Where did equity come from and when and how did it slip into the title smack dab in the middle of Diversity and Inclusion? What is equity anyway, does anybody know for sure? Is equity a twin sister/brother to equality or is it a distant cousin? Or perhaps unrelated?

In my upcoming presentation to the Emerging Leaders class of SIUE, I explored this idea and concept of equity. As I begin my exploration of this strange word, I pondered this thought: I have received awards for my work with diversity; I have received awards for my work with inclusion; and I have received awards “in recognition for your Diversity and Inclusion efforts.” I even received an “Equalizer” award from the Youth and Family Center. But I have never received an award for my work with “equity.” Certainly, this seems fair in that I am admitting I do not even know what the word means and how or why or when it slid into the limelight as respects to work with diversity and inclusion.

I would love to be in a room with the many good people in our industry that work to make diversity and inclusion more of a norm in the best practices of our industry and ask this focused audience how they define the word equity. I would imagine I would get a few blank looks, but I am sure with a little back and forth discussion, an acceptable definition would be reached.

Here is what I found while preparing my presentation:

“The term equity refers to fairness and justice as distinguished from equality; whereas equality means providing the same to all, equity means recognizing that we do not all start from the same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments to imbalances. The process is ongoing, requiring us to identify and overcome intentional barriers arising from bias or systemic structures.”

I love this definition, where has this word been all these years? Do we practice equity in construction, this whole “identify and overcome intentional barriers” thing? No wonder owners, cities, states, governments, construction leaders have not focused on this word–it is the hardest of the three “DEI” words–the toughest concept, to accomplish.

Some possible “barriers” are payment policies of owner and GC and trade contractor; unfamiliarity with contracts, payment applications, work rules, and other jobsite requirements; clearness and conciseness of scope of work; unworkable retention provisions; unwelcoming treatment by all workers involved in the project; involvement in jobsite meeting; clear lines of communication; and a host of other issues.

In my experience with working with the minority contracting community, I see little focus on equity. We invite minority firms to our projects, and we invite, and even mandate, that our sites are inclusive for all races, all genders, all people. But do we take steps to “recognize that we do not all start from the same place” and do we “acknowledge and make adjustments to imbalances.” There are many owners and many GC’s that will say they do provide equitable worksites, but it is so much easier to talk about equity than it is to actually provide it. Personally, I do not see it happening. I would welcome any owner or any GC to show me an example otherwise.

In my presentation to the Emerging Leaders, I settled in on the following definition of DEI:

Diversity is being invited to the project by the owner and the general contractor in a meaningful way that all parties clearly understand

Equity is being welcomed to that project, mentored by those that invited them, assisted in the performance of their work when necessary and paid for their work promptly so that all job obligations can be met timely.

Inclusion is being offered a seat at the table, invited to jobsite meetings, introduced to the owner and the various project managers and other firms and workers and treated as an important part of the project.

Personally, I welcome “equity” to the diversity and inclusion discussion. Until we accept that “we all do not start from the same place” and “acknowledge and make adjustments for imbalances” and “remove intentional and unintentional barriers arising from bias or systemic structures” we will never advance the cause of Diversity and Inclusion within the design and construction industry.

Move over diversity and inclusion; equity is moving in.