Diversity, equity and inclusion at Plan
Diversity, equity and inclusion are core parts of Plan International’s work
We bring people together to fight for children, regardless of race, sex or nationality. Together, we stand up for the values of equality and equity, building from the belief that every child deserves to be healthy, go to school and dream big. We focus on girls because their needs are great, and their challenges are unique. We’ve created change — but there is much more to do.
Each culture has something to give, that a steamroller flattening into one shape is absurd, that ‘unity in multiplicity’ can be the motif for a Federation of the good in all her cultures, a federation of cultures wider than any the world has ever seen.
— Plan International’s Co-founder, John Langdon-Davies
As members of the international development community, we acknowledge that our sector has often been part of the problem. Despite good intentions, foreign aid has too often perpetuated unequal power dynamics, ultimately inhibiting change, rather than encouraging it.
Plan believes deeply in community-led change and has created an approach through which we work alongside children, families, local institutions and leaders to achieve sustainable impact. With the communities’ needs at the forefront, we support their efforts to build technical capacity and leadership skills, so they can lead their own progress. We mobilize people to form and share their common goals, and we also partner with local organizations as advocates and service providers.
Plan partnered with Unsplash, the internet’s source of freely usable visuals, to revamp stock images that represent girls in all their diversity and strength. Through the partnership, photographers were challenged to submit photos that show girls authentically, and a group of girls chose their favorites — this was one of the winning photos.
Current initiatives
Diversity, equity and inclusion among Plan staff
Plan currently offers several staff affinity groups. Affinity groups are employee led spaces where employees can celebrate shared identity and debrief common challenges and experiences that members of the identity group face.
Our team also works to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in our communication materials. Plan staff members are committed to supporting authentic, first-person storytelling, as in our “In her own words” series. And, we are constantly refining and updating the language we use, so that we can depict the work that we do to fight stigma without perpetuating it.
You can find more information about Plan’s diversity, equity and inclusion work across our various national offices by visiting the global website.