Dear NIH Family,

NIH is a noble enterprise driven by a mission to help and serve humanity. The contributions of every member of our community are vital to successfully improving people’s health and reducing the burden of disease. I strongly believe that at NIH, our people are our most valuable assets and I want to ensure that we create an environment where people feel welcome, respected, and valued.

Choosing to speak up about workplace concerns helps build a healthy, ethical, and compliant work environment and is part of NIH culture. I encourage you to review the policies, regulations, and statutes concerning civil rights and report any unlawful practices. Please remember that retaliating against individuals who report such allegations or engage in any stage of administrative or judicial proceedings is prohibited, regardless of whether the concerns are validated. We are committed to preventing victimization and other retaliatory behavior toward any person raising such concerns.

This August, the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is sponsoring a month-long campaign to focus on the prevention of retaliation. I would like to encourage everyone to visit the EDI website to learn more about retaliation and the activities that will be held to educate and reaffirm our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

For guidance, please contact the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at edi.resolutions@nih.gov or 301-496-6301.

Sincerely yours,

Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D.
Director

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