NCUA Board Member Tanya F. Otsuka delivers a statement on the Board Briefing, NCUA's 2024-2026 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan.
As Prepared for Delivery on January 18, 2024
Thank you for your presentation, Miguel. As one of the newest members of NCUA’s community, I have felt incredibly welcomed. But that feeling of acceptance cannot just be reserved for Board members. It is crucial for all employees to feel that they belong at their workplace. That their contributions will be viewed on their merit and they are comfortable speaking up and sharing their ideas.
Diversity isn’t just about a few people or groups. Diversity is about creating an environment where fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals is part of the culture. When all staff feel valued and bring different perspectives to problem-solving, it helps build stronger, more effective teams.
This strategic plan represents a roadmap through which the NCUA can promote a culture of inclusion and mitigate barriers to equity and accessibility. The data driven approach you presented today will help ensure the NCUA is meeting its strategic goals, including attracting, developing, and retaining an engaged, high-performing, and diverse workforce within an inclusive, professional environment.
I understand your office has also made great strides in increasing the NCUA’s use of diverse suppliers. I commend you and your office for your hard work and successes.
I also echo the Chairman on the importance of the voluntary credit union diversity self-assessment – or CUDSA – submitted by credit unions. I encourage all credit unions to complete the survey. Diversity within the credit union system is so important, especially as credit unions are community-focused financial institutions. If the credit union doesn’t have representation from its community, from the board room to the front-line staff, it may be harder for the credit union to build trust and acceptance from the community it seeks to serve.