AURORA | Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order bolstering equity, diversity, and inclusion in state government Thursday. Among other actions, the order will create a universal inclusion policy and mandate implicit bias training for state employees.
The order was born out of a survey of state workers conducted last year, where employees voiced a desire for more focus on equity and diversity.
At the signing, which was held outdoors at the governor’s mansion in Denver, several state government representatives discussed the importance of the order in making Colorado a more inclusive state.
Webb Brown, director of the office of health equity at the state health department, said that the order is just the beginning for the state’s efforts to improve diversity.
“Today is a fantastic and exciting first step, but I’m even more excited about getting to work on putting this executive order into action,” he said.
John Bartley, the deputy director of the Department of Personnel Administration’s division of human resources, said that when the administration began working on the initiative last year it had no idea that racial injustice would become a national conversation.
“Though the combination of global pandemic and nationwide protest has been difficult for our communities, it has raised the profile and created space for conversations regarding equity, diversity and inclusion, even among those who have never had to contemplate the ways in which policies and systems have benefitted some while simultaneously excluding others,” he said.
Polis thanked the employees who worked to spearhead the effort, and said that diversity makes Colorado “healthier and more prosperous.”
As one of the largest employers in Colorado, the state government is responsible for holding itself to a high standard and should be a model for the private sector, he said.
The order will create universal inclusion policy for state agencies, mandate training to address implicit bias, create statewide accessibility standards and help make the state’s procurement process more equitable.
In order for these efforts to be successful, each branch of the state government will have to take an active role in promoting diversity within the workplace, he said.
Everyone should feel valued and respected on the job no matter their identity, he said.
Polis mentioned his family, who immigrated to America in the 20th century while fleeing religious persecution in Eastern Europe, as one of many backgrounds that Coloradans come from.
“We all deserve to be seen, to be heard and to be included,” he said.