What is affirmative action? An affirmative action program is a management tool designed to ensure equal opportunity in recruiting, hiring, training, promoting, and compensating individuals. A good affirmative action program is a diagnostic tool that evaluates the composition of the workforce and compares it with the composition of the relevant labor pool and then includes practical steps addressing under utilization of specific groups. A number of federal and state statutes mandate that certain contractors maintain a written affirmative action program.