Engagement Committee

 

6. Strengthen external DEI efforts by participating in coalitions to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of government relations.

Outcome: WGR’s DEI journey engages in a virtuous cycle of sharing and receiving insights from external organizations also championing this work.

Strategies

• Provide strategic support as a member of the Diversity in Government Relations Coalition.
• Engage WGR membership in events and initiatives of the Diversity in Government Relations Coalition.

Owners/support: WGR Board

 

7. Create a system for internal progress monitoring to support data-informed decision-making to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.

Outcome: WGR will have institutionalized sustainable processes and practices to gather, analyze, and act upon DEI data. WGR will evolve into a more diverse organization at all levels and will lead efforts to increase representation of diverse women in the government relations field.

Strategies

• Benchmark how organizations of similar size and mission monitor, report, and make decisions based on data and recommend WGR objectives for internal progress monitoring aligned to organizational needs.
• Conduct an inventory of WGR data sources and collection practices to understand available data and identify information gaps. Analyze existing decision-making practices to determine opportunities to improve DEI outcomes by consulting diverse members.
• Prepare a report of findings from the inventory that includes recommendations for ongoing data collection and monitoring.
• Create a policy to ensure internal DEI progress monitoring becomes standard and sustainable organizational practice.
• (Long term) Partner with researchers and external organizations to better understand diversity within the field of government relations and share institutional best practices. Possibility to announce/kick off at WGR’s 50th anniversary.

Owners/support: DEI Committee-led working group, WGR Board, Membership & Engagement Committee

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