SEC.gov | Office of Minority and Women Inclusion

The Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) provides leadership and guidance for the SEC’s efforts to leverage diversity and inclusion throughout the agency to enhance mission performance and impact. These efforts include building and maintaining a diverse workforce, cultivating an inclusive work environment, and fostering diversity in the agency’s network of suppliers. The efforts also cover promoting diversity and inclusion in the entities regulated by the SEC, as well as in the companies that contract with the agency.

Find out more about the SEC’s diversity and inclusion efforts in the links below.

Workforce Diversity and Workplace Inclusion

To successfully perform its three part mission, the SEC must continue to attract, hire, develop, and retain highly quality, diverse talent for all levels of the workforce. To that end, the SEC strives to cultivate a workplace culture that values diversity, encourages collaboration, flexibility and fairness, and allows all employees to contribute to their full potential. Under OMWI’s guidance and leadership, the SEC pursues several programs and initiatives to promote workforce diversity and foster workplace inclusion. More about Workforce Diversity and Inclusion.

Supplier Diversity Program

Establishing and maintaining a diverse supplier base maximizes the SEC’s ability to procure the best goods and services to meet its contracting needs. OMWI collaborates with the Office of Acquisitions, as well as other divisions and offices, to expand contracting opportunities for diverse suppliers, including minority-owned and women-owned businesses. More about Supplier Diversity Outreach.

Diversity and Inclusion in Regulated Entities

The SEC is taking steps to promote diversity and inclusion in the industry participants the agency oversees. In June 2015, the SEC joined with other federal financial regulatory agencies in issuing the Joint Standards for Assessing the Diversity Policies and Practices Regulated by the Agencies (Joint Standards) through a final interagency policy statement. The Joint Standards provide a framework for regulated entities to voluntarily assess their diversity policies and practices in several key areas—including their:

Organizational commitment to diversity;
Workforce and employment practices;
Procurement and business activities; ,
Practices to promote transparency of organizational diversity and inclusion, and
Self-assessment of diversity and policies and practices.

In addition, the SEC invites certain regulated entities to submit their diversity self-assessments to OMWI, as envisioned under the Joint Standards. The SEC may use the collected information to monitor progress and trends in the financial services industry regarding diversity and inclusion and to identify and highlight diversity and inclusion policies and practices that have been successful. More about Diversity and Inclusion in Regulated Entities.

SEC Contractor Commitment to Workforce Diversity and Inclusion

As a result of the SEC Contract Standard for Contractor Workforce Inclusion (Contract Standard) included in service contracts and subcontracts with a dollar value of $100,000 or more, SEC contractors and subcontractors agree to make good faith efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in their workforces. OMWI conducts post-award reviews, called “Good Faith Effort Reviews,” to determine whether contractors and subcontractors have complied with the Contract Standard. More about SEC Contractor Workforce Diversity and Inclusion.

Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan

This Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan covers Fiscal Years 2020-2022 and serves as a framework for the SEC's continued efforts in promoting workforce diversity, inclusion and opportunity, as well as supplier diversity. It includes measurable actions that are designed to help fully integrate diversity, inclusion and opportunity in the strategic decision-making of the agency, enhance organizational effectiveness, and meet future challenges.

Annual Report to Congress

OMWI's FY 2019 Annual Report summarizes the actions taken to promote diversity and inclusion in the SEC’s workforce, increase opportunities for minority-owned and women-owned businesses, and implement other statutory requirements. The report also highlights new initiatives the agency has taken to promote diversity and inclusion, which include converting the pilot mentoring program to a continuing program; organizing an agency-wide town hall with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and opportunity; releasing an improved diversity dashboard; and issuing a diversity and inclusion strategic plan.

Office of Minority and Women Inclusion