In the wake of recent events around the country that brought renewed focus to issues of diversity and inclusion, OneDOE was launched to reaffirm the Department’s commitment in this space.

OneDOE is a collaborative effort between the Offices of the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary, Economic Impact and Diversity, and Human Capital to proactively promote efforts around fostering a more affirming work atmosphere at the Department. OneDOE’s core mission is to build a more inclusive workforce and help the Department leverage diverse perspectives.

Too often, the work of perpetuating diversity and inclusion—especially at a place as large as the Department—gets relegated to an afterthought in the day-to-day work of carrying out the varied mission of the agency. OneDOE will help renew our focus on this important aspect of our community.  This is part of a broader commitment from senior leadership at the Department, and a strategic effort is being made to institutionalize best practices and policies that will last beyond any one administration.

DOE is an agency whose chief purpose is to provide innovative solutions to some of the country’s most pressing and imperative issues. That same principle is the underlying ethos of this undertaking. If an employee at DOE cannot bring his or her whole self to work each and every day, think of the possibilities lost, the ingenuity squandered, and the ideas deferred. OneDOE aims to bring about a workplace where the full potential of each worker is harnessed toward making progress on the complex quandaries DOE is tasked with addressing.

Over the coming weeks and months, you’ll hear more about specific activities and opportunities associated with OneDOE. You’ll also hear more from leaders across the enterprise and their steadfast commitment to the tenets of this initiative. This is the beginning of a conversation in which we must all take an active part. The future of these efforts is dependent upon their scope and feel being shaped by the people who are doing the crucial work of bringing this Department to life each and every day.