The Gatson Group LLC Licenses IDC's Globally-Renowned Diversity Certification System

The Texas-based firm is now accepting Certification Candidates for its 2020 CDP® and CDE® Exam Prep Courses in Dallas, Austin & San Antonio

DALLAS, TEXAS, UNITED STATES, January 9, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Society for Diversity Inc. is excited to announce a licensing partnership with The Gatson Group LLC, a leading Texas-based Equity and Inclusion consulting enterprise. The collaboration is a part of the Society for Diversity's overall strategy to leverage the intellectual property of the Institute for Diversity Certification (IDC)^® and impart formal knowledge in a growing field. IDC designed its rigorous certification system to serve as a standard for inclusive excellence and to distinguish professional achievement in the field. As the number one global credentialing program for diversity and inclusion, IDC has thousands of certification candidates in 43+ U.S. states and 13 other countries. It is currently in discussions to license its diversity certification program to partners around the world, including in the U.K., Canada, Ireland, Italy, Brazil, Uganda, China, and India, to name a few.

The Gatson Group, LLC was founded by Felicia Johnson and its principal office is located in Irving, TX. Created to provide strategic diversity and inclusion consulting services to commercial, nonprofit, and government organizations, the firm's approach is to design customized solutions to help employers improve leadership skills, engagement, communications, and overall performance. The firm is a certified Woman-owned Business Enterprise, as well as a certified small and minority-owned business.

Johnson says, "I'm looking forward to changing the course of history by equipping more diversity and inclusion champions with the knowledge, skills and ability to be the absolute best! This partnership is one of many that allows the Gatson Group to expand its footprint throughout the state of Texas."

Johnson’s experience includes serving as the Global Manager of Diversity & Inclusion for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Head of Diversity for Nebraska-based Cabela’s, and co-lead of Diversity for Nissan North America. In these roles, Johnson led enterprise-wide initiatives in areas such as diversity, inclusion, best practices for measuring impact, employee engagement, diverse talent acquisition, retention, and leadership development.

Through IDC, the Society for Diversity owns the Intellectual Property for the Certified Diversity Professional (CDP)^® and Certified Diversity Executive (CDE)^® designations. It also owns the Federal copyrights and trademarks for both the CDP^® and CDE^® through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, as well as several state trademarks. The company is in the process of securing the international trademarks and completing its accreditation process with the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). Additionally, IDC is a current member of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence.

Johnson was certified by IDC in 2015, while working at Goodyear. Since then, she has facilitated CDP^® and CDE^® prep courses around the U.S. with Leah Smiley, President of the Society for Diversity Inc. This foundation has prepared Johnson to facilitate the Gatson Group's first 3-day certification prep courses in 2019. Smiley says, "Felicia is such a wonderful trainer, but most importantly, her company's core values align with ours and her corporate background is a perfect fit for our business model. IDC upholds high standards and it is important for us to make sure that there is consistency in the level of experience and in the approach."

As more employers establish formal diversity offices, IDC intends to ensure that Equity and Inclusion leaders are prepared for the rigors of working in a global and complex professional environment. For this reason, IDC serves to verify that D&I practitioners are distinguished by their leadership and learning with a formal professional qualification indicator-- similar to credentials in the accounting, healthcare, technology, legal, and human resource fields. IDC also wants to equip managers with the knowledge and skills to supervise globally diverse teams with competence and confidence.

Smiley says, "The field of Diversity has changed. Yet, some professionals and employers are using the same tools and strategies that they did during the 1980's. Certification offers the perfect blend of experience and education to propel organizations and their employees toward real progress. Not only does it provide mentors and up-to-date industry resources, but it equips organizations with talent that can skillfully use best practices and research-based tools to manage the next generation of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at work".

In recent years, IDC has seen an increase in employers building bench strength by certifying more than the Diversity Officer. The Gatson Group is facilitating 15 prep courses in 2020 to accommodate the needs of organizations that require more classroom-based options. For a complete listing, or to register for any of the Gatson Group's upcoming prep courses, visit www.gatsongroup.com.

Leah Smiley
The Society for Diversity Inc.
317-777-7632
email us here