The ACC (Association of Corporate Counsel) and its Foundation (ACC Foundation) have recently collaborated with executive professionals to launch the DEI Maturity Model, a legal project focused on assisting in diversity, equality and inclusion policies and programmes. 

Among the categories included in this programme, we highlight the following: Strategic Planning, Governance and Resourcing, Recruitment, Professional Development, Succession Planning, Community Engagement, among others.

Among the professionals working on the project team are Mary Burelle (McDonald's Corp), Elizabeth Campbell (Campbell Soup Company), Andre Green (Freddie Mac), Alison Nelson (Ford Motor Co), John Seward (Intel), Adonica-Jo Wada (Facebook) and David White (Accenture), among others.

"We developed this practical resource to assist our members who are working to improve their organization’s internal and external DEI policies," says Veta T. Richardson, ACC President and CEO, and reminds us that policies focused on Diversity, Equality and Inclusion are on the rise in companies, according to ACC's survey of chief legal officers.

On the other hand, ACC Foundation Director Jennifer Chen has pinned her hopes on this project, and appreciates its usefulness for firms in the business and legal environment:

"We expect that the business and legal communities will find this to be a useful resource for advancing their DEI efforts. We are grateful to everyone who assisted in bringing this model together and we are committed to continuously updating and improving it based on feedback from those who apply it in their organizations.”ack from those who apply it in their organisations."