Audit of Organizational Practices and Processes

BACKGROUND/OPPORTUNITY

Copper Canyon Press (CCP) has been working on implementing their Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access (IDEA) plan since 2021.

Founded in 1972, Copper Canyon Press (CCP) is a non-profit, independent poetry publisher based in Port Townsend, WA. 

SOLUTION

CCP sought an independent consultant to lead an audit of organizational practices and processes as part of a larger organization-wide assessment.

Data2insight was selected to identify inequitable barriers to employment, publication, participation, and advancement at CCP. The audit examined CCP’s:

• HR policies including hiring practices, job descriptions, and employment manual

• Board governance and procedural documents

• Book list and editorial policies

The leaders expressed their appreciation for our work, which included suggestions for improvement as well as celebrating wins. The IDEA Task Force is determining the next steps based on data2insight’s assessment and recommendations. Potential next steps include data2insight conducting a staff and board survey.

OUTCOME

Recommendations informed IDEA task force and co-leaders of budget decisions and action steps for advancing their organizational development work. 

With the information provided by the audit, we identified and recommended the removal of inequitable barriers to employment, publication, participation, and advancement at CCP. Our team provided an overall framework for the audit, performed and documented the audit, and delivered a summary report including recommendations for future areas of change and improvement. 

Phase 1 Grounding: Met with key stakeholders at Copper Canyon Press to discuss the project framework, establish norms, and finalize the project work plan. Phase 1 deliverables consisted of an engagement work plan. 

Phase 2 Document review: Data2insight examined and suggested revisions to all documents to identify and improve and/or eliminate practices, processes, and terminology in the guiding and governing documents of the organization. Phase 2 deliverables consisted of an annotated documentation of each item and suggested changes in an Excel workbook.

Phase 3 Summarize and share findings/recommendations: Data2insight developed and provided a summary of findings, assessment of where the organization was on the Multicultural Organization Development Continuum, and recommendations for next steps, including budget recommendations. We shared findings with the executive team and IDEA Task Force. Phase 3 deliverables consisted of a summary memo including findings, conclusions and recommendations, as well as a corresponding slide deck.

Leaders are now better positioned to remove the identified barriers.