How to draft a JEDI commitment statement

Modified on Tue, 17 Mar at 4:02 PM

Why is a JEDI commitment statement important?
Why does it need to be public?
Where is the statement usually published?
Before writing: map your context
How to build up the statement
Examples of a JEDI commitment statement

What this article covers
This article explains how to draft a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) commitment statement that is grounded in your company’s core business, reflects your JEDI priorities, and is explicit about the stakeholders you affect.

A JEDI commitment statement is one of the fundamental actions you can take to implement JEDI2. It is part of the JEDI “Foundational Set” (JEDI2.a-e), which establishes a company’s commitment to JEDI principles and strengthens leadership, policy, and knowledge as a base for further action.

This sub-requirement helps connect your JEDI1 insights and JEDI action plan to a clear, public‑facing commitment that stakeholders can understand and hold you accountable to.

Why is a JEDI commitment statement important?

A JEDI commitment statement is important for various reasons, as it:

Clarifies what JEDI means for your company
Provides a reference point for decisions (for example, hiring, pay, promotion, product design, choosing suppliers)
Helps align leadership, managers, and workers around shared direction
Links your JEDI priorities to your core business, not just to stand‑alone projects

JEDI2.a is designed “to increase internal and public accountability for JEDI commitments.” Without a clear statement, JEDI work can remain fragmented, misunderstood, or interpreted differently across teams.

Why does it need to be public?

Under JEDI2.a, the JEDI commitment must be public. A public statement is not just communication – it is a commitment others can see, question, and track over time. More specifically, publicly committing to JEDI is important because it:

Signals to workers, communities, customers, and partners that JEDI is a real priority for your company, not an afterthought
Helps build trust and credibility, especially among people who have experienced discrimination or exclusion
Creates accountability: stakeholders can refer to what you have committed to and ask how your actions align
Reduces the risk of “social washing”, because the statement is linked to your JEDI1 evidence and JEDI2 action plan

In the standards, this public statement is also a reference point for other actions. For example, when the company reviews policies using JEDI principles (JEDI2.c), it is asked to consider “its JEDI commitment statement, if applicable (JEDI2.a)” as one of the inputs to policy review.

Where is the statement usually published?

To meet JEDI2.a, the statement must be public and easily accessible to relevant stakeholders. Companies typically make their JEDI commitment statement visible in places such as:

The company website (for example, “About”, “People”, or “Responsibility” pages)
Worker handbook or intranet (with a link from public channels where possible)
Onboarding materials for new workers and managers
Annual or impact reports, or B Corp certification‑related pages on your website

Wherever you publish it, the key is that relevant stakeholders can find and understand it.

Before writing: map your context

Before drafting, map the context that will shape the content of your statement and keep it specific to your company. This will help you show that the statement “applies to the company’s policies and practices across operations, customers, and community,” which is part of the JEDI2.a compliance criteria.

Core business and impacts: What do you do? Where in your operations and value chain are JEDI issues most relevant?
Stakeholders: Which groups are especially affected by your business and JEDI work (for example, frontline and non‑employee workers, local communities, specific customer/user groups, workers in your supply chain)?
JEDI priorities: What are your three to five main JEDI priorities from your JEDI action plan (for example, reducing promotion gaps, improving leadership representation, building trust in complaints mechanisms, improving accessibility of products or services)?

This mapping step will help you avoid generic wording and speak directly to your real impacts.

How to build up the statement

For JEDI2.a, the standards define a clear minimum bar. The company must have the following to meet the minimum requirements:

An explicit commitment to operating in a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive manner (publicly);
Clear application across operations, customers, and the community;
Explicit accountability at the executive or highest governing body level.

Anything beyond this (detailed priorities, long explanations, etc.) is “above and beyond” rather than required.

A suggested structure for your statement:

Core business and impacts
Briefly describe what you do and who you affect. This shows where JEDI shows up in your real work, not just in internal policies.
Stakeholders and power dynamics
Name the groups you are especially accountable to and acknowledge that some have less power to influence your decisions, or choose an alternative organisation (both as a worker and customer).
What JEDI means for your company
In a few sentences, explain how you understand Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in your context, using plain language and avoiding jargon where possible. You may use other terms such as access, belonging, and fairness, if pertinent.
Priorities, evidence, and accountability
- For companies with more than 10 workers, link to the requirements of the standards:
  - JEDI1: commit to using disaggregated data and stakeholder feedback to understand inequities and guide actions.
  - JEDI2 action plan: refer to your current JEDI priorities at a high level (Foundation, Within the Workplace, Beyond the Workplace)
- Name who’s accountable: explain who oversees this work (for example, board, leadership) and how you will share progress, respond to harm or exclusion, and adjust your actions when evidence requires it. For example, under JEDI2.a, the company must ensure the statement “is approved by the executive team or the highest governing body” and that “accountability for the JEDI commitment” is assigned to them.

Examples of a JEDI commitment statement

Here are two examples of JEDI statements.

1. The Global B Lab commitment

2. The fictional company statement below.

[Core business and impacts]
As a regional food producer and retailer, we employ people in production, logistics, and shops, and we work with suppliers and customers across several communities. Our decisions about hiring, pay, promotion, sourcing, and customer service affect people’s opportunities, safety, and day‑to‑day experiences.

[Stakeholders and power dynamics]
In our JEDI work, we are especially accountable to our frontline workers, temporary and agency workers, small suppliers, and customers who may face barriers related to income, disability, language, or migration status. We recognise that many of these stakeholders have less power to influence our decisions or easily choose a different employer or service provider.

[What JEDI means for this company]
For us, Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion mean:
- Identifying and addressing unfair barriers and harms in and around our business;
- Working toward fair access to opportunities and outcomes;
- Valuing a wide range of identities and experiences;
- Creating conditions where people can participate and speak up with dignity and without fear of retaliation.

We are committed to operating in a just, equitable, and inclusive way in our operations, for our customers, and in the communities we impact. While we actively appreciate and value diversity throughout.

[Accountability]
Our executive team and board are responsible for approving this commitment, overseeing it, and ensuring it is reflected in our policies and practices across our operations, our products and services, and our relationships with customers and communities. They are accountable for explaining this commitment to our stakeholders and for reviewing it when needed.