Diversity, equity and belonging
The Center for Public Integrity is committed to centering diversity, equity and a sense of belonging in all aspects of how the organization is managed and in pursuit of journalism that inspires change toward a more equitable and inclusive society.
That includes diversity in the composition of our staff, contractors and collaborators based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion, immigration status, geography and wealth. It means sharing power with and ensuring that employees and collaborators have agency in their work and our journalism.
We examine and work to dismantle definitions of objectivity that fail to acknowledge inequitable starting points in journalism and society at-large. We acknowledge that defensiveness, fear of conflict and lack of transparency about our journalism, decision-making, hiring and compensation disproportionately protect people who have traditionally held power and harm those who have not, and we embrace constructive confrontation of past and ongoing mistakes and blind spots.
In our journalism, we aim to incorporate data, narrative storytelling, solutions and historical context, which is crucial to understanding inequality in America and the world. We are committed to reporting with and in service to communities that are fighting for equity, and to collaborations and partnerships with structures and outcomes that are equitable, not extractive.
Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in our recruitment and hiring includes a Mansfield Rule in our union contract calling for positions to remain open until at least 30% of applicants are women and at least 30% people of color. In the hiring process, we also acknowledge and are committed to flexibility in considering applicants who have followed non-traditional career paths and/or have faced barriers in attaining the qualifications we might be asking for in a particular role but who might offer equivalent alternative experience or skills.
Our commitment to equity in pay and benefits includes protections for employees who are operating on immigrant work visas, 12 weeks of fully paid family leave for new parents, and transparency on salaries. We publicly advertise what we pay for open positions to level the playing field for people who’ve been harmed by double standards at other points in their careers.
And in the general management of our organization, we are committed to transparency and collaboration with Public Integrity’s union and all employees in decisions that affect equity in the workplace.
As of June 1, 2021, Public Integrity’s staff was 65% women and 38% people of color, compared to 50% and 36% on June 1, 2020. People in leadership or management positions were 82% women and 36% people of color on June 1, 2021, compared to 38% women and 31% people of color on June 1, 2020.
Over that same span, editor positions in the newsroom went from 30% being held by women to 75%. Reporter positions went from 18% being held by people of color to 38%.
Across the organization, at least 10% of Public Integrity staff identify as LGBTQI+, and at least 10% identify as having some kind of disability. In addition to English, we have staff members who are fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Patois and American Sign Language.
In addition, our staff includes green card holders, first generation college students, those who grew up in poverty, and people who are active members of a religious congregation. We have staff who grew up under single parents, and those who are single parents themselves.