Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science 2019 Peer Review of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the SC National Laboratories

Charge to Reviewers:

Using the detailed questions below, please evaluate whether the strategies and actions to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion at the DOE SC National Laboratories, as outlined in [the provided review materials], are effective to ensure that:

  • The SC National Laboratories can competitively attract, develop, and retain a diverse workforce of talented staff, and
  • The SC National Laboratories cultivate equitable and inclusive laboratory cultures that are critical to building the creative and innovative work environments needed to deliver on the DOE mission.

Reviewers are asked to address the following questions, commenting on specific strengths and weaknesses as appropriate.

 

Laboratory leadership, roles and responsibilities, and accountability:
  1. Does the Laboratory leadership understand its own institutional challenges for recruiting, developing, and retaining a talented and diverse workforce, and fostering a respectful, safe, and inclusive work environment at the Laboratory?
  2. Does the Laboratory leadership take ownership of addressing the Laboratory’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) challenges? Are the roles and responsibilities of the lab’s Key Personnel and lines of reporting reasonable and appropriate to be effective? Does the Laboratory have appropriate mechanisms in place to hold management and staff accountable for achieving the laboratory’s diversity and inclusion goals?
Recruitment, development, and retention of a talented and diverse workforce:
  1. Does the Laboratory have clear goals for recruiting and hiring diverse talent into its workforce, including into its Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education and training programs? Does the Laboratory have measures to track progress towards its goals?
  2. Does the Laboratory have effective recruitment and hiring procedures and practices in place that are open, fair, and transparent, and that minimize the potential for explicit and implicit bias?
  3. Does the Laboratory engage in outreach and recruiting efforts that are effective at attracting diverse applicants to its job openings and to its STEM education and training programs?
  4. Does the Laboratory have family-friendly policies in place and offer employee benefits that will attract and retain a diverse workforce?
  5. Does the Laboratory provide high-quality professional development and mentoring opportunities to support employees and students in their careers? Does the Laboratory support broad leadership development opportunities? Does the laboratory minimize the potential for explicit and implicit bias in who participates in these opportunities?
Cultivating a respectful, equitable, and inclusive laboratory environment:
  1. Does the Laboratory have a clear vision and goals for cultivating a respectful, equitable, and inclusive work environment? Are the Laboratory’s initiatives and actions appropriately targeted to promote inclusion and address known challenges? Does the Laboratory have measures in place to track progress?
  2. Does the Laboratory provide high-quality training and learning opportunities that promote greater awareness among employees of issues related to inclusion and promoting inclusive work environments? Does Laboratory leadership broadly encourage participation in these opportunities? Does the Laboratory track participation?

    Laboratory policies and procedures prohibiting discrimination and harassment:

  3. Does the Laboratory have effective policies and procedures to prevent discrimination, harassment, and profiling among Laboratory employees, visiting scientists, and students?
  4. Does the Laboratory have effective procedures and systems to receive and address complaints? Does the Laboratory provide appropriate options for reporting incidents or complaints? Does the Laboratory have effective procedures and practices to investigate and address or resolve complaints? Does the Laboratory communicate to its senior management and/or its employees how it has been responsive to complaints?

    DOE Office of Science (SC) oversight of the Laboratory diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts:

  5. Are SC’s requirements for the Laboratory Diversity and Inclusion Plan (LDIP) reasonable and appropriate? Are SC’s oversight processes reasonable and likely to be effective at guiding the laboratories to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion at their institutions? Please consider the [provided review materials] and the Executive Session briefing.