DEIA Plan – BioSynchronicity Corporation

BioSynchronicity – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Plan

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

BioSynchronicity Corporation is a relatively new and fast-growing female-owned USA-based company formed in June, 2020 with the vision of providing the world with affordable and reliable in vitro diagnostic testing technologies in the battle to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. BioSynchronicity is proud of its diversity, equity and inclusion, with a team which includes many races, cultures and ethnicities of the world. We are committed to incorporating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) in all that we do. We have a DEIA statement of commitment and guiding principles and have incorporated it into our standard operating procedures.

By giving opportunities and access to our tests to people and ethnicities located in economically disadvantaged regions of the world, we believe the BioSynchronicity C-Sync™ family of COVID-19 tests will make a significant difference in the lives of many people universally who currently may not have affordable and reliable in vitro diagnostic testing options. The BioSynchronicity Rochester, New York, office itself is located in a designated Opportunity Zone where we plan to launch and apply many of our DEIA initiatives as we grow.

The BioSynchronicity team will implement our plan to assure that economically disadvantaged, minority, veteran, disabled, indigenous, LGBTQ, or female owned businesses, organizations, and communities will benefit from our testing solutions. These businesses, organizations, and communities should have access to reliable rapid testing with quick reporting of results. Since minority and disadvantaged communities are known to suffer more serious health consequences from the effects of the pandemic, there should be an added benefit to health in those communities from our testing innovation that will help to create an environment that is safe and comfortable. All of our facilities and communication technologies will strictly adhere to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990) accessibility standards.

At BioSynchronicity, we value the diversity of our staff and associates. We are committed to systematic change that promotes equity and inclusion for all staff and associates. We are committed to an ongoing practice of identifying and responding to the causes and impacts of inequitable norms, policies and procedures while working to create a culture that centers on care, equity, inclusion, and social justice.

We Value Diversity

BioSynchronicity views the diversity of our staff and associates as vital to the strength and success of our business. We respect the lived and professional experiences of our staff and associates and are committed to eliminating bias related to aspects of identity and experience, including:

Race
Color
Ethnicity
National Origin
Gender Identity and Expression, Sex, or Sexual Orientation
Religion
Disability
Genetic Information
Marital Status
Age
Educational Pathway
Academic or Professional Rank
Veteran Status

We Value Equity

BioSynchronicity is committed to identifying and removing structural barriers to professional opportunity, access and success for all our staff and associates. This includes interrupting bias and discrimination in the moment, creating equitable decision-making processes, and responding to inequitable impacts – regardless of intent.

We Value Inclusion

BioSynchronicity works to create an environment in which all staff and associates can engage authentically and trust that their perspectives will be valued and their rights respected. We engage in open conversations while not shying away from addressing difficult topics or issues. We provide comfort and show compassion to all staff and associates when traumatizing events occur locally, nationally, or globally.

We Value Accessibility

BioSynchronicity is firmly committed to ensuring access to the built environment for people with disabilities. We will strictly adhere to ADA guidelines in all our facilities.

Guiding Principles for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility

BioSynchronicity will hold to these stated DEIA guiding principles while making decisions.

Align with the goals and actions of the BioSynchronicity operating plan.
Invite and meaningfully consider diverse viewpoints regardless of perceived status.
Consider the equity implications of all policies, procedures, and practices as they are created or reviewed.

Commitment to Action

Real change requires meaningful action. Through the efforts of BioSynchronicity’s senior management, we are committed to:

Identify and appropriately address bias, discrimination and micro-aggressions when they occur.
Seek out and listen to diverse perspectives, centering the voices of those most impacted and least heard, and respond to the needs and priorities they raise.
Support the DEIA education of staff through quarterly trainings.
Provide outside DEIA mentorship to business and professional associates as appropriate.
Prioritize the recruitment of staff from historically marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds through targeted DEIA recruitment planning.
Recognize and respond to current events and their disparate impacts on all staff.
As we grow, we will assemble a DEIA committee of advocates within the organization.

Incorporating These Principles and Commitments into A Successful Project

To operationalize these principles and commitments into action, BioSynchronicity will:

Include requirements for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in all hiring announcements and outside procurement. This will include our support for economically disadvantaged, minority, veteran, disabled, indigenous, LGBTQ, or female owned businesses.
Establish a STEM scholarship to provide practical experience. The BioSynchronicity staff will serve on the selection committee and will work closely with education officials to attract minority and underserved applicants.
Develop a commercialization plan that specifically assures serving economically disadvantaged, minority, veteran, disabled, indigenous, LGBTQ, or female owned businesses and communities with affordable healthcare testing solutions.
Monitor and update accessibility in facilities and equipment.
Require a designated BioSynchronicity Human Resources official to report quarterly on progress for each of these activities. The report shall document all staff hires and detail the number of minority and underserved communities which are represented. It shall list all outside procurements and, where possible, indicated products and services from minority and underserved communities. It will report on STEM scholarship efforts. The official will be required to review the commercialization plan and assure all steps possible have been taken to provide economically disadvantaged, minority, veteran, or women owned communities with affordable in vitro diagnostic testing options.

Each of these objectives will be measured as to their success by metrics we will establish and review semi-annually.

We Embrace these
10 Principles of DEIA

Bias

We acknowledge that individual and institutional bias have excluded marginalized members of organizations, regardless of the intention of those responsible for excluding.

Centering

We recognize that our organization includes everyone. However, we commit to centering this work on the pain, frustration, and anger of the marginalized members of all organizations and not solely on the comfort of the majority.

Transparency

We commit to communicating openly with our members on our work toward equity and inclusion, and we are committed to receiving and incorporating their feedback as our work continues.

Accountability

We commit to holding ourselves and each other responsible for both failure and success.

Specificity

We recognize that many traditional policies and procedures have had different negative effects on marginalized communities and we commit to being specific on which policies will be assisting which groups and how.

Realism

We acknowledge that this DEIA process cannot address all the challenges that our organization faces, while also recognizing that those challenges may affect our ability to meet DEIA goals.

Measurability

We will set out actionable goals and measure our progress toward those goals.

Values

We understand our values as an organization and will work to center those values on equity.

Acceptance

We acknowledge that the organization that exists at the end of this process might be different than the one we had when we started, and we accept that as we start this journey.

Empathy

We will listen to the stories of those who have been marginalized and we will not deny their lived experiences. Their stories are not subjective. Their stories are true.