Vibrant Pittsburgh | The Vibrant Index

The Vibrant Index Initiative

The Vibrant Index Initiative, a collaboration between Vibrant Pittsburgh and the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, drives diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) changes across industry and sector. The Vibrant Index identifies areas of success as well as what critical actions are needed to improve the practices, policies, and cultures of organizations in the Pittsburgh region. The Vibrant Index encourages companies to reflect on best practices while investigating opportunities to increase the impact of their DE&I efforts.

We Work with Experts

The Vibrant Index Initiative’s methodology and focus on the importance of policies and practices in building inclusive workspaces was refined through a targeted review by DE&I experts. Along with the Vibrant Pittsburgh Diversity Assessment Committee, our industry experts include researchers, data analysts, Human Resources professionals, and DE&I practitioners.

The Vibrant Index: We Measure What Matters

The Vibrant Index is designed to provide an annual snapshot of the best practices being utilized by employers in the Pittsburgh region. Each year, the Vibrant Index process captures how participating organizations are addressing DEI through their policies and workplace practices. The Vibrant Index supports participating organizations in identifying areas of responsibility, DEI strengths, and opportunities to create cultures of equity and inclusion.

Index Criteria

Each of the best practices included in the Diagnostic Tool was chosen based on research into diversity and inclusion, and the list was vetted by scholars in the field. They are broken into nine categories:

Written Commitment and Transparency

Publicly commit to diversity and inclusion.
Join other organizations in their commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Publicly display your organization’s intention not to discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, veteran status, religious belief, or national origin in hiring or operations.

Benefits and Policies

Create family-friendly policies to support employees with children.
Formalize policies to provide LGBTQIA+ employees with equal benefits.
Create policies that allow employees from a variety of backgrounds to bring their full selves to work.

Employee Networks

Support Employee Resource Groups (ERGs, EBRGs) with executive sponsorship and funding.
Leverage employee groups to learn more about employee’s needs and cultures.
Support employee participation in external professional affinity groups.

Diversity and Leadership

Diversity and Inclusion begins at the top.
Dedicate resources and staff to diversity and inclusion efforts, especially for large organizations.

Training and Education

Include diversity and inclusion topics in your professional development offerings.
Make diversity and inclusion education available to employees at every level.

Accountability Metrics

Collect data about the demographics of your employees, and check to see if your hiring, promoting, salaries, and retention reflect your organization’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.