Diversity, equity, and inclusion

At Mercy Corps, achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. We believe that only by bringing together a diverse range of identities, experiences, and perspectives can we tackle complex crises and create a future where everyone can prosper.

We are committed to creating a culture of belonging, where all team members are valued for who they are and given equal opportunity to grow and succeed, with no discrimination on the basis of their race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, national or ethnic origin, disability, marital status, military veteran status, or identification with any marginalized community in the 40+ countries where we work. Diversity, equity, and inclusion can look different in every country, and we’re committed to creating positive change at a local level within all of our teams across the world.

Mercy Corps is committed to taking clear, concerted steps to diversify our global team:

  • We will develop inclusive position descriptions that open doors for different types of backgrounds, experiences, and education, and that use language which welcomes a more diverse group of candidates.
  • We will ensure our global teams foster equity, inclusion, and belonging and that diverse perspectives are valued in decision-making.
  • We will intentionally coach and mentor diverse talent.
  • We will support the expansion of workplace groups globally to build community for underrepresented groups and elevate their voices within the agency.
  • We will create and publish an equitable and transparent compensation philosophy and promotion guidelines.
  • We will intentionally diversify our Board membership in order to achieve: gender balance; greater representation of Board Directors who identify as Black, Indigenous or a Person of Color (BIPOC) / Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME); and a more global representation.

Mercy Corps is committed to listening, learning, and taking action. You can read more about Mercy Corps’ vision for racial and ethnic diversity for our global leadership team here.

In 2021, Mercy Corps’ Board of Directors agreed the following diversity goals, to be achieved by 2023:

  • 50% of Board members identify as female or non-binary.
  • 50% of Board members identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color (BIPOC) / Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic (BAME).
  • 25% of Board members should be a citizen of Africa, Asia, Central / South America, or the Middle East.

As of October 2022, progress towards these goals was as follows:

  • 52% of Board members identify as female or non-binary.
  • 40% of Board members identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color (BIPOC) / Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic (BAME).
  • 21% of Board members are a citizen of Africa, Asia, Central / South America, or the Middle East.