CUNA released an issues brief showing an uptick in credit union diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. The DEI issues brief, based off results from the 2019 and 2021annual membership surveys, shows that credit unions have made tremendous progress on their DEI journey over a two-year period.

“This report reflects an important culture shift across our movement,” said Samira Salem, CUNA vice president of DEI. “It’s great to see credit unions make significant strides toward their organizational commitment to DEI. While there is still room to improve, I’m confident that credit unions of all sizes are equipped for the road ahead.”

CUNA found that 60% of credit unions are focused on DEI in 2021, up from 37% in 2019, and 80% of credit union members now belong to a credit union that is focused on DEI. One in three of the credit unions surveyed have DEI integrated into their strategies or have plans in place, if not already implemented.

According to the brief, credit union asset size plays a significant role in the maturity of DEI efforts. About 20% of the largest credit unions―those with $500 million or more in assets―have strategically aligned their DEI endeavors with organizational goals, compared to just 5%-7% of their smaller counterparts.

However, credit unions with less than $100 million in assets improved in 2021, becoming nearly twice as likely to focus on DEI in 2021 compared to 2019.