Establishing a Coordinated Government-Wide Initiative to Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce

Executive Order 13583 of August 18, 2011

Establishing a Coordinated Government-Wide
Initiative to Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the
Federal Workforce

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, and in order to promote the Federal workplace
as a model of equal opportunity, diversity, and
inclusion, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy.  Our Nation derives strength from
the diversity of its population and from its commitment
to equal opportunity for all. We are at our best when
we draw on the talents of all parts of our society, and
our greatest accomplishments are achieved when diverse
perspectives are brought to bear to overcome our
greatest challenges.

A commitment to equal opportunity, diversity, and
inclusion is critical for the Federal Government as an
employer. By law, the Federal Government's recruitment
policies should “endeavor to achieve a work force from
all segments of society.” (5 U.S.C. 2301(b)(1)). As
the Nation's largest employer, the Federal Government
has a special obligation to lead by example. Attaining
a diverse, qualified workforce is one of the
cornerstones of the merit-based civil service.

Prior Executive Orders, including but not limited to
those listed below, have taken a number of steps to
address the leadership role and obligations of the
Federal Government as an employer. For example,
Executive Order 13171 of October 12, 2000 (Hispanic
Employment in the Federal Government), directed
executive departments and agencies to implement
programs for recruitment and career development of
Hispanic employees and established a mechanism for
identifying best practices in doing so. Executive Order
13518 of November 9, 2009 (Employment of Veterans in
the Federal Government), required the establishment of
a Veterans Employment Initiative. Executive Order 13548
of July 26, 2010 (Increasing Federal Employment of
Individuals with Disabilities), and its related
predecessors, Executive Order 13163 of July 26, 2000
(Increasing the Opportunity for Individuals With
Disabilities to be Employed in the Federal Government),
and Executive Order 13078 of March 13, 1998 (Increasing
Employment of Adults With Disabilities), sought to tap
the skills of the millions of Americans living with
disabilities.

To realize more fully the goal of using the talents of
all segments of society, the Federal Government must
continue to challenge itself to enhance its ability to
recruit, hire, promote, and retain a more diverse
workforce. Further, the Federal Government must create
a culture that encourages collaboration, flexibility,
and fairness to enable individuals to participate to
their full potential.

Wherever possible, the Federal Government must also
seek to consolidate compliance efforts established
through related or overlapping statutory mandates,
directions from Executive Orders, and regulatory
requirements. By this order, I am directing executive
departments and agencies (agencies) to develop and
implement a more comprehensive, integrated, and
strategic focus on diversity and inclusion as a key
component of their human resources strategies. This
approach should include a continuing effort to identify
and adopt best practices, implemented in an integrated
manner, to promote diversity and remove barriers to
equal employment opportunity, consistent with merit
system principles and applicable law.

Sec. 2. Government-Wide Diversity and Inclusion
Initiative and Strategic Plan.  The Director of the
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Deputy
Director for Management of the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB), in coordination with the President's
Management Council (PMC) and the Chair of the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), shall:

    (a) establish a coordinated Government-wide
initiative to promote diversity and inclusion in the
Federal workforce;
    (b) within 90 days of the date of this order:

(i) develop and issue a Government-wide Diversity and Inclusion Strategic
Plan (Government-wide Plan), to be updated as appropriate and at a minimum
every 4 years, focusing on workforce diversity, workplace inclusion, and
agency accountability and leadership. The Government-wide Plan shall
highlight comprehensive strategies for agencies to identify and remove
barriers to equal employment opportunity that may exist in the Federal
Government's recruitment, hiring, promotion, retention, professional
development, and training policies and practices;

(ii) review applicable directives to agencies related to the development or
submission of agency human capital and other workforce plans and reports in
connection with recruitment, hiring, promotion, retention, professional
development, and training policies and practices, and develop a strategy
for consolidating such agency plans and reports where appropriate and
permitted by law; and

(iii) provide guidance to agencies concerning formulation of agency-
specific Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plans prepared pursuant to
section 3(b) of this order;

    (c) identify appropriate practices to improve the
effectiveness of each agency's efforts to recruit,
hire, promote, retain, develop, and train a diverse and
inclusive workforce, consistent with merit system
principles and applicable law; and
    (d) establish a system for reporting regularly on
agencies' progress in implementing their agency-
specific Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plans and in
meeting the objectives of this order.

Sec. 3. Responsibilities of Executive Departments and
Agencies.  All agencies shall implement the Government-
wide Plan prepared pursuant to section 2 of this order,
and such other related guidance as issued from time to
time by the Director of OPM and Deputy Director for
Management of OMB. In addition, the head of each
executive department and agency referred to under
subsections (1) and (2) of section 901(b) of title 31,
United States Code, shall:

    (a) designate the agency's Chief Human Capital
Officer to be responsible for enhancing employment and
promotion opportunities within the agency, in
collaboration with the agency's Director of Equal
Employment Opportunity and Director of Diversity and
Inclusion, if any, and consistent with law and merit
system principles, including development and
implementation of the agency-specific Diversity and
Inclusion Strategic Plan;
    (b) within 120 days of the issuance of the
Government-wide Plan or its update under section
2(b)(i) of this order, develop and submit for review to
the Director of OPM and the Deputy Director for
Management of OMB an agency-specific Diversity and
Inclusion Strategic Plan for recruiting, hiring,
training, developing, advancing, promoting, and
retaining a diverse workforce consistent with
applicable law, the Government-wide Plan, merit system
principles, the agency's overall strategic plan, its
human capital plan prepared pursuant to Part 250 of
title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and other
applicable workforce planning strategies and
initiatives;
    (c) implement the agency-specific Diversity and
Inclusion Strategic Plan after incorporating it into
the agency's human capital plan; and
    (d) provide information as specified in the
reporting requirements developed under section 2(d).

Sec. 4. General Provisions.  (a) Nothing in this order
shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) authority granted to a department or agency or the head thereof,
including the authority granted to EEOC by other Executive Orders
(including Executive Order 12067) or any agency's authority to establish an
independent Diversity and Inclusion Office; or

(ii) functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary,
administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.

    (Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    August 18, 2011.