About Us

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At Touch, we believe that our mission to build the health systems of the future for sub-Saharan Africa can only be achieved and sustained by ensuring that our commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are central to our strategy, policies, and practices.

It is the responsibility of our organization to pursue an agenda of DEI growth, which we define as:

  • Valuing and integrating broad and varied perspectives within our organization
  • Upholding policies and practices that are fair, unbiased, and transparent
  • Creating and nurturing an organizational culture that is open and welcoming

DEI PRIORITIES

1. Leadership and Advisors
We are committed to diversifying the composition of our Board of Directors with the aim of integrating the expertise and perspectives of African business and social sector leaders, medical professionals, and area experts in global health.

2. Staff and Partners
We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff who represent the countries and communities where Touch implements health programming and to partnering with ethical, effective, and values-aligned peer organization and funders.

3. Organizational Culture
We are committed to building and growing an organizational culture that nurtures talent, prioritizes communication and transparency, and integrates values-centered and people-centered program design, operations management, and external affairs.

Goals: 2023-2025

In May 2022, Touch Foundation Board of Directors endorsed the following goals over the next 3 years to enhance and extend Touch’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the execution of our mission:

Leadership & Advisory

  • Achieve more diverse and representative Board composition by recruiting 6 new Directors from African business and social sectors
  • Launch Advisory Council to integrate expertise and diverse perspectives into Touch programs
  • Develop a DEI statement of commitment and framework to enshrine a focus on DEI at the governance and management levels of the organization

Staff & Partners

  • Prioritize diversity in recruiting and retaining staff roles at all levels
  • Evolve staffing structure to create new roles which elevate local leadership
  • Ensure that internal HT practices and external partnership agreements enshrine Touch’s commitment to representation, equitable practices, and inclusive values

Organizational Culture

  • Create a participatory process and framework to identify and enshrine organizational values
  • Achieve shared understanding of DEI vision and goals among all staff and Board
  • Create communication mechanisms within workflows to build community, inclusion, and connection throughout the organization

The Touch Board-level Committee, in collaboration with the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Advancement Officer, shall hold ultimate accountability for ensuring that Touch pursues and achieves these goals as a cornerstone of mission advancement and organizational growth.