Free practice modules for managers

Equity in Action, one leadership decision at a time.

Equity in Action is a six-element leadership model that helps managers turn fairness into everyday decisions. Equity in Action Practice breaks the model into short, practical modules you can read in minutes and apply the same week.

Last updated: November 2026 · Published by CRW Diversity

Start with Module 1 For senior executives

What is equity in action?

Equity in action means fairness shows up in the decisions leaders actually make, not only in what an organization says it believes. At Equity in Action Practice, that work follows Celeste Warren's Equity in Action Model: six elements (Awareness, Access, Advocacy, Action, Accountability, Empowerment) that help leaders examine how decisions, behaviors, and systems shape people's opportunities.

The six elements, six modules

Each element has its own module with real decision moments, a five-step practice, and one exercise to try this week.

Equity in action, defined

What does equity in action mean at work?

In Equity in Action Practice, equity in action is the practice of making leadership decisions that give people fair and equitable opportunities to contribute, grow, and succeed. It treats fairness as a set of habits, not a statement.

Equity doesn't become real simply because an organization believes in it. It becomes real through the decisions leaders make every day: who gets the stretch assignment, whose idea gets credit, how “ready for promotion” is defined, and whether anyone checks the results.

The Equity in Action Model asks leaders to examine both sides: how people lead and how the organization operates through its policies, practices, access to opportunity, and unwritten norms.

The experience behind the model

Nearly 4 decades in human resources and organizational leadership
28 years of Fortune 100 experience
10 yearsleading global diversity and inclusion, as Vice President and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer
6 elements in the Equity in Action Model
2 books: The Truth About Equity and How to Be a Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador

Figures as supplied by CRW Diversity, as of November 2026.

Not the equity you searched for?

Searches for “health equity in action cdc,” “communities in action pathways to health equity,” or “private equity in action” usually point to public health or finance topics.

This site covers a different subject: equity in workplace leadership, including diversity equity and inclusion in action planning, leadership, and programming for managers and the executives who equip them.

Curious how systems shape progress? Watch Celeste Warren's TEDx talk, The Cost of Standing Still.

Equity in Action training, built in short modules

Equity in Action training is designed for busy leaders: short, practical, and tied to decisions managers already make. You can start free on this site, go deeper with the Equity in Action for Managers learning experience, or bring the model into your organization through workshops, briefings, or executive advisory.

Each format below is compared on the same four criteria so you can choose the one that fits where your leaders are today.

Equity in Action learning formats from CRW Diversity, compared on the same four criteria. No prices are published for paid formats.
Format	Best for	How it is delivered	What you get	Next step
Practice modules (this site)	Managers who want to start applying one element this week	Six free online modules, self-paced	Decision moments, a five-step practice, reflection questions, one weekly exercise	Open the modules
Free guide: 6 Practical Ways to Lead More Fairly	Leaders who want a concise overview first	Free downloadable guide	Key insights, reflection questions and simple next steps for each element	Get it on crwdiversity.com
Equity in Action for Managers	Busy managers ready for structured practice	Short, practical mini-modules	Tools managers can immediately put into practice in day-to-day leadership	Learn more on crwdiversity.com
Leadership and organizational development	Organizations building fair, inclusive leadership at scale	Workshops and learning experiences	Practical sessions to strengthen effectiveness and improve workplace culture	Ask about workshops
Speaking and executive briefings	Leadership teams and audiences that need a shared starting point	Keynotes, briefings and facilitated conversations	A challenge to think differently about leadership, culture and systems	Ask about speaking
Executive advisory	Senior executives facing complex leadership, culture or talent challenges	Confidential one-to-one thought partnership	An experienced partner for examining how people lead and how the organization operates	Request executive advisory

Equity training for managers starts with one decision

Equity training for managers works best when it changes a real decision, not just awareness. Follow these five steps across the first five modules, then read the full guide to equity training for managers.

1Read the Awareness module and pick one recurring decision you make, such as assigning work.
2Complete the Access grid for your team: information, opportunities, relationships, resources.
3Choose one person whose work deserves more visibility and advocate for them by name.
4Write the criteria for your next assignment before you think about specific people.
5In one or two cycles, review the outcome and share what you learned with your own manager.

Why should senior executives care about manager-level equity?

Because managers make most of the decisions that shape people's experience at work, and executives own the systems those decisions run through. Celeste Warren spent nearly three decades inside a Fortune 100 company, including a decade as Vice President and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, working with executives on exactly this connection.

Request executive advisory Read the executive guide

“What within the organization is helping people succeed and what may be getting in their way?”
Celeste Warren, CRW Diversity

Common questions

See all questions in the Equity in Action FAQ

What is the Equity in Action Model?: The Equity in Action Model is a practical framework from Celeste Warren of CRW Diversity that helps leaders examine how their decisions, behaviors, and organizational systems shape people’s experiences and opportunities. It has six elements: Awareness, Access, Advocacy, Action, Accountability, and Empowerment. Each element turns a principle into a daily leadership habit.
What is an example of equity in action?: A simple example of equity in action is a manager who announces a stretch assignment to the whole team with clear criteria, instead of offering it quietly to the person they know best. The change is small, but it widens access to information and opportunity, two areas the Equity in Action Model asks leaders to examine.
What is equity action?: Equity action is a deliberate leadership decision that makes access to opportunity fairer, rather than a statement of belief. In the Equity in Action Model, Action is the fourth element: turning awareness and good intentions into specific choices, such as setting criteria before reviewing candidates or rotating high-visibility work on a stated basis.
What does equity in something mean?: Equity in something means fairness in how access, opportunity, and outcomes are distributed within it. In a workplace, equity means people have fair and equitable opportunities to contribute, grow, and succeed. In finance, equity means ownership value, such as a share of a company. This site uses the workplace meaning.
Is equity a good or bad thing?: In the workplace, equity is the goal of giving people fair and equitable opportunities to contribute, grow, and succeed, which supports both people and the business. Debates usually arise over methods rather than the goal. The Equity in Action Model focuses on transparent, practical leadership decisions, such as clear criteria and outcome reviews.
How much does equity training for managers cost?: The practice modules on this site are free to read. CRW Diversity does not publish prices for executive advisory, workshops, speaking, or the Equity in Action for Managers learning experience. Costs for this kind of work generally depend on scope, audience size, and format. To get specifics, describe your needs through the contact form on crwdiversity.com.
How is Equity in Action different from DEI training?: General DEI awareness training typically focuses on concepts, terminology, and individual awareness. The Equity in Action Model includes awareness as its first element, then adds access, advocacy, action, accountability, and empowerment, asking leaders to examine organizational systems and outcomes too. See the full comparison page for criteria and fit.

Leading the system, not just the team?

Executive advisory with Celeste Warren is a confidential thought partnership for executives navigating complex leadership, culture, talent, and organizational challenges.

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