• Diversity is the encompassing of a broad range of human experiences, backgrounds, and identities that inform our skills, talents, perspectives, and approaches.
• Equity is the fair treatment of everyone that ensures equal access to opportunities, as well as the tools and institutional support to best utilize their skills and talents to engage in meaningful work and pursue advancement opportunities. Equity promotes justice, fairness, and impartiality within the processes, procedures, and distribution of resources by systems or institutions and works to identify and remove barriers that have prevented some groups from participating.
• Inclusion means building a work environment where everyone is invited and feels welcomed to actively contribute and participate. Inclusion embraces differences and promotes mutual respect and understanding. An inclusive work environment aims to remove barriers and intolerance and instead support a sense of community and belonging in the workplace where all employees feel their thoughts and ideas are seen, heard, and valued.

The goal of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace is to ensure that everyone knows they have something of value to contribute. Together, diversity, equity, and inclusion foster feelings of community and belonging among employees.

• The U.S. Bankruptcy Court Central District of California values diversity and inclusiveness and is committed to fulfilling the core tenets of its mission to positively impact the community, facilitate the fair administration of justice, and make a difference in the lives of those served. Increasing diversity by drawing on the abilities of a wide range of individuals broadens our perspectives and inspires us to find innovative solutions to the most challenging issues facing our justice system.
• Staff who reflect the diverse communities that we serve will be more effective in promoting fair, impartial, and just treatment of creditors and debtors throughout all phases of the bankruptcy process. When members of the diverse communities that we serve believe we represent and understand them, it deepens their trust and confidence in our work and inspires us to be more responsive, more open to reform, and more willing to initiate cultural and systemic changes.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion are paramount to the Court. In all aspects of our work, we seek to acknowledge and overcome issues of oppression, privilege, and power and to lead the way toward a more inclusive organization where all people feel a sense of belonging.
• Establishing the Court as a work environment where all voices are respected and valued cultivates collegiality and encourages innovative collaboration critical to our success. Working together we can more purposefully embrace diversity in thought, values, experiences, and ideas, enabling us to solve problems with ingenuity and agility.
• Recruiting, hiring, retaining, and engaging diverse talent will create a high-quality, collaborative, inspired, and empowered workforce at the Court. When employees feel included and are given opportunities to develop and maximize their potential, we create an organization of choice and become a model employer where everyone is respected for the unique talents they bring to the organization.

• We promote respectful communication and cooperation between all judges, staff, and others aligned with the Court.
• We encourage teamwork and participation that allows all perspectives to be heard and represented.
• We take proactive efforts towards the inclusion of a diverse group of staff, interns and externs, committee members, and panelists, when possible, to present unique perspectives and guidance so that outcomes consider a wide range of viewpoints.
• We embrace and implement the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in all activities.
• We support diversity so that our work and interactions benefit from a range of perspectives and insights.
• We require all employees to attend and complete mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion training to enhance their knowledge and guide their work toward the goals of this policy. All aspects of our programming and practices are driven by these principles and designed through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion.