Outgoing DNI Clapper publishes letter to IC leadership on diversity and inclusion in the IC

On January 19, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence publilshed a letter from outgoing DNI James Clapper to intelligence community leadership on promoting diversity and inclusion within the U.S. intelligence community.

Two years ago, we launched the IC Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Enterprise Strategy, 2015-2020, which sets the strategic direction for numerous ongoing efforts across the community.  Now, senior executives are held accountable through performance plan objectives that require they describe how they are creating a more inclusive organizational culture to include completing unconscious bias training.  We have adopted “diversity” as one of the core Principles of Professional Ethics for the Intelligence Community.  Also, we published the first-ever unclassified report on IC demographics, to publicly acknowledge where we are and to measure our future progress.  Over its long history, the IC has been challenged in its efforts to increase the representation of minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.  Therefore, I called for a closer examination of this challenge and asked for a report that included recommendations for the IC, moving forward.

I am sharing the attached report with you to use as a roadmap for making progress aligned with our mission imperative of having a more diverse and inclusive workforce.  The report includes perspectives of intelligence professionals, from GS-9 to senior leaders, across numerous mission areas.  The report highlights six major areas wherein the IC must act: Leadership; Organizational Culture; Recruitment; Advancement; Work/Life Integration; and Persons with Disabilities and has thirty-six recommendations for change.

Moving forward, it is our collective responsibility to ensure the IC implements the report’s recommendations.  The study shows that mid-level managers and supervisors are uniquely positioned and responsible for creating a culture that values diversity and promotes inclusion.

The IC’s mission remains unchanged.  We exist to provide timely, insightful, objective, and relevant intelligence to inform decisions on national security issues and events.  We must continue to advance our mission, leveraging the most diverse and inclusive workforce possible.  Not because it’s altruistically right, but because the security of our nation depends on it.

James R. Clapper
Director of National Intelligence

Source: ODNI