The DOE has focused its efforts on eliminating implicit bias at the individual and institutional levels. At the individual level, the DOE’s efforts to eliminate implicit bias include: conflict prevention and resolution; Ombudsman - which promotes the early identification and resolution of issues in order to promote morale and productivity through an informal process; workplace improvement forums; and an anti-harassment program. The DOE also offers Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Education and Awareness programs that are offered online and in-class, including implicit bias and the New Inclusion Quotient training. The National Laboratories also have D&I training initiatives. DOE is currently developing plans and approaches to reduce implicit bias at the individual level through individual professional development trainings, bias interrupters, and building a DOE community that challenges stereotypes and biases in STEM.
At the institutional level, the DOE takes a top-down approach to address implicit biases. Leadership commitments include the Minorities in Energy Initiative, which strives to increase the participation of groups who have been historically underrepresented in the STEM field’s energy sector. Additionally, the Women in Clean Energy Initiative was developed to attract, retain, and advance women in the energy field. DOE has also charted a strategic direction (DOE Strategic Plan 2014-2018; Objective 12) which demonstrates our commitment to: Attract, Manage, Train, and Retain the Best Federal Workforce to Meet Future Mission Needs, specifically highlighting diversity and inclusion. Further, in 2013, the DOE executed a three year Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan (DISP), which outlines three goals: Workforce Diversity; Workplace Inclusion; and Sustainability and Accountability. The DOE utilizes Special Emphasis Programs and Employee Resource Groups to engage employees about the importance of building an inclusive workforce.
The DOE National Laboratory system consists of 17 laboratories, each with a core mission and core programmatic sponsor at DOE. Sixteen of the laboratories are operated through Management and Operating (M&O) contracts. In 2015, the National Laboratory Directors Council (NLDC) established an initiative focused on national laboratory workforce diversity and leadership. In addition, each lab prepares its own Diversity Plan and works on STEM and diversity efforts with its programmatic sponsor at DOE, with the Office of Economic Impact & Diversity, and with senior Departmental leadership. These efforts include engaging federal and laboratory employees as role models to broaden participation in the STEM fields and speed mentoring programs that introduce young girls to STEM-related careers. The national labs also partnered with the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) taskforce to introduce students to the energy industry and the STEM professionals leading research for DOE.
To address possible implicit bias at federally-funded Institutions of Higher Education, the DOE conducts compliance reviews of grantees in STEM programs pursuant to Title IX. The DOE Office of Civil Rights provides compliance and technical assistance to assist schools in their STEM departments. Lastly, in terms of explicit bias, individuals who work or attend institutions that receive federal financial assistance from DOE may file a Federal complaint of discrimination directly with the DOE's Office of Civil Rights.