Item No. 11b_attach_2
Meeting Date: March 26, 2024
2023 EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION ACTION PROGRESS REPORT 
Departmental EDI Goals, Equity + Women of Color Assessment Actions, and Belonging + Inclusion Survey 

This report is intended to provide a status update and observa�ons based on four sets of data managed
by the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OEDI).
• 2022 Equity Assessment Recommenda�ons
• 2022 Women of Color Assessment Recommenda�ons
• 2023 Departmental Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Goals
• 2023 Annual Belonging + Inclusion Survey

CONTENTS 
I.   Background
II.  2023 Ac�on Progress + Status
A.  Equity Assessment + Women of Color Assessment
B.  Departmental EDI Goals
C.  Belonging + Inclusion Survey
III.  Observa�ons + Implica�ons
IV. Next Steps
V.  Appendix

I. BACKGROUND
The mission of the Port’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (OEDI) is to fully transform the Port of
Seatle into an organiza�on that embeds equity and jus�ce into all opera�ons and to create an
organiza�on where all people have opportuni�es for success. To do this, we must acknowledge and
address power structures, including systemic advantage and disadvantage, that hold inequi�es in place.
We must foster a culture of belonging through rela�onships, build a shared vision for libera�on, cul�vate
champions for equity at all levels of our organiza�on, and improve outcomes for our communi�es. 
Ul�mately, we aim for a future where race is no longer a predictor of outcomes; where everyone feels
they belong and have opportuni�es to thrive. 
Equity Assessment 
Towards that end, on October 13, 2020, the Port of Seatle Commission adopted Mo�on 2020-19, known
as the Racial Bias & Equity Mo�on, “[t]o direct the Execu�ve Director to examine Port opera�ons and
policies for sources of racial bias and discrimina�on and to develop programs and policies elimina�ng
inequity in all aspects of the organiza�on.” In 2021, the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and the
Change Team conducted an organiza�on-wide equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) assessment, in
accordance with this mo�on. The goals for this assessment were to: iden�fy strengths, weaknesses, and
barriers for the Port to advance equity; establish a baseline by which we can measure progress over
�me; and, create strategies and tac�cs to address iden�fied inequi�es in order to build a more
equitable, an�-racist organiza�on. The assessment iden�fied fi�een key inequi�es grouped into six focus
areas – workplace culture, opera�ons and process, employment, capacity building, WMBEs and small
businesses, and community engagement. Each of these focus areas represent an opportunity to address

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concerns and make progress in key areas of Port-wide equity. Finally, the assessment created a set of 53
clear, tangible next steps that have been implemented beginning in 2022. 
Women of Color Assessment 
In March 2021, Blacks in Government and Women’s Ini�a�ve Network collaborated to host a panel event
about intersec�onality and the experiences of women of color at the Port, which over 100 Port
employees atended. The panel was comprised of women of color who shared their experiences about
the barriers to success and advancement that they have faced during their careers. Several weeks a�er
the event, the panel met with Execu�ve Director Steve Metruck and he commissioned an assessment to
iden�fy the top barriers to women of color’s success at the Port and to generate specific
recommenda�ons and solu�ons for addressing those barriers. The Port contracted with Workplace
Change to conduct the assessment, which provided 11 recommenda�ons, three of which overlap with
the Equity Assessment recommenda�ons. The Women of Color Assessment recommenda�ons were 
published in Q1 of 2022, shortly a�er the Equity Assessment recommenda�ons were published. 
Departmental EDI Goals 
One of the Equity Assessment recommendations (#31) is for each department to establish and track
department-level equity, diversity, and inclusion goals to ensure every group actively contributes toward 
our Port-wide Century Agenda equity goal. 2023 was the first year implementing department-level goals
that were established with the help of departmental Change Team members. 
Belonging + Inclusion Survey 
In efforts to determine the outcomes based on the actions that are being implemented Port-wide, OEDI 
initiated an annual Belonging and Inclusion Survey, in partnership with Business Intelligence, to measure
perceptions of inclusion and belonging. The goal of the survey is to determine whether our efforts and
investments are moving the Port towards the intended vision of equity, anti-racism, inclusion, and
belonging by comparing point-in-time perceptions year-over-year. If we are moving in the right
direction, we would expect to see disparities reduce over time, across the various demographic
categories such as race, gender, representation status, etc. 
Measuring Actions + Outcomes 
In 2022, the Tracking & Reporting Committee of the Change Team developed a data collection tool to
track the progress towards each action from these assessments, in addition to department-level goals.
Business Intelligence built a progress tracking dashboard to monitor progress and provide visibility into
the steps being made to create a more equitable and inclusive workplace. This dashboard allows for all
employees to quickly see the aggregate progress percentage towards the goal, which departments are
ahead/behind pace, and which actions have been completed. In addition, we included a dashboard to
share results of the Belonging and Inclusion Survey to illustrate changes from year to year. In late
summer 2022, we made this dashboard publicly available on the Port’s website, in the spirit of
demonstrating transparency in our efforts and accountability to our commitments. 1 


1 “Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Dashboards.” Port of Seatle. Accessed March 2, 2024.
htps://www.portseatle.org/news/port-seatle-releases-equity-dashboards. 
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Figure 1. Logic model demonstrating how the Port is taking action on its commitments and also measuring its efforts, 
investments, and impact 

II.   2023 ACTION PROGRESS + STATUS 
a.   2023 EQUITY + WOMEN OF COLOR ASSESSMENT ACTIONS 
The 2021 Equity Assessment (EA) identified a set of focus areas and key issues that were addressed
through the 53 recommendations2. Many of the recommendations that resulted from the subsequent
Women of Color Assessment (WoC) aligned with these focus areas and key issues.





2 “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Organiza�onal Assessment 2021, Execu�ve Summary.” Port of Seatle. Accessed
March 15, 2024. htps://www.portseatle.org/sites/default/files/2022-
03/EDI%20Assessment%20Report%202021_Execu�ve%20Summary_Final.pdf
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                                                 Figure 2. 2022 Equity Assessment Focus Areas and Key Issues 
During 2023, which was the second year of implementation of the Equity Assessment (EA) and Women
of Color Assessment (WoC), there were improvements and gains in a few different areas. Overall, we
have completed 67% of all 64 EA and WoC actions. Our goal is to address and complete the majority of
the remaining recommended actions in 2024, knowing we are scheduled for our next assessment in
2025, per the Equity Policy Directive. 





Figure 3. Progress on total EA/WoC Assessment Actions, as of 12/31/23 

Related to the key issues iden�fied in the EA, our overarching progress on addressing EA and WoC
recommenda�ons is as follows: 


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                                                        Figure 4. EA Progress by Key Issues, 12/31/23 
Most assessment action items that are outstanding are a result of the following: 1) our ambitious 
timeline for completion, 2) transactional actions addressed earlier in implementation, leaving some of
the more complex and systemically more challenging actions to tackle, and 3) general change saturation
across Port-wide efforts and initiatives. 
We published the assessment actions in Q1 of 2022 and after discussion with the various leaders who
had responsibility for delivering on these actions, agreed to a timeline of December 2023 for completing
the majority of EA and WoC actions. However, due to the complexity of a number of these items, or
capacity needed, we recognize that was an ambitious target. For example, some of the items, such as EA
#22, involve coordination and consultation among multiple, overlapping systems and teams. EA #22 
aims for the Port to develop a process for consultants and contractors to report issues of discrimination 
by developing contractual provisions for our policies on discrimination. 
The recommendation identifies a desired outcome, but there is research and discussion needed to
understand all the parties involved in or impacted by this recommendation, before we could determine 
the best way to proceed. Efforts to develop consistent and comprehensive “code of conduct” language 
is currently in-progress with the participation of key partners, including Central Procurement Office,
Legal, Diversity in Contracting, and OEDI. Other similar recommendations are being addressed through
cross-functional discussions or need dedicated resources. 
Many recommendations that were accomplished early in the implementation period included actions
that were more “transactional” in nature. The remaining 33% of EA and WoC recommendations entail
complex systems and coordinated conversations to integrate equity and adjust processes and
approaches. Some examples include EA #32, which asks us to integrate equity considerations

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                throughout recruitment processes and WoC #2, which calls for the Port to examine organizational
culture at the department or team level, to understand where inconsistencies around inclusion and
belonging are greatest. These two examples involve a number of different parties to help consider
relevant policies, regulations and laws, and also implications, both positive and negative. Sustainable
equity efforts need to be done in close partnership with the various parties involved and impacted, and
we know it will require time to come to consensus around the most appropriate approach to each of
these recommendations, which is reflected in our delayed progress on some of these actions. 
Knowing that change initiatives at the Port are not limited to EDI-related efforts, we believe the change
saturation has been significant, impacting our collective ability to address multiple change efforts
simultaneously. For instance, the Compensation Equity Project led by Human Resources (HR) has been a
significant and important undertaking, which has impacted HR’s ability to dedicate the resources
necessary to work on some of the EA and WoC actions that fall under their purview. Additionally,
departments are often working on their own process improvement efforts and initiatives that may have
a cumulative impact on employees, who are our change agents. That said, the organization is still
committed to seeing progress in these areas, as we know the issues and concerns are still relevant and
important to our internal and external audiences, affecting our shift to a more inclusive and equitable
Port. 
In addition to the Equity Assessment, there were 11 recommendations identified by Workplace
Change’s Women of Color Assessment report in 2022. A number of the WoC recommendations
reinforced themes (focus areas and key issues) identified in the Equity Assessment. Of the 11, we are
moving forward with the following 10 actions: 











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                    Rec #                            Recommendation                                                          KPI                                    Progress 
WOC  Increase access of represented and shift workers (trainings, ELT     Overlaps with EA #3 - Track EDI training and development
75% 
1    meetings, focus groups, etc). includes non-electronic communication.  opportunities provided during off-shift hours 

Define a "hotspot"; assess where "hotspots" are; develop in-
EDI assessment has division-level data regarding culture. Begin to
WOC                                            depth culture assessments; implement culture assessment in        0% 
look at department and team level data on culture of belonging and
2                                                               identified "hotspots"; incorporate how to determine hotspots in     not started yet 
antiracism to explore where inconsistencies are greatest. 
partnership with WR/ER process improvement effort 

There is low trust for going to HR/Legal about workplace concerns.
Make improvements and increase transparency through report outs,
WOC                                            Overlaps with EA #18-20 - Include in process improvement and
and track level of understanding among employees over a two-year                                                                          100% 
3                                                               track understanding of process 
period. Publish annual reports of investigations. Explore alternatives
to continuously improve. 
100% 
Overlaps with EA #28 and #32                                      upon conclusion
28b. 100% of all supervisor evaluations include EDI competency       of pay equity
WOC  Establish DEI evaluation criteria and interview questions for ALL                                                study 
4    manager recruitments.                                        32d. Include at least one question about EDI into all interviews.
The question should require the applicant to demonstrate their          100% 
understanding of EDI and its applicability to the job. 
WOC  Set a goal of increasing percentage of Women of Color in the top    1. Define criteria                                Unable to
5    tiers of the organization.                                       2. Determine percentage of finalists                           legally pursue 
Overlaps with EA #35 and #36 - Aligns with compensation / pay
WOC  Ensure the pay equity process is transparent and the algorithm for   equity study                                    85% 
6    determining pay equity is made public. 
Overlaps with EA #35 and #36 - Develop a process to incorporate
Institute facilitated communication between leaders and managers
WOC                                            report-out trends regarding hiring, promotions, and
to increase accountability and reporting about hiring, promotions,      compensation                                                          90% 
7
and compensation trends. 
WOC                                            Position showcase through D+D council                    100% 
8                                                               Publish job vacancy dashboard                                   25% 

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                            Establish and broadcast pathways for promotion(s) to all Port staff,
and especially to women of color. Create a new, transparent process    All positions are visible and available to all                               100% 
for internal promotions and actively work to disrupt favoritism. 
Launch a high-quality training and/or leadership program, establish     Promote and share LINK leadership to Women of Color                  100% 
WOC
diversity metrics for each cohort (WOC targets), and prioritize hiring
9                                                                           Track and share LINK program demographics per cohort                  50% 
participants into vacancies first. 
Develop or modify feedback loops to enhance transparency             100% 
WOC  Require an honest feedback loop for internal candidates who were
Develop and implement training for hiring managers around
10     not selected for positions for which they were interviewed.                                                                                    100% 
providing effective feedback for candidates not selected 
Develop exit survey                                                    100% 
Implement exit survey by incorporating into Offboarding
Checklist                                                               100% 
WOC  Implement exit surveys as part of the Port's offboarding process for
11     departing employees (separated or retired).                            Develop a dashboard showing result trends (data available in July
2023; dashboard available tentatively in Q4)                             50% 

Figure 5. Women of Color Assessment Recommendations - action status as of 12/31/23 










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                                                Women of Color Listening Sessions 
In June of 2023, OEDI Senior Director Bookda Gheisar and Chief Strategy Officer Marin Burnett facilitated a
series of three listening sessions to hear from women of color across the port. This series of listening
sessions was intended to serve as a touchpoint to understand how efforts towards actions from the WoC 
have impacted individuals and the organization. A total of 143 people participated in those sessions. (See
Appendix A for details on input from sessions.) The three prompting questions from each listening session
were: 
1. What do you hope to see as a result of the Equity Policy Directive that was passed in 2023? 
2. For annual department-specific equity goals, how do we support an environment for departments to
create more robust goals? 
3. What opportunities would you like to see for leadership development that is specifically designed for
women of color? What might those opportunities look like? 
Overall, the session themes focused on addressing inequities, improving hiring practices, and creating
leadership development opportunities specifically designed for WoC. Participants emphasized the
importance of support, recognition, and creating a culture of belonging and growth within the organization. 
Participants expressed the need for exclusive spaces for WoC discussions while acknowledging the progress
made in implementing equity policies. 
Participants focused on inconsistent hiring practices, bias, and the influence of hiring managers favoring
white candidates, and they expressed the need for the organization to prioritize equity by establishing a
culture of equitable hiring throughout the organization. Leadership development opportunities, including
mentorship programs, were suggested to support and empower WoC. Concerns were raised about
inconsistent treatment by managers and limited opportunities for professional growth, highlighting the
need for revamped leadership programs and training on cultural competency. Proposed actionable items
included mentorship and coaching initiatives, diverse hiring panels, intensive training for hiring managers,
and addressing the lack of growth opportunities for women in the organization. The importance of
fostering a supportive environment, valuing all employees' contributions, and creating avenues for
leadership development and advancement were highlighted. 
The participants emphasized the need for a safe and inclusive environment, increased accountability,
transparency, representation, equitable salary increases, and regular reviews of managers. Effective
communication, involvement of diverse panels, and the role of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)
advocates were emphasized. The importance of embedding equity in career development, addressing
nepotism and unfair advantages, supporting aging women, and speeding up equity efforts were discussed. 
The need for comprehensive equity goals, training sessions, tools, and resources; bridging gaps in
opportunities and support for all employees, actionable feedback, and an anonymous feedback option
were also highlighted. Overall, the participants underscored the importance of taking tangible actions to
promote equity, inclusivity, and meaningful change within the organization's culture and career
development processes. 
Ultimately, the themes heard during the 2023 listening sessions were consistent with the themes gathered
from the 2022 WoC. The results of the listening session were an important reminder that the types of
systemic shifts sought by our Port employees, particularly women of color, will require time to implement,
and to create racial equity in our organization, we must allow time and space for changes to take root and
infuse the organization’s culture. 
EA/WoC Assessment Conclusions 

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              Based on the quantitative analysis of the Port’s efforts and progress on both the Equity and Women of
Color Assessments since we began implementing in 2022, the Port is proceeding in a way that balances the
need to create change in the present, while setting us up for long-term, sustainable success. 

b.  2023 DEPARTMENTAL EDI GOALS 
Submission Compliance 
2023 was the first year the Port implemented department-level EDI goals. The purpose of this is to ensure
departments and teams can identify relevant ways to operationalize equity in their day-to-day work. In
addition, it helps hold the organization accountable to our values at the team level, ensuring that EDI
expectations and accountability span from the organization, to departments, to individuals. Overall, for our
first year of implementing and tracking departmental EDI goals, we averaged 81% compliance with
reporting over each quarter. 






Figure 6. Average 2023 goal submission rate 
We also drafted a Port-wide 2023 EDI Division Goal as a way to measure progress on our organizational
goal of normalizing and proactively supporting engagement in EDI development. The division goal was to:
Increase employee engagement with EDI by incorporating equity moments in team meetings, increasing
employee participation in equity events and training, and allowing time towards equity work. This would be
measured by tracking the following two KPIs: 
1. 100% of all staff participate in equity training and development (6 hours for supervisors, 5 hours for
individual contributors), with a minimum 75% of all staff meeting hourly training targets - 
information to be tracked via LMS 
2. Include Change Team CORE members in the business planning process for 2024. 
We asked all departments to track this division-level goal for a few reasons: 1) to build in a quarterly checkin
and reminder to encourage completion of individual EDI training requirements; 2) to use the quarterly
check-in as an accountability prompt for supervisors to view the status of their department’s compliance
with port-wide annual EDI training requirements; and 3) to underscore the need to include trained Change
Team members in bringing their advocacy role to bear in decision-making processes around goals and
budgets. 

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                                            Figure 7. Progress on total 2023 departmental EDI goals, as of 12/31/23 
One of the reasons departments were unable to meet 100% of their departmental and division-level goals
was due to technical challenges with tracking training data through our Learning Management System
(LMS). The system itself is limited in terms of the types of reports it can generate. It is also limited in terms
of who has access the data. That said, the lack of access and transparency in the system itself made it
difficult for departments, particularly larger ones, to be able to accurately track and report on their
quarterly progress towards all department staff completing EDI training requirements. As a result of this
known issue with our LMS tool, we waived the requirement to report on division goal 2, KPI #1, which
impacted the rate of overall departments meeting 100% of their EDI reporting target. 
Outcomes 
In terms of departmental progress on commitments, the majority of departments fully met their EDI targets
in 2023. Themes among departmental goals across the Port included: increasing WMBE utilization,
dedicating and allocating time necessary to support employee EDI training and development, committing to
normalizing equity in conversations among staff and partners, expanding outreach, engagement, and
mentorship about careers in niche fields, and following HR guidance to increase panel diversity in
recruitment processes. There were many departments who recognized the need to stretch themselves in
their EDI goals by embedding equity principles into operational processes. By incorporating this intentional
measure around equity in our operations, teams were able to develop equity goals that are directly
relevant to their operational work that helps push the Port to shift how we go about our work. 
A couple examples of equity in action and impacting Port operations and culture include Risk Management,
Labor Relations, Legal, Maritime Operations, and Aviation Security. 
Department          Goal                  KPI                    2023 Successes 
A process was developed to integrate
Insurance/Risk
Establish a process for a      an evaluation means to provide a
Resource and
tier-level matrix for           tiered level of insurance for subs who
Clarification to include
insurance based on risk      are working under a prime who has
Risk            community education
applicable to                 the overall main insurance
on insurance
Management                    subconsultants.          requirement. The level of insurance for
requirements and
Stakeholders are Diversity    the sub would depend on overall scope
claims process as well
in Contracting, CPO, AV      of their work, duration, and type of
as insurance training
PMG, and WPMG          work. A template was created for Risk
for Primes and Subs                                   when reviewing new contracts to be
bid. CPO was involved in reviewing the

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template, specifically for service
agreements and new construction. 
OEDI was invited to meet with Union
Commit to having
Labor                             Equity will be on the        representatives, shop stewards, and LR
equity conversations
agenda at least once per     managers in 15 out of 15 (closed
Relations       in Business
bargaining unit                contract) business partnership
Partnership Meetings 
meetings. 
Take steps to increase
2022 project baseline was .01% of
the opportunity for
Work to identify WMBE      outside firms utilized by the legal
legal services to be
law firms with expertise in    department were identified as WMBEs
Legal            provided by WMBE
practice areas needed by     via Diversity in Contracting. As of
law firms and/or
the Port                      March 2023, 3% of outside firms
lawyers of diverse
qualify as WMBE – a 29,900% increase. 
backgrounds 
Maritime                           Reflect POS equity         Equity language included in new tariff
Boating,       Establish a policy of     language in external        “code of conduct” for 2024, including
equity for external       communications,             Terminal Tarriff#5 and #6. Language
Operations,
customers              contracts, Preferential Use   speaks to how customers are expected
Security                                Agreements, Tariffs, etc.      to treat all Port of Seatle staff 
Develop SAS training    Develop Enhanced Skill       Training program completed in Q1;
approach that builds     Training Program.            socialized among Frontline employees
on strengths and        Implement and complete    and requested feedback in Q2;
knowledge of           as part of recurrent         launched training program in Q3;
Aviation       experienced           training by EOY 2023.        completed by Q4. 
Security         employees, while
providing skills and      Provide at least 1 stretch     Successful and complete. 
learning opportunities   opportunity that requires
for other team          collaboration with another
members             department (6 total) 
Figure 8. Highlights of successful 2023 departmental goal implementation equity integration 

c.   2023 BELONGING + INCLUSION SURVEY SUMMARY3 
The purpose of the Belonging and Inclusion Survey (BIS) is to learn about Port employees’ perceptions
concerning belonging and inclusion. The survey consists of scales that have been established to be reliable
and valid, plus questions related to Port leadership, supervisors, and impact of OEDI. The survey was
developed by Business Intelligence with input from OEDI. Data collection, analysis, and reporting were
completed by Business Intelligence, and 2023 was the second year of data collection for BIS.
Data collection was conducted from September 6 – October 31, 2023. The survey was disseminated across
the Port to be completed online using Qualtrics. For those with limited computer access, paper surveys
were provided on request. Fifty-one paper surveys were completed and sent back to OEDI. Responses from
the paper surveys were entered into Qualtrics. In addition to the paper surveys, 1,295 online surveys were
completed (total: 1,346), resulting in a 48% response rate. The response rate in 2022 was 43%.

3 ”2023 Belonging and Inclusion Survey Report.” Port of Seatle. Accessed March 4, 2023. 
htps://www.portseatle.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/BISReportOctober2023_final.pdf 
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                                                             Key Findings 
1.    There were several increases/improvements since 2022.
•    Mean ratings for being asked to contribute to planning social activities were higher in 2023 than
in 2022 (2.9 vs. 2.7). This is likely due to more social activities taking place after Covid restrictions
ending.
•    Mean ratings increased for being informed about informal social activities and company social
events from 3.7 in 2022 to 3.9 in 2023. This may also be the result of there being more social activities
after pandemic restrictions ending.
•    Inclusion in information network mean scores increased from 4.2 in 2022 to 4.3 in 2023.
•    Perceptions that the executive leadership team leads by example in living the EDI values increased
from 4.0 in 2022 to 4.1 in 2023, representing a small but statistically significant improvement in
means.
•    There was an increase in means in the perceptions that the efforts of OEDI made the Port a more
inclusive place to work. Scores increased from 4.0 in 2022 to 4.2 in 2023.
2.    Represented employees feel less included in the organization compared to non-represented
employees. This trend of represented employees responding less favorably to certain measures is not
unique to the Belonging and Inclusion Survey. Similar trends exist in the Engagement Survey and the Equity
Assessment.
3.    Employees feel a greater sense of inclusion and belonging in their immediate work group as compared
to the larger organization. For example, overall belonging is rated 4.8 on a scale of 1 - 6 with 71% of
respondents moderately or strongly agreeing with the statement “I am treated as a valued member of my
work group”. Seventy-three percent of respondents moderately or strongly agreed with the inclusion
statement “I am typically involved and invited to actively participate in work-related activities of my work
group”. However, respondents answered considerably less favorably regarding inclusion outside their
immediate work group. For example, only 32% moderately or strongly agreed with the statement “I am
often invited to participate in meetings with management higher than my immediate supervisor”, and 32%
moderately or strongly agreed with the statement “I am often invited to contribute my opinion in meetings
with management higher than my immediate supervisor”.
4.    There were some differences by race and gender. The most consistent difference concerning race was
that respondents who identified as Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander responded less favorably on many of
the survey questions. While these differences are statistically significant, caution should be used in
interpreting these findings due to small sample size. A total of 23 respondents identified as Native
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, representing less than one third of the Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders
employed at the Port. Additionally, African American employees reported a lower level of
participation/involvement in comparison to white employees but higher support for the goals of OEDI. In
terms of gender, the survey found that women are more supportive of the Port’s EDI goals and efforts in
comparison to men and non-binary respondents.
5.    Employees in Aviation rated their experiences with inclusion and belonging less favorably than
employees in other divisions. In comparison to employees in other divisions, employees in Aviation rated
their inclusion in decision-making, information networks, and overall involvement in the organization lower
than employees in Corporate, Maritime, and Economic Development. It is possible that the large

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              percentage of represented employees in Aviation (63%) is a contributing factor to why Aviation employees
rated their experiences less favorably than other divisions.
6.    There was a large percentage of respondents who opted not to disclose their demographics or
respondent characteristics. Between 11% to 17% of respondents answered “prefer not to answer” to
demographics or respondent characteristics (division, years at the Port, etc.). This is in line with the
Engagement Survey and not unique to the Belonging and Inclusion Survey. In the Engagement Survey, 20%
of respondents checked “prefer not to answer” for gender and 31% checked “prefer not to answer” for
race. 
7.    Only 48% of Port employees completed the survey. This is lower than the Equity Assessment (60%) and
the Engagement Survey (55%) but higher than participation in the Belonging & Inclusion Survey in 2022 
(43%). The more employees respond to the survey, the more representative the data is of the overall
employee population. 

III. OBSERVATIONS + IMPLICATIONS 
During 2023, we focused considerable capacity on the implementation of departmental EDI goals and the
EA and WoC Assessment recommendations. Over the course of the year, we observed consistent tensions;
pushing for change, while getting pushed back on it. This is a normal and expected response to racial equity 
work in any institution or organization; progress is simultaneously supported and opposed. In addition,
there is a broader cultural and political context nationally, which reinforces preexisting gaps in
interpersonal and institutional understanding of what is collectively needed to improve outcomes - not just
for disproportionately marginalized communities, but for all communities. 









Figure 9. Image depicts the tensions that exist as the Port pursues its mission towards an anti-racist future 

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Given the organizational changes OEDI has been leading over the last few years, in addition to other Portwide
change efforts and priorities, we must reinforce the significance and impact of why this workforce and
organizational investment is critical. The fact that we were unable to meet all our initially scheduled targets
by end of 2023 is a factor of so much change at once, in addition to potentially unrealistic timelines set for
these changes, in light of other organization-wide changes happening simultaneously. The below bullet
points provide a narrative of Figure 9 (above) and illustrate the tension, contradiction, and competing
narratives influencing the Port’s ability to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Apathy and general feelings of “equity fatigue” are seen in different ways through the organization,
including engagement rates. For instance, only 48% of the organization participated in the 2023
Belonging & Inclusion Survey despite considerable efforts to make the survey accessible for all
employees. This not only undermines the effectiveness of such a survey, but it also speaks to 
employees’ apathy for this work. However, apathy and equity fatigue are not the only sentiments
that exist related to the Port’s efforts towards equity, inclusion, belonging, and anti-racism. There
are passionate and engaged staff who recently joined the Change Team, as an example, who chose
to participate due to their desire to be part of effective, and different solutions. When the Port’s
Change Team launched in fall 2020, we had approximately 120 members. After our most recent
recruitment process, we now have nearly 175 Port employees who have signed up to help carry out 
and advance the Port’s vision, mission, and values around equity and anti-racism. 
• Many employees and departments working toward lasting, sustainable systemic solutions, such as 
creating more accessible, inclusive, fair hiring practices. At the same time, there are employees and
departments who, especially considering recent national events (e.g. US Supreme Courts’ decision
on affirmative action), have become risk averse, worrying that any sort of deviation from businessas-usual
or policies that pushes the organization to progress will incur backlash and liability. 
• The organization continues to make strides advance equity through innovative, new solutions, such
as the Equity in Budgeting Playbook and the development of the Equity Spending and
Accountability Project. And, there is an ongoing narrative of change saturation – employees feeling
overwhelmed by new projects, initiatives, and requirements. For instance, we experience continual 
negotiation and pushback from employees about annual required equity training, questioning not
only if the requirement must be met but also the value of it. 
• Leaders across the organization are demonstrating a commitment to EDI and are backing it up
through their actions. For example, leaders of departments with represented workers, who do not
go through the same annual evaluation process as non-represented workers, are creating 
expectations for performance and behavior that advance EDI. This type of behavior –
demonstrating values through action – engenders trust in the organization. And, there are leaders
and teammates in the organization who are engaging in problematic behavior and are often not
held accountable. Every time this happens, it reinforces a narrative of mistrust, and for the
employees on the receiving end of this problematic behavior, it means that trust must be rebuild
from the ground up. 
In summary, the Port is experiencing opposing, contradictory, but equally valid, narratives. The experiences
of Port employees are both of progress and hope but also of frustration and mistrust. As an organization,
we are taking significant steps towards becoming an equitable, anti-racist Port, but we are also
experiencing stagnation and setback. Again, this duality is normal for an organization that is taking
committed steps to advance equity, and it speaks to the challenges and difficulty of not only change but
also equity. Finally, it is important to recognize the slow rate of change. We are in the process of improving
our organizational practices, policies, and culture, but even when we make considerable changes, it doesn’t

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              translate into immediate results. We must create space and time for this work to take root and to measure
the impact. In and of itself, this can be frustrating, and it requires the Port to have a patience and curious
approach to this work. 

IV. NEXT STEPS 
During 2024, we will focus on completing the outstanding recommendations from the Equity and Women
of Color Assessments (preparing us for the next iteration of these assessments in 2025), assisting
departments in completing their 2024 annual EDI goals, and improving our systems to more accurately and
efficiently capture the impact of our work. 
With the addition of staffing to support our tracking and reporting systems, 2024 will focus on systematic
coaching and support with departments who have responsibilities in the Equity Assessment and Women of
Color Assessment actions as well as ensuring that our tracking and reporting systems are streamlined and
accurate. 
There is a continued need to train and work with individual proxies who have multiple reporting
responsibilities. While OEDI cannot solve the issue of various port-wide reporting systems, OEDI has been
intentional about trying to align deadlines and reporting processes with Strategic Initiatives. Beginning in
2024, departmental EDI goals will also align with departmental deadlines for submitting 2025 budget
requests, so we ensure all equity commitments are designated and resourced together. 
Measuring community impact is an area we have not yet taken on as an institution. Developing and
launching an external reporting system on our equity spending and incorporating equity impact in our
economic impact studies are steps towards this, but a comprehensive way to receive input from the
community about our work is still missing. It is important that a public agency such as the Port is not only
transparent with its efforts and outcomes, but whose success is measured by those who are directly
impacted by Port operations and investments. This would be a large undertaking to assess on any recurring
cadence, but one that we would like to explore as we continue to prioritize and invest in cultivating a more
diverse and inclusive workplace, more accessible and inclusive programming, planning, and design, as well
as more diverse partnerships that help broaden our reach and impact in the region. 








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                 V.  APPENDICES 
a.   2023 Women of Color Listening Sessions Input 
The following is a summary of direct input OEDI received from three different Women of Color listening sessions held in June 2023. 
Subject                          Experiences/Root Causes                              Suggested Ac�onable Item                        Desired Outcome 
• Encourage par�cipa�on in ERG and other leadership
Leadership development for                                                        opportuni�es inside and outside of the port 
WOC: There is a desire for
• Implement a mentorship program specifically designed to
increased representa�on of                                                                                                                  • More women of color in
address barriers women of color experience 
Black and Brown women in                                                                                                             leadership posi�ons 
• U�lize the Port’s internal internship and other programs
leadership, management, and
• Supervisors biased against WOC                       that are available to strengthen leadership skills            • More progression in WOC
execu�ve roles, along with
• Lack of leadership opportuni�es for WOC                                                                          career pathways. Increased
• Core competencies should be aligned with advancement
equitable salary increases                                                                                                                           number of internal WOC
• Women are not feeling valued and no                 pathways 
applying for posi�ons at the
opportunity for growth                             • Women of color need direct and clear feedback from
People feel undervalued,                                                                                                                         Port.
• Folk struggling to navigate next steps in careers         their supervisors and hiring managers in job applica�on
underpaid, and                                                                                                                          • Women of color more
• Lack of representa�on and advancement              processes 
underappreciated                                                                                                                           successful in process of
• Create a database of managers who are willing to mentor
applying for internal
Development opportuni�es                                                     women of color 
promo�ons 
should lead to advancement                                                       • Provide training to managers to teach them to mentor 
and coach beter, which can include expecta�on se�ng
and improving delivery of construc�ve feedback 
• Recognize and value all roles within the
organiza�on, including administra�ve posi�ons.
Empowering WOC and crea�ng avenues for
growth and advancement were seen as vital         • Develop initiatives to ensure equal opportunities and fair
goals.                                                treatment for aging women 
• Par�cipants voiced concerns about inconsistent     • Create mentorship programs specifically tailored to        • Ensuring career growth and
Support for c hallenges faced       treatment by managers and the limited                support and empower aging women in their careers           development for all women 
by older women of color in        opportuni�es for professional growth.              • Establish support networks and opportuni�es              • Providing a safe and
career development           • Iden�fying career interests for older women        • Crea�ng an ERG for WOC                                 protected environment for
• They felt undervalued and underappreciated,        • Establish clear repor�ng procedures                          WOC 
ques�oning the effec�veness of current            • Perhaps have complaints go directly to EDI instead of
development opportuni�es.                        supervisors 
• Challenges related to equity and resistance from
management were acknowledged, and
par�cipants called for clear communica�on,

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                                             accountability, and involvement of diverse panels
in hiring and promo�on processes. 
• Repor�ng workplace issues more consistently and
outcomes being reported back 
• Undervalued admin staffworkers (WOC) 
• The topic of hiring prac�ces and equity in 
• Create a system during the hiring process where new
decision-making processes received significant 
employees can express their interest for ERGs in
aten�on.
partnering with professionals across the organiza�on in
• Concerns were raised regarding bias and the 
specific areas of interest. 
influence of hiring managers favoring white 
• Update bias videos- make sure hiring managers are
candidates. The par�cipants deliberated on the 
reviewing and discussing 
need to priori�ze equity while ensuring that 
Inconsistent hiring processes                                                          • Include diverse perspec�ves in hiring panels 
qualified candidates, regardless of race, are                                                                      Ensure fair and unbiased hiring 
• Aggressive training of our hiring Managers and Directors 
considered. They emphasized the importance of                                                                  prac�ces 
establishing a culture that promotes equitable       • update bias video 
hiring prac�ces throughout the organiza�on.         • Incorporate cultural competency training and train
• Women feel that language, tone, accent, and way      managers on how to iden�fy their own management
of talking has been held against them                 strengths to effec�vely coach/train diverse team
members 
• Bias in hiring decisions 
• Improve job pos�ng outreach to ensure diverse and
• Biased Point system 
qualified applicants are reached 
• Hiring discrimina�on 
• Par�cipants emphasized the need for increased     • Limit new Managers’ authorization to make changes to
accountability, par�cularly for managers, and          department staff roles, processes and/or systems until
expressed frustra�on with closed-door mee�ngs      they complete their 6, 9 or 12 months and the
and a lack of transparency. There was a shared         appropriate competency training. 
Accountability for supervisors
sen�ment of inac�on and a call for tangible         • Query those affected by the change, listen to them and
ac�ons to address the iden�fied issues                act!
• There is a need for regular reviews of managers,     • Make it a mandatory/standard process for changes to an    • Ensure consistent and
turnover analysis, and internal measurements of       employee’s essential roles to be communicated in writing     accountable leadership
progress towards equity goals. Each department       with a reasonable explanation, and that the change must     prac�ces 
should have an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion         (1) pass an EDI/EEO review for potential disparagement    • Measurement of progress 
(EDI) representa�ve.                                  & marginalization impacts to the employee and (2) be
• Need for guidance on applying equity                  approved by HR.
• Inconsistent leadership prac�ces                    • Revamp the leadership program 
• Addressing accountability in leadership              • Ensure consistent and equitable leadership across
• There is a call for increased accountability across       departments
departments, especially for managers.              • Learn more about HR's efforts 

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                                          • Closed-door mee�ngs and a lack of transparency    • Need for regular reviews of managers, turnover analysis,
hinder progress                                       and internal measurements of progress towards equity
goals 
• Each department should have an Equity, Diversity, and
Inclusion (EDI) representa�ve. 
• Bring back employee reviews of Managers’ performance
or some form of accountability review outside of their
PREPS (i.e. A Full Equity Review). 
• Prohibit Manager with poor evalua�on ra�ngs of their
own performance plans or serious complaints against
them from providing the sole ra�ng on employee PREPS. 
• Continue to have regular listening sessions every 2-3
months. Accelerate pace of change in equity efforts:
 Explore strategies to expedite progress and overcome
barriers to change.
 Encourage accountability and action rather than
relying solely on words.
• Foster open discussions on racial equity:
 Create a safe and inclusive environment to discuss
• Iden�fy further ac�ons to foster belonging. Each
difficult racial equity conversations.
department was suggested to have an Equity,
 Share the responsibility of finding solutions for
Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) representa�vesystemic
issues, rather than placing the burden solely
Change Team member. Transparency and
on people of color.
Accelerate the rate of change      effec�ve communica�on were highlighted as
• Develop comprehensive and personable equity goals:
in the organiza�on with           crucial in bridging the gap between
 Ensure equity goals are meaningful and well thought
support of OEDI                   administra�on and employees. 
out, going beyond simply meeting metrics.
• Ensuring WOC voices are heard and priori�zed 
 Involve all departments in setting equity goals and
• Atendees want to see more tangible ac�ons. The
make them visible to staff.
focus should shi� from talk to more
• Address the disconnect between represented and non-
implementa�on. 
represented workers 
 Identify and bridge the gaps in opportunities and
support for both represented and non-represented
workers.
 Implement measures to provide equal growth
opportunities and career advancement for all
employees.


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                                b.   Women of Color Assessment Recommendations + Listening Session Analysis 
The tables below provide a comparison of all the Women of Color Assessment Recommendations and their status, as of December 31, 2023,
alongside related or overlapping Equity Assessment Recommendations and their status. The purpose of showing all the related actions together,
and according to themes that emerged from the June 2023 WoC listening sessions, is to provide a comprehensive view of the actions the Port
committed to, is taking action, and where our progress or room for further improvement or investment may be. 
WoC Listening Session Feedback: Accelerate the Rate of Change
Action
Rec #                                       Recommendation                                                               KPI
Progress
EDI assessment has division-level data regarding culture. Begin to look at
Use department and team-level data on belonging and
WOC 2   department and team level data on culture of belonging and antiracism to explore                                                      0%
anti-racism to explore where inconsistencies are greatest
where inconsistencies are greatest. 
There is low trust for going to HR/Legal about workplace concerns. Make             Include in process improvement and track understanding
improvements and increase transparency through report outs, and track level of     of process (proxy measure could be manager
WOC 3                                                                                                                          100%
understanding among employees over a two-year period. Publish annual reports of  accountability or employee engagement). This item
investigations. Explore alternatives to continuously improve.                         overlaps with EA #18 and #20.
Complete Workplace Responsibility process
25%
Workplace Responsibility and Employee Relations continue process improvement  improvement effort
EA 18
and report back in 2022.                               Report on process improvement efforts to Port employees
100%
(Q2 2023)
Increase internal communication and clarity about how Workplace Responsibility   Upon completion of Code of conduct updates and process
EA 19    and Employee Relations processes work, and increase employee knowledge about   improvement efforts, provide quarterly communications      30%
what the roles of each team are, how they operate, and possible outcomes.          to all employees
Workplace Responsibility and Employee Relations publish an annual report
EA 20                                                                                 Publish annual report on Port Workplace Responsibility     100%
detailing the number of cases, outcomes, follow-ups, demographics, etc.
WoC Listening Session Feedback: Accountability for Supervisors
Action
Rec #                                       Recommendation                                                               KPI
Progress
Develop exit survey                                          100%
Implement exit survey                                      100%
Implement exit surveys as part of the Port's offboarding process for departing
WOC 11 
employees (separated or retired).                           Develop a dashboard showing result trends (data
available in July 2023; dashboard available tentatively        50%
in Q4)

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                                               WoC Listening Session Feedback: Career Advancement Support for Older WoC
Action
Rec #                                       Recommendation                                                               KPI
Progress
Ensure all positions are visible and available to all Port
Establish and broadcast pathways for promotion(s) to all Port staff, and especially                                                               100%
employees
WOC 8   to women of color. Create a new, transparent process for internal promotions and
Host 6 "position showcase" events through D+D in 2022      100%
actively work to disrupt favoritism.
Publish our job vacancy dashboard                         25%
Launch a high-quality training and/or leadership program, establish diversity    Promote LINK leadership to Women of Color                  100%
WOC 9   metrics for each cohort (women + WOC targets), and prioritize hiring participants
Track and share LINK program demographics per cohort      50%
into vacancies first.
WoC Listening Session Feedback: Leadership Development + Promotional Opportunities
Action
Rec #                                       Recommendation                                                               KPI
Progress
Communications action plan developed                     0%
Increase access of represented and shift workers (trainings, ELT meetings, focus  Track off-shift activities provided during off-hours            75%
WOC 1 
groups, etc). includes non-electronic communication.                  Track progress on communications action plan
0%
implementation
Continue communication efforts to make information accessible to all        Communications action plan developed                       0%
stakeholders, including responding to information needs of specific groups like   Track off-shift activities provided during off-hours            75%
EA 3      represented and shift workers and people without computers (ongoing). OEDI
develops new communication materials for employees around the Port to use (such  Track progress on communications action plan
30%
as posters, calendars, placards).                           implementation
Institute facilitated communication between leaders and managers to increase      Develop a process to incorporate report-out trends
WOC 7                                                                                                                          90%
accountability and reporting about hiring, promotions, and compensation trends.    regarding hiring, promotions, and compensation
Upon conclusion of the compensation and pay equity
Human Resources Department makes salary information accessible and
EA 35                                                                                 study, share recommendations and best practices for        80%
transparent.
how this information will be made available
Design and complete a Port-wide pay equity analysis          80%
Determine potential remediation strategies, including
80%
special budget for equity adjustments
EA 36 /  Ensure the pay equity process is transparent and the algorithm for determining pay
Develop a pay equity definition and philosophy that
WOC 6                        equity is made public.                                                                     100%
reflects the Port's values
Human Resources Department will design and implement
80%
a new pay program
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