SRE Network’s Standards Self-Assessment (SSA) assesses how SRE member organizations are advancing efforts to create Jewish workplaces that are free from harassment, inequity, and discrimination. While the findings of this year's report show that there is still much work ahead to ensure organizations are truly safe, respectful, and equitable, they also reveal a hopeful vision for the future of our Jewish communal landscape with the majority of members making meaningful progress.
SRE Network brings together 185 Jewish organizations to address gender-based harassment, discrimination, and inequity. Upon joining and each subsequent year, SRE’s member organizations complete the Standards Self-Assessment (SSA) – an annual accountability and learning opportunity to assess their organization’s progress on their journey toward implementing the Standards.
The release of this report comes at a time of organizational transition, nearly a year after sharing our '24-'26 Strategic Plan and just months after welcoming a new Executive Director. This report analyzes the results from the 2024 SSA, exploring how organizations' responses to the SSA have changed over time and identifying areas for growth in the coming year.
The results highlight how SRE member organizations are making gradual progress, implementing intentional change, and working to maintain their strides. The vast majority of organizations reported that they have implemented and are putting into practice SRE’s Standards, which serve as the foundational building blocks for safety (our environments are free from harassment, abuse, and violence), respect (we each engage one another with the Jewish value of kavod habriyot, which recognizes the inherent dignity of every person), and equity (all people are treated fairly and meaningful pathways are provided to close demographic disparities.).
There is still much work ahead. Implementation and communication of policies and procedures related to safety, respect, and equity remain growth areas for many, as does establishing pay equity fundamentals. It is also important to note that this year’s SSA was taken by members in early 2024, after the events of October 7.
The inspiring news is that, in the face of one of the most painful and tumultuous years in recent history, Jewish nonprofit organizations continue to prioritize the work of creating and sustaining safe, respectful, and equitable workplaces and communal spaces, and addressing gender-based harassment and discrimination. This report offers a hopeful vision for the future of our communal landscape.
About The Standards
SRE's Standards For Creating Safe, Respectful and Equitable Jewish Workplaces and Communal Spaces
The Standards were designed by experts as a guide to prevent and address discrimination and harassment in Jewish workplaces and communal spaces. They are used as a tool for creating safe, respectful, and equitable workplaces and communal spaces–for all. They are not intended to, and do not constitute a contract or impose any legal obligation on any SRE member. The four areas of The Standards are:
About The SSA
SRE Network’s Standards Self-Assessment (SSA)
The SSA assesses organizations’ progress on their journeys toward implementing The Standards. All SRE member organizations complete the SSA upon joining and then retake it on an annual basis in order to measure their progress and identify areas of improvement. This year’s SSA:
- Included 49 diagnostic questions and 3 open-ended reflection questions, as well as a new section on pay equity;
- Was taken online between January-April 2024 by 144 member organizations. One senior leader from each member organization completed the SSA.
Data Overview
77%
Average score for organizations with 6+ employees
75%
of organizations scored 80% or greater
59%
of organizations improved their total score YOY
Only 12%
of organizations scored under 70%
Average Score by Topic Area
90%
Leadership & Accountability
88%
Policies & Guidelines
74%
Education & Training
58%
Reporting & Response
76%
Pay Equity*
This data comes from the 2024 SSA results for 117 organizations, each with 6+ employees, that completed the survey by April 8, 2024. The results are based on a new SSA scoring system out of 94 points, with the addition of 27 questions in the 2024 SSA. The data should be interpreted as general indications, not definitive or precise conclusions. Data for organizations with fewer than 6 employees can be found in the full SSA report.
*Pay Equity is a new section added in the 2024 SSA. The score of this section was not included in the total score of the SSA.
Key Findings
Bright Spots
SRE member organizations are making gradual progress on their safety, respect, and equity journeys, implementing intentional change, and working to maintain their strides.
- Between 2021 and 2024:
- 59% saw an improvement in their total SSA scores, with an average increase of 2.6 points.
- 15% maintained their score.
- 20% saw a significant or major increase (an increase of 7 or more points).
- 48% increased their score in the Policies & Guidelines Standards area, and 41% increased their score in the Reporting & Response Standards area.
The vast majority of member organizations have the foundational pieces of safety, respect, and equity work in place in their organizations' policies and practices, and are putting these ideals into practice by allocating time, money, and resources.
- 75% scored 80% or above on the 2024 SSA.
- 86% have all three of the following policies in place: anti-harassment, non-discrimination, and hiring/advancement.
- More than 90% responded “yes” to having the following foundational practices and guidelines in place:
- A written anti-harassment policy (98%)
- A leadership team that communicates the importance of a diverse and inclusive workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment (97%)
- A policy that prohibits harassment on and off the organization’s work site (97%)
- A policy that provides reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities (97%)
- A policy encouraging bystander intervention (96%)
- A process is in place whereby individuals can report discrimination or harassment (94%)
- A non-discrimination policy (93%)
- A policy that provides medical leave to birth parents (93%)
- A policy that encourages employees to report discrimination or harassment (92%)
- A policy that provides parental caregiving leave equally to all parents, regardless of gender (91%)
Growth Areas
A) Organizations can invest more time, energy, and resources to educate and train staff annually across all levels of the organization on anti-harassment and non-discrimination policies and procedures.
- Education & Training is the Standards area with the lowest score growth over time with only 30% of organizations improving their score in this area, and 31% decreasing over 3 years.
- Only 67% report conducting anti-harassment and non-discrimination trainings at least once a year.
- 22% do not conduct trainings at regular intervals, 10% of organizations conduct trainings every other year.
- 64% provide training and education to employees regarding the organizations’ reporting systems.
- 70% of organizations report that their trainings cover content that goes beyond the legal obligations.
B) Although most organizations provide training and education to staff on non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies and reporting systems (77%), specific trainings for new hires and supervisors are not yet the norm.
- 51% train new hires on non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies within 60 days of their start date.
- 57% require their leaders, supervisors, and managers to complete a training about their legal obligations and responsibilities to prevent and respond to discrimination and harassment.
As noted in the 2022 report, more individuals tasked with conducting investigations related to harassment and discrimination should be trained. 45% reported that the individuals who conduct investigations into discrimination and harassment are not trained in conducting investigations of this nature.
Although a majority of organizations (86%) include salary bands on job descriptions, many need to advance their pay equity policy fundamentals, such as developing compensation philosophies, creating salary bands for existing roles, and implementing transparent communication strategies.
- Only 64% have developed a compensation philosophy
- Only 62% have salary bands for existing organizational roles
- Only 48% communicate their compensation philosophy to staff
While most organizations (94%) have successfully established processes for reporting and responding to complaints of discrimination and/or harassment, many do not yet communicate these procedures to staff on a regular basis (at least once per year).
- 42% do not yet communicate hiring and advancement policies on a regular basis.
- 28% do not yet communicate non-discrimination policies on a regular basis.
- 24% do not yet communicate the process for responding to complaints to the key parties (complainants and respondents), including anticipated steps, timing, expectations, and outcomes.
Organizations can improve their post-investigation steps to build a safer and more transparent workplace.
- Only 68% of organizations:
- Have procedures that require the key parties (complainants and alleged respondent) to be informed of the findings after an investigation is complete.
- Have policies inclusive of post-investigation consequences for the alleged respondent, if that individual is still connected to the organization.
- Only 64% report having procedures in place to institute corrective, organizational measures following a harassment, discrimination, or misconduct investigation.
Next Steps
Although there is still much work to be done on this long-term journey, member organizations are poised to continue learning from, supporting, and growing with each other. Together, our SRE community continues to make significant strides toward fostering safe, respectful, and equitable Jewish workplaces and communal spaces.
We encourage organizations to take the following next steps:
- Create a plan and schedule for communicating your organization’s policies and procedures on a regular basis through different modalities (e.g. presenting in a meeting, having a small group or one-on-one conversation, sending an email or Slack update).
- Consider opportunities for staff to review, ask questions, and affirm that they understand the policies and procedures.
- Explore these resources: Keilim Policy Toolkit: Sharing Your Policies Module (Sacred Spaces) and Living Your Policy Webinar & Resources.
- Allocate an annual education and training budget to provide proper training to your team every year.
- Learn how to plan trainings that best meets your team’s needs: Keilim Policy Toolkit: Educating Your Team Module (Sacred Spaces) and Living Your Policy Webinar & Resources.
- Check out SRE’s list of trainers & consultants.
Explore the following pay equity resources as you get started on developing a compensation philosophy, conducting a pay audit, establishing salary bands, and communicating more transparently with your staff about organizational pay:
- Making Compensation More Equitable (Management Center)
- Salary Bands: Valuing Talent with Intention and Transparency (Leading Edge)
- Reform Pay Equity Initiative (WRN)
- Pay Equity Resources (SHRM)
If you have any questions about this report or SRE Network, please reach out to us at info@srenetwork.org