Why Everyone Should Have the Platinum 2.0 Checklist

 

 

 

This is #IncreaseDiversity, a weekly newsletter series + Increase Diversity Toolbox sharing best practices for employers who want to learn how to… well, increase diversity. To see previous editions, visit JenniferTardy.com. | IG: @IncreaseDiversity | Increase Diversity - YouTube

If you're in recruitment, HR, or leading a hiring team, you’ve probably felt the tension before.

You’re trying to diversify your candidate pool. You want to make your hiring process more inclusive. You want your company to look more like the world we actually live in. But somewhere between the intention and the execution, something gets stuck.

There’s fear—of misstepping, of doing too much, of not doing enough.
There’s confusion—about what’s legal, what’s performative, what’s truly fair.
And let’s be honest: there’s pressure—from all sides.

At some point, you might have worried that increasing diversity could somehow be seen as unfair. You may have heard someone drop the term “reverse discrimination” like it’s a real thing. It’s not. Discrimination is discrimination. The law says that, too. What we’re talking about is opportunity—who gets it, who doesn’t, and why.

Many teams genuinely want to increase diversity and retention in their workplace. But the fear of getting it ineffectively can stop progress in its tracks. Instead of moving forward with confidence, many hiring teams often tread lightly. Or worse, stand still.

That’s where the Platinum 2.0 Checklist comes in.

Platinum 2.0 Checklist sounds like a regular checklist, but it’s much more. It is a grounded, practical tool that gives you something most teams don’t have when they try to increase diversity: a real plan.

It gives you 5 actionable steps to carry out, so it builds clarity.
It helps you build consistency.
It helps you build confidence—not just that your process is inclusive, but that it’s effective, strategic, and aligned with your values and obligations.

We’re not here to tell you to hire someone because they’re from an underrepresented background. Hiring based on identity is illegal.

Hiring is—and always has been—about finding the most qualified person for the role.
The question is: are you setting up your hiring process to actually find that person?
Or are you relying on systems that quietly reward sameness, filter for familiarity, perpetuate the obstacles for marginalized groups, and overlook talent that doesn’t check the usual boxes?

This is where the checklist matters.

It helps you examine the patterns that shape your pipeline, your interviews, and your hiring decisions. It helps you get proactive instead of reactive. And it helps your team take action—without second-guessing every step.

The feedback we hear over and over from hiring professionals is this:

We wanted to do more, but we didn’t know where to start.

Start here.

And here’s your spoiler: when you follow a stronger process, your hires get stronger, too. Because a wider, more intentional search doesn’t dilute your standards. It sharpens your focus.

You’re still hiring the best candidate. Always.
You’re just making sure you didn’t miss them before they ever got a shot.

If you’re ready to move past the doubt and start hiring with both excellence and equity in mind, the Platinum 2.0 Checklist tool gives you a great start. And it’s free. No strings attached. 

Take advantage of the free tools—and be part of the change.

Join us in the comments: What is one practical step from the Platinum 2.0 Checklist that you can implement in your hiring process immediately, and why?