Equitable Economic Development: Does Anyone Care?

 Background - 

“Equity” has been used a lot over the last few years

Definition: “The quality of being fair and impartial”

Last year, the IEDC released its “Equitable Economic Development Playbook” which examined structural racism in ED and promotes equitable practices and standards.

The report highlighted four fundamental “prisms” through which equitable economic development strategies could be understood and applied.

Acknowledge – acknowledge history

Target – programs and initiatives must explicitly target affected and vulnerable communities

Collaborate – equity cannot be produced from a singular source

Measure – incorporate equity and inclusion into performance metrics

It is the responsibility of all ED practitioners to promote equitable policies, practices, and standards to ensure all segments of our communities benefit from our efforts.