PHAB has always had a commitment to equity in our work through convening an equity Think Tank and our Cross-sector Innovation Initiative. But we realized the need to deepen our equity efforts and be more intentional about inclusion, diversity, and antiracism as well.

Our Stance

The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) holds equity as a core value of our organization and public health practice.

Equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be healthy and to thrive. To achieve this, we must eliminate barriers — such as racism, poverty, gender, sexual orientation, and ability discrimination, power imbalances and any other consideration — and their consequences.

Our work begins with a focus on understanding and addressing the processes, policies, systems, and roots of inequity—imbalances of power and historical legacies that manifest themselves in unjust and unfair health outcomes for many.

PHAB Is committed to working with others to lift up the importance of justice and fairness in our society and to create conditions that foster inclusion, belonging, prosperity, and health for all of our diverse communities and their members.

And our commitment begins with us. Through examination of our organizational goals, policies, and practices, we strive at every turn to create a just environment where our staff and partners are seen, heard, and included. And, where their race, culture, religious and/or spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, gender, and personal identities are valued.

We are committed to ensuring that the highest standards of public health practice and services are available and accessible to all people from all backgrounds.

PHAB is unwavering in our commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism. We invite all those in public health to join us in this effort.

Equity & Public Health

Equity is a core value of public health practice and is essential to ensuring communities have access to the resources, services, and opportunities to thrive.

Our Equity Initiatives:

A PHAB Strategic Priority

Our current strategic plan includes a priority to ‘create and implement a comprehensive anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy to address structural racism and inequity within PHAB, public health departments and the public health sector’.

To address IDEA, we have begun internal efforts in a few areas:

  • Participating in the RWJF Equity Learning Lab program, a program designed to support participants in advancing their equity efforts.
  • Developed goals centered on equity which includes continuing to build a more diverse and inclusive board of directors and elevating and supporting Black, Native American and women’s leadership.
  • Reviewing HR policies and Board ByLaws for IDEA.