Driving Inclusion in Alternatives Framework
The DIA Initiative is centered on a set of foundational practices that LP and GP organizations have voluntarily adopted to enhance inclusive workplace culture, talent development, and transparency in the private markets industry.
Overview
The framework consists of two parts: four core practices and a set of twelve additional practices. These practices are designed to support inclusive talent strategies, responsible investment management, and broader engagement across the private markets ecosystem.
All practices included in the DIA framework are drawn from ILPA’s guidance documents and member-sourced resources, which provide a myriad of approaches for consideration by organizations at various stages of their own internal efforts.
Organizations should independently determine, based on their individual circumstances and consistent with applicable law, whether and to what extent they adopt or implement any of these voluntary practices.
Core Practices
- Has in place an organizational values statement, strategic goals, or internal policy that addresses inclusive workplace practices, including recruitment, development, and retention.*
- Maintains a formal policy or statement that prohibits harassment, commits to equal employment opportunities for all, and reinforces respectful workplace conduct.
- Tracks workforce composition using available demographic data, where lawful and applicable. **
- Commits to ongoing review and transparency of internal practices related to employee experience, including recruitment and advancement.
*Note: Organizations may refer to such materials under various titles, including but not limited to strategy, policy, or statement of commitment.
**Organizations should only collect and report demographic data where permissible by applicable laws and regulations.
Additional Practices - Any 2 or More of the Following
- Monitors internal hiring and promotion activity, including voluntary demographic tracking where permitted.
- Develops organizational strategies that promote inclusive workplace culture and access to opportunity.
- Shares (GPs) or requests (LPs) non-attributed organizational data (e.g., ILPA Metrics Template) for new fundraises or commitments, where appropriate.
- Where consistent with applicable law, seeks to understand leadership composition within external partners, including boards and management teams, where such data is shared voluntarily.
- Assigns senior accountability for inclusion-related initiatives within investment or management functions.
- Engages in action-oriented industry advocacy efforts, e.g. amplifying diversity, equity and inclusion through speaking engagements, partnerships and using your platform to promote inclusion in investing.
- Offers ongoing employee training related to increasing access and enhancing professional development.
- Supports employee-led groups that focus on shared professional interests or experiences.
- Incorporates inclusive leadership objectives into professional development and performance management practices and discussions.
- Encourages consideration of a wide range of perspectives in portfolio level governance among the Board of Directors.
- Shares (GPs) or requests (LPs) organizational data across all funds to support transparency where feasible and consistent with applicable law.
- Participates in voluntary surveys or research efforts consistent with applicable law that explore organizational practices related to workforce culture and inclusion.
