Leading Equity & Inclusion in Organizations Certificate
About the Program
The Leading Equity and Inclusion in Organizations Certificate (LEIOC) program offers a transformative approach to organizational change and development, preparing leaders with the self-awareness, interpersonal skills, and strategic expertise necessary to drive equity and inclusion across diverse organizational contexts. Grounded in the broader Northwestern MSLOC curriculum, the program empowers graduates to:
Design organizational change and development strategies tailored to specific environments, prioritizing the equitable and inclusive engagement of diverse stakeholder groups: employees, customers, clients, constituents, and more.
Develop actionable implementation plans that align equity and inclusion principles with organizational goals, supporting long-term success and sustainability.
Apply analytic skills to identify critical focus areas for organizational change efforts, emphasizing differences in stakeholder experiences and relevant metrics based on demographics and organizational roles, such as function and hierarchical position, and where they overlap.
Cultivate interpersonal and self-awareness skills essential for building and sustaining inclusive organizational cultures that promote team effectiveness and a sense of belonging while acknowledging differences among team members’ backgrounds and experiences.
Leverage diversity in teams and organizations through proven leadership practices to attract and retain talent, increase engagement, and drive productivity.
Leaders in Northwestern’s LEIOC program learn key concepts and how to apply them in practice. Students apply their learning by working on client projects to support enterprise leaders working on real business issues related to equity and inclusion. LEIOC students have previously worked with organizations such as Baker Hughes and The Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
We strive for diversity in professional backgrounds within our students, particularly related to seeking a variety of sector and industry experience. Our learning approach emphasizes peer-to-peer engagement and collaboration, with a curriculum designed to facilitate meaningful idea exchange among individuals who might not otherwise engage deeply. This commitment reflects the core tenets of the LEIOC program: fostering an environment where curiosity, humility, respect, and a learning orientation drive engagement across differences.
“This program has solidified my belief that any organizational problem comes down to people and that having an equity lens strengthens the solution design and realization. I am excited to bring my toolkit, knowledge, and perspective to solving organizational challenges. ”
— Julia Bodette, LEIOC 2021, MSLOC 2022
“It was so phenomenal to have a program with the depth and breadth of work, of thinkers who are at the forefront of DEI work, who were able to bring me along as a person coming from a corporate environment into an academic setting. ”
Identify and work toward your learning goals with experienced equity and inclusion change practitioners
Develop your leadership and critical thinking skills through exposure to diversity, equity, and inclusion work in multiple contexts
Strategic Focus
Understand how societal, organizational, and interpersonal forces create challenges and opportunities for diversity, equity, and inclusion work
Develop a practitioner toolkit to engage and navigate the complexities of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in formal organizations
Analytic Tools
Master the application of foundational change management frameworks
Develop your ability to collect and analyze multiple data types to design effective equity and inclusion programs and interventions with sustained impact
Consulting Skills
Develop your ability to engage in effective interpersonal communication and problem solving with various organizational stakeholder groups
Sharpen your consulting and design skills through applied diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice projects
Learning and Organizational Change at Northwestern
Pursue a standalone certificate, earn a certificate alongside your MSLOC degree, or explore executive education options. Learn more!
Schedule a personal chat with an advisor, current student or alum. In-Person Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 9:30am-4:30pm. Remote Office Hours: Friday 9:30am-4:30pm.
