Maine Public Diversity Policy

Adopted by the Maine Public Board of Trustees on September 23, 2014

Commitment to Diversity

The Maine Public Broadcasting Corporation (frequently referred to as Maine Public) is committed to fostering and encouraging a culture of diversity and inclusion with respect to its employees, management and governing and community advisory Boards. It is the intention of Maine Public that its workforce and Boards reflect the diversity of the communities the organization serves throughout the State of Maine. Diversity at Maine Public encompasses a variety and scope of many differences that exist and can be found within communities throughout the State. It is the policy of Maine Public to provide equal employment opportunity for all persons and not to discriminate in employment or otherwise because of race, religion, sex, age, marital status, veteran status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation.

Diversity Goals

In pursuit of its commitment to diversity throughout the organization and within its governing and advisory Boards, Maine Public has established the following goals and objectives:

• To provide equal employment opportunity in employment.
• To seek and recruit candidates for open positions within the organization and on its Boards who represent the diversity of the communities served by Maine Public.
• To seek and retain individuals from diverse backgrounds for internship opportunities at Maine Public, with the hope of securing a diverse future workforce.
• When and as appropriate, to educate the Maine Public workforce and Board members of the importance of maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce and environment.

Diversity Practices and Initiatives

• Maine Public will review with its Board of Trustees those practices that are designed to fulfill the organization’s commitment to diversity and its diversity goals, and to meet the applicable FCC guidelines.
• Open staff positions at Maine Public are posted both internally and externally with a goal of reaching a diverse cross-section of interested candidates representative of the diversity of the State of Maine. Maine Public widely disseminates information about open positions in an attempt to reach the entire community it serves.
• Maine Public has attended job fairs, has established an internship program, and participates in activities at local educational institutions designed to educate others about careers in broadcasting/journalism.
• Maine Public has posted the following statement on its website:

Maine Public believes that diversity among its staff and affiliated Boards is critical to representing and serving the diverse public media needs and interests of the citizens of the State of Maine. It is the policy of the Maine Public to provide equal employment opportunity for all persons and not to discriminate in employment or otherwise because of race, religion, sex, age, marital status, veteran status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation. The Maine Public workforce and its Boards are reflective of the diversity in the communities it serves across the State.
The organization’s recruitment activities for positions, whether they be on the Maine Public staff or on its Board of Trustees or Community Advisory Board, are conducted with the organization’s commitment to diversity and the diversity of its communities in mind. Over the course of the past two years, numerous staff positions have been vacated and filled, and those positions have been filled with male applicants and female applicants, and individuals who represent a broad age range, numerous ethnicities, and differing sexual orientations. When recruiting to fill positions Maine Public broadly advertises vacancies, using numerous media, with a goal of reaching a broad and diverse cross-section of interested and qualified candidates.

Throughout the coming year Maine Public will continue to utilize recruitment activities designed to secure a workforce and Boards reflective of the diversity within the communities it serves in Maine. Those activities may include attendance at job fairs, growth and expansion of the Maine Public internship program and participation in job shadow and career exploration activities at a variety of educational institutions.

Maine Public will undertake one of the following activities on an annual basis:

1. Include individuals representing diverse groups in internships or work-study programs designed to provide meaningful professional level experience in order to reflect the diversity of the communities served by Maine Public and to further public broadcasting’s commitment to education;
2. Include qualified diverse candidates in any slate of candidates for the Board of Trustees;
3. Implement a diversity training program for members of the Board of Trustees;
4. Participate in minority or other diversity job fairs; or
5. Implement formal diversity training programs for management and appropriate staff.