Balanced Almond, Inc’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy

1. Purpose

This policy outlines the commitment of Balanced Almond, Inc., d/b/a Ochre House Theater (“Ochre House”) to creating a workplace where all employees feel valued and respected and have equal access to opportunities. We aim to foster an environment that promotes equity, celebrates diversity, and fosters a strong sense of belonging.

We value equity and inclusion to ensure that every employee is given the necessary opportunity, access, support, and tools to achieve their performance goals and to perform at their highest levels. An equitable and inclusive culture provides equal access to opportunities and skills development, and it does not give special advantages to one person or group over another. Indeed, Ochre House’s Mission Statement is steeped in the concept of equity, diversity, and inclusion:

We are committed to producing innovative plays and performing arts projects that carry a message of artistic and spiritual revival to the community. The theatre has a dedicated core of actors, directors, musicians, dancers, puppeteers, designers, and staff who are committed to creating ensemble-based theater that is rare and beautiful.

We strive for a culture where employees are able to not only share individual perspectives and ideas but are also encouraged to do so and are recognized for their contributions. At Ochre House, our hiring process is merit-based, and we are steadfast in our efforts to attract talented individuals from diverse backgrounds.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all employees, contractors, and stakeholders associated with Ochre House. It provides guidelines for behavior and practices that support inclusion at all levels, inside and outside our organization.

3. Policy Statement

Ochre House is committed to fostering an inclusive culture that embraces diverse perspectives. We strive to eliminate barriers to participation and ensure there is access to opportunities and career growth for all employees.

Our stance reflects Ochre House’s long-term commitment to equal employment opportunity for all, inclusion, diversity, belonging, and accessibility. We deeply value all perspectives and actively encourage our teams to include members from a variety of backgrounds.

We strive to create programs and processes that are unbiased and impartial to provide equal opportunities for all based on merit. We aim for a culture where employees feel safe, valued, and respected and can engage in open communication, collaboration, and trust. This creates a workplace that works for all, leading to higher job satisfaction and productivity.

We strive to cultivate an environment where every team member feels empowered to contribute fully and where diversity in all its forms is not only accepted but actively embraced.

4. Responsibilities

Leadership at Ochre House will champion equity, inclusion, and diversity (“EID”) and challenge teams to embed merit-based, skills-focused metrics for success in all we do.  Leaders will also ensure consistency in approach across the company. Leaders will continuously assess outcomes to determine if our approach is driving entity success and recalibrate strategies if it is not.

Managers: Managers are expected to implement inclusive practices and ensure that employees of all levels have access to pathways for success and career growth opportunities. They are expected to evaluate performance using unbiased criteria such as skills and proficiencies, as well as ensure promotion pipelines are available to all employees who have the requisite qualifications.

Employees: Engage in inclusive behavior, which means treating colleagues with respect, encouraging the representation of different employee perspectives, and contributing positively to the culture.

5. Procedures

Hiring Practices

Ochre House will work to recruit candidates for employment or association with Ochre House from a broad range of backgrounds for open positions, write unbiased job descriptions, and offer equal access to development opportunities. Ochre House will not give preferential treatment to anyone, in line with federal anti-discrimination law, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, except in limited instances when preferential treatment is required, such as by the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act or Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Feedback

Ochre House has an open-door policy regarding welcoming insights on inclusion practices and areas for improvement and will recalibrate IED policies and procedures, as well as overall business strategies, as needed to ensure inclusion is driving efficiency and other entity goals.

6. Review and Evaluation

Ochre House will ensure both legal compliance and inclusivity in its policies and practices by annual review and evaluation of this EID policy to ensure its effectiveness and relevance. Ochre House will make updates as needed to reflect our ongoing commitment to fostering an equitable, inclusive work environment and to meeting our entity objectives.

Approved, adopted, and effective as of April 1, 2025.

BALANCED ALMOND, INC.,
d/b/a Ochre House Theater,
a Texas non-profit organization