Filene Seeks Credit Union Input for DEI Survey

Results will yield insights on the effectiveness of practices and policies in the credit union industry.

Sign at Filene headquarters in Madison, Wis. (Source: Romulo Ueda)

Filene Research Institute is encouraging credit unions to fill out a 10-minute survey to build a baseline of current practices related to diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Madison, Wis.-based independent cooperative think tank announced Wednesday it has launched a new research project within its Center of Excellence for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to establish a benchmark for credit unions.

The study is led by Filene Fellow Quinetta Roberson, a management and psychology professor at Michigan State University. In a March 18 webinar, Roberson said the study will use annual surveys to help sort out “the practices and policies that really matter.”

“We don’t know much about the practices, what the organizations do,” she said.

Quinetta Roberson

The surveys are not seeking demographic information, and instead filling gaps in research around the presence, reach and value of DEI practices and policies in the credit union industry.

“We want to focus on practices and policies,” she said. “It’s not about individuals. It’s about the credit union level of analysis.”

Filene is asking credit union CEOs, human relations leaders or DEI leaders to complete the 10-minute DEI Practices and Policies Survey by April 18. Participants will receive a scorecard to benchmark the participating credit union’s performance to help it better invest its DEI resources.

Filene will release movement-wide results of the survey at a research event June 22-23. For more information, contact Taylor C. Nelms, Filene’s senior director of research, at taylorn@filene.org.