Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) are Valued in Northern Kentucky

DE&I: Consistent with Our Vision and Our Cause

Since 2020, BE NKY Growth Partnership has been grounded in the vision and cause we identified collaboratively through a team initiative. Led by CEO Lee Crume through a series of workshops to develop our “why” and “just cause” based on Simon Sinek’s book, “Start with Why,” we aligned on working to achieve our vision in our region.

Our Vision: Opportunity and Prosperity for All Northern Kentuckians

Our Cause: BE NKY serves Northern Kentucky so that our community thrives through the creation of good jobs.

When we say “all Northern Kentuckians” we mean all. In order to achieve that, we outlined our explicit commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Our Commitment to DE&I in NKY

BE NKY values diversity, equity, and inclusion as we pursue economic growth, job creation, and good-paying jobs for Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties.

  • We believe that every person deserves equal treatment, equitable access to opportunity, and protection. We value the diversity of thought and experience that people from different backgrounds and perspectives bring to our community.

  • We recognize that welcoming new people to our region and helping our existing residents advance are critical to the growth and success of Northern Kentucky and our company.

  • We will promote these values among our board, our staff and in our community as well as in our policies and practices. We will demonstrate these values through our work and relationships with individuals, groups, and businesses both locally and globally.

  • We are committed to the meaningful work that ensures racism, discrimination, and social injustice do not live in Northern Kentucky. We hope you’ll join us.

Chamber, BE NKY execs speak up for diversity, equity, inclusion as region struggles to fill job vacancies >

Northern Kentucky Inclusion Initiatives

2020 Gateways for Growth:
Northern Kentucky Community
Welcoming Plan

BE NKY is a partner and investor in GROW NKY, the strategic workforce collective working to leverage Northern Kentucky’s assets to grow, attract and retain a globally competitive workforce, that is led by the Northern Kentucky Area Development District. BE NKY embraces the Welcoming Plan to better integrate immigrants into the local community, economy, and workforce.

The NKY Chamber also launched a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee in 2021 with subcommittees focused on Inclusive & Equitable Operations, Measures & Metrics, and Underrepresented Businesses.

The Collective Vision for the committee is identify, engage, and intentionally support underrepresented (specifically Black-owned and Hispanic-owned) businesses.

DE&I Initiatives by Northern Kentucky Communities

World Peace Bell

Northern Kentucky is home to an iconic symbol of human rights – the World Peace Bell in Newport, Kentucky. The largest free-swinging bell in the world from 2000 to 2006, it was dedicated on December 31, 1999 and first rung at midnight on January 1, 2000.

The bell features an inscription commemorating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. The Declaration proclaims the inalienable rights which everyone is inherently entitled to as a human being – regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. The bell is rung to celebrate the International Day of Peace.

Inclusive Communities

We celebrate with the City of Covington, which scored 100 on the 2022 Municipal Equality Index released by the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy group. The City of Covington provides financial support to Aviatra Accelerators, enabling women entrepreneurs, the NKU Collaborative for Economic Engagement, a one-stop innovation hub for entrepreneurs and businesses, many of which are minority-owned, to accelerate economic growth in the area, and Renaissance Covington, focused on evolving the Covington community to create a business district rich with a bold entrepreneurial spirit, diversity, history, and creative culture.

We commend these Northern Kentucky cities – Covington, Dayton, Bellevue, Highland Heights, Fort Thomas, Cold Spring, Newport, Crescent Springs, Fort Mitchell and Elsmere – for passing fairness ordinances over the last two years banning LGBTQ discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

Northern Kentucky University (NKU)

NKU received a 5-star rating on the Campus Pride Index, the premier LGBTQ national benchmarking tool for colleges and universities, in 2020. NKU is the highest-ranked university in Greater Cincinnati and in the Commonwealth.

Northern Kentucky Community Resources

Entrepreneurs

Kentucky

  • Kentucky is rated Accessible, the second highest, in Tuition & Financial Aid Equity for Undocumented Students on the 2021 Higher Ed Immigration Portal

Resources

Cincinnati Region