the big picture

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Diversity, equity and inclusion are central and imperative for Habitat for Humanity. We believe in a world where everyone — no matter who we are or where we come from — deserves a decent place to live. And we recognize that, to create this world, our work must always break down barriers, bring people of all backgrounds together, and generate equity, respect and lasting change. Our work must help create what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called “the Beloved Community,” a community that includes diversity and allows for tension undergirded by love leading to transformation. We were built for this moment.

A theological imperative: We are called to put God’s love into action and love our neighbors as ourselves by insisting on reconciliation and justice.

A historical imperative: We are rooted in the legacy of our birthplace, Koinonia Farm, an interracial community established in the 1940s in Americus, Georgia, with a radical commitment to racial equality.

A mission imperative: We build homes, communities and hope and actively advocate for the rights of all people to have equitable access to decent, affordable housing.

Our work

Historic discrimination in U.S. housing policy, particularly against Black Americans, is one of the chief drivers of the racial inequities that persist today. In addition to our extensive advocacy efforts, Habitat has begun codeveloping an initiative to advance Black homeownership in the U.S. with input from local Habitat affiliates and continues our work in neighborhoods across the U.S. alongside residents and partner organizations to foster equitable, livable and sustainable communities through neighborhood revitalization efforts.

Around the world, Habitat also launched an Africa Hub in 2021, based in Nairobi, Kenya, to support Habitat’s operations across sub-Saharan Africa and deliver scalable programming that addresses the region’s most pressing challenges related to housing, including increasing inequity and urbanization at the local, national and regional levels as well as climate change, natural disasters and infectious diseases. Additionally, Habitat Canada and the Canadian government announced a CAN$40 million (US$32 million) investment in December 2020 to create homeownership opportunities for 200 Black families, addressing systemic racism against Black Canadians.

Our culture

In FY2021, Habitat prioritized the establishment of a data-driven and human-centered diversity, equity and inclusion strategy led by our global diversity, equity and inclusion officer. As a first step in the strategy development process, Habitat conducted a 12-week assessment, creating space for representatives from our global network to share their insights through listening sessions, interviews, workshops and a survey. We are now reviewing and incorporating key components and findings from these efforts into Habitat’s overall DEI strategy and implementation plan.

Additionally, in recent years, we’ve created employee resource groups that encourage employee engagement and provide opportunities for professional development and internal networking, while helping to inform implementation of our cultural values. These groups provide for the inclusion of diverse ideas and solutions and create opportunities for mentoring and career development.

Employee resource groups include:

• Black Employee Success Team
• DiversAbility, a group that advocates for employees with disabilities
• NextGen, a group that supports Habitat’s next generation of leaders
• Nuestro Hogar, a Latinx and Hispanic resource group
• R.E.A.C.H, a group that advocates for remote staff
• Spectrum, an advocacy group for LGBTQ+ employees
• Women in the Workplace

Our commitment

This will never be a world without poverty, prejudice or violence unless we build it. Making homeownership accessible and affordable for people from diverse communities is a critical component in creating that world. While much has been done, much more work remains.