DEI in Corporate Strategy

If #diversity, #equity, and #inclusion practitioners want to get ahead of anti-DEI backlash, we have to address an elephant in the room: no two people in the same workplace perceive their workplace the same way. I see this every time I work with client organizations. When asked to describe their own experience with the workplace and its DEI strengths and challenges, I hear things like: 😊 "I've never experienced any discrimination or mistreatment; our leaders' commitment is strong." 🤨 "I had a good time in one department, but after transferring departments I started experiencing explicit ableist comments under my new manager." 🙁 "I've never had anything egregious happen, but I've always felt less respected by my team members because of my race." Who's right? Turns out, all of them. It starts to get messy because everyone inevitably generalizes their own personal experiences into their perception of the workplace as a whole; three people might accordingly describe their workplace as a "meritocracy without discrimination," an "inconsistently inclusive workplace dependent on manager," or "a subtly racist environment." And when people are confronted with other experiences of the workplace that DIFFER from their own, they often take it personally. I've seen leaders bristle at the implication that their own experience was "wrong," or get defensive in expectation they will be accused of lacking awareness. It's exactly this defensiveness that lays the foundation for misunderstanding, polarization, and yes—anti-DEI misinformation—to spread in an organization. How do we mitigate it? In my own work, I've found that these simple steps go a long way. 1. Validate everyone's experience. Saying outright that everyone's personal experience is "correct" for themselves might seem too obvious, but it plays a powerful role in helping everyone feel respected and taken seriously. Reality is not a question of "who is right"—it's the messy summation of everyone's lived experience, good or bad. 2. Use data to create a shared baseline. Gathering data by organizational and social demographics allows us to make statements like, "the average perception of team respect is 70% in Engineering, but only 30% in Sales," or "perception of fair decision making processes is 90% for white men, but only 40% for Black women." This establishes a shared reality, a baseline for any effective DEI work. 3. Make it clear that problem-solving involves—and requires—everyone. The goal of DEI work is to achieve positive outcomes for everyone. Those with already positive experiences? Their insights help us know what we're aiming for. Those with the most negative? Their insights help us learn what's broken. The more we communicate that collective effort benefits the collective, rather than shaming or dismissing those at the margins, the more we can unite people around DEI and beat the backlash.

For everyone who keeps saying, "DEI = Didn't Earn It," let me educate you. DEI isn’t just a corporate buzzword—it’s about ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to work, thrive, and be respected. It includes: ✅ Your coworker with ADHD who needs a quiet workspace to focus and do their best work. ✅ The deaf cashier at your local grocery store who greets you with a warm smile and quickly signs "thank you" when you check out. ✅ The chronically ill employee who works remotely because commuting drains their energy, but whose contributions are just as valuable as anyone else's. ✅ The Black woman in leadership who deserves to be recognized for her expertise, not dismissed or interrupted in meetings. ✅ The LGBTQIA2S+ employee who wants to share pictures of their partner on their desk without fear of side-eyes or whispers. ✅ The Muslim team member who takes a few minutes for daily prayers without judgment. ✅ The father who leaves early for daycare pickup and isn’t seen as “less committed” to his job. ✅ The older employee bringing decades of knowledge to the team, who isn’t pushed aside for someone younger. ✅ The neurodivergent coder whose innovative thinking makes the whole team stronger. DEI isn’t about “special treatment.” It’s about removing barriers that never should have been there in the first place. It's about recognizing that fair doesn’t always mean equal—sometimes it means adjusting the system so everyone can succeed. It’s not about taking opportunities away from one group to give to another—it’s about making sure opportunity exists for everyone. That’s what DEI is. That’s why it matters. DEI isn’t about giving anyone a head start—it’s about removing the barriers that never should have been there in the first place.

In the drive to build inclusive, thriving workplaces, stay interviews are a game-changer. Unlike exit interviews, which look back at why employees leave, stay interviews focus on why people stay—giving us real-time insights into engagement, satisfaction, and belonging. Here’s why stay interviews are essential for today’s diverse teams: 1. Uncover Insights That Matter: Stay interviews allow employees to share what they value most in their work environment, especially as it relates to inclusion, growth, and belonging. These conversations provide leaders with feedback directly from the voices of their teams, revealing barriers and motivators that may not surface in routine check-ins. 2. Retain Top Talent: For diverse employees, having a platform to voice their needs and experiences can boost loyalty and morale. By listening and responding to these insights, organizations show that they value each individual's unique contributions—leading to stronger retention and a richer workplace culture. 3. Reinforce Psychological Safety: Stay interviews foster an environment where people feel heard and respected. For DEI efforts, this means creating a space where employees feel comfortable discussing their challenges and successes, from career development opportunities to experiences with inclusion and support. 4. Drive DEI Strategy with Actionable Data: Conducted thoughtfully, stay interviews can guide DEI strategies with tangible data. They reveal which DEI initiatives are resonating and where there’s room for growth. This makes it easier to set meaningful, employee-driven goals that benefit everyone. By making stay interviews a regular part of your DEI strategy, we create a culture of active listening, continuous improvement, and genuine support. These conversations are a powerful reminder that every voice counts—and that by understanding why employees stay, we’re better equipped to build a workplace where everyone feels they belong. Info graph shared by Wouter Durville

We often hear about an "ESG backlash" or a "DEI backlash". But is that really fair? The word "backlash" implies "emotional", suggesting something knee-jerk or reactionary. And yes, some criticisms of ESG/DEI may indeed be unfounded. But, rather than immediately going on the defensive and arguing they're wrong, we should first ask whether they might be right. If so, we can use them to help us practice ESG/DEI better. I prefer "pushback" - just like in resistance training, it makes us stronger. So what kind of pushback is valid and valuable? 1️⃣ Questioning the evidence. Concerns about the link between ESG/DEI and performance help us sharpen our focus on what genuinely drives long-term value - and discard what doesn’t. 2️⃣ Challenging ineffective actions. Critiques of divestment, engagement that borders on micromanagement, and “tea-and-biscuits” engagement, help us refocus on strategies that actually move the needle. 3️⃣ Protecting shareholder value. Certain ESG/DEI initiatives don’t align with long-term returns, but are instead undertaken to boost the CEO's image. Unless shareholders have explicitly expressed a willingness to sacrifice returns, CEOs shouldn't spend other people's money on puff projects. 4️⃣ Reassessing timing and scale. Sometimes scaling back ESG/DEI is criticised as a U-turn or lack of commitment. But like any business investment, ESG exhibits diminishing returns and trade-offs. A company could be committed to international expansion, but rationally put its plans on hold due to financial pressures or tariff uncertainty - and it's the same with ESG. Being strategic - knowing when to pause, pivot, or accelerate - is not weakness; it’s wisdom. Let’s not dismiss every concern as a "backlash". Let’s listen, learn, and use the challenge to get better.

𝗜 𝗗𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗘𝗜 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱. 𝗜 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗘𝗜 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗲 𝗦𝗘𝗘𝗡. I’ve heard it whispered in boardrooms. I’ve seen it scribbled in the comment sections. I’ve watched people roll their eyes when someone like me takes the mic. 🗣️ S𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘌𝘐. Let’s talk about it. 𝗜 𝗗𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗘𝗜 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱. 𝗜 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗘𝗜 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗲 𝗦𝗘𝗘𝗡. Not because I lacked the credentials. Not because I didn’t put in the work. Not because I was handed an opportunity I didn’t earn. But because at one point in time, the only people getting hired, promoted, or given the mic didn’t look like me. And let’s be clear—DEI isn’t just about Black folks. It’s not just about Latinos, Indigenous people, or any one demographic. DEI includes: ✔️ White women who were once shut out of leadership roles. ✔️ Disabled professionals fighting for workplace access. ✔️ LGBTQ+ individuals navigating bias in hiring. ✔️ Older employees facing age discrimination. ✔️ Veterans transitioning into the civilian workforce. Yet, when people scream “DEI hires are ruining everything,” What they’re really saying is: “We miss when the room looked exactly the same.” Because let’s keep it real—white women are the biggest beneficiaries of DEI policies. And yet, when politicians and corporations gut DEI programs, they don’t just hurt Black and Brown professionals—they hurt everybody. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗞𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗘𝗜? Right now, the U.S. is seeing a full-scale attack on DEI. ⚠️ Florida, Texas, and other states have passed laws banning DEI programs in universities and workplaces. ⚠️ Corporations are rolling back DEI initiatives out of “fear” of political backlash. ⚠️ The Supreme Court overturned affirmative action in higher education, and businesses are next on the chopping block. Meanwhile, the same people screaming “DEI hires are taking over!” are perfectly fine with nepotism, old boys' clubs, and hiring based on “culture fit” (aka, people who look, think, and act like them). The irony? The same folks who bash DEI rarely question how white men continue to dominate C-Suites, venture capital, and boardrooms. Nobody asks them: 𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘢 𝘕𝘌𝘗𝘖𝘛𝘐𝘚𝘔 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦? 𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘭𝘥? Nope. That kind of questioning is reserved for people like me. If you’re still out here crying about “DEI hires,” ask yourself: 🚨 Are you mad at DEI, or are you mad that the playing field is finally leveling? 🚨 Are you mad about “unqualified” hires, or are you mad that the default no longer centers you? Because if you only believe in merit when it benefits certain people… You never really believed in merit to begin with. 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀? 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀. 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. #DEI #DEIB

DEI efforts in companies are often totally ineffective. Over the last three years, I’ve discussed DEI with hundreds of HR leaders across dozens of industries in more than 15 countries. That’s a lot of research into what works and what doesn't. Here’s what’s broken in DIY strategies 🔧 🔝 There is no focus on the top of funnel Very few people look at the top of the funnel. There’s no way you can increase diversity in your team without being discovered (and considered) by diverse candidates. By only focusing on reactive hiring, you're setting yourself up to fail. Work on employer brand, recognition, employee advocacy, and discoverability even in periods of low or no hiring. 📊 You aren't working with data Despite what many dinosaurs will have you think DEI is not a fluffy topic. The best DEI strategies (the ones that actually work), lead with data. They ask about the candidate demographics on the platforms they use, they A/B test job descriptions to uncover inclusive language, they go through their own application processes, and they report DEI data all the way to board level. 🫡 DEI isn’t recognised as a strategic company wide objective DEI impacts every single part of your organisation. Diverse companies are more innovative, they’re more creative, ultimately diverse teams are stronger teams who build better products. How is this not worthy of being prioritised? 🦕 Your working environment isn't inclusive Without flexibility, you cannot have inclusivity. Without inclusivity, you cannot expect to attract diverse talent. Simple. When companies do hire diverse talent, often these are the first people to leave, but no one it digging into why (hint: it's often to do with inclusivity). There are so many other reasons that DEI is broken, so which ones would you add? 👷🏽 Flexa #DversityEquityInclusion #FlexibleWorking #EmployerBranding

I think this is the single biggest challenge of any #inclusion and #diversity practitioner's role: challenging the status quo of the organisations we work for without shaking them so hard we end up being shown the exit door instead. Timothy R. Clark lays out some incredibly helpful principles in this Harvard Business Review article, but, for me, the core message is: challenging the status quo is the mechanism that leads to innovation and improvement. Yet, we have to acknowledge it's also a behaviour that causes fear and trembling – especially for those in positions of power, who may feel threatened by what the work towards equity may mean to their stand in the organisation. What I see among peers in my field is a good dose of courage to challenge things, but that's rarely enough – one also needs some core skills to get ahead. Here's my attempt to summarise some tips from the author: 1️⃣ Develop anticipatory readiness: embrace natural workflows of the organisation as opportunities. Prepare as meticulously as a venture capitalist pitching an idea. The lower your position, the tighter your case should be. That means anticipating the questions people may ask you – like "why design a programme for employees from minoritised groups if we should treat everyone the same?" 2️⃣ Seek permission: inquire explicitly for the green light to challenge existing norms. Acquire institutional support to reposition interactions as contributions rather than confrontations. That may mean securing a sponsor of your initiative among senior leadership, who may act as a broker for your ideas by leveraging their political power. 3️⃣ Try an inquiry-first approach: neutralise defensiveness by initiating challenges with inquiry. Engage in conversations that recruit others into dialogue, fostering critical thinking and openness to change. That may mean starting with a more "vanilla" version of your proposal to get initial buy-in, before proposing more audacious changes. 4️⃣ Master #EmotionalIntelligence: create #PsychologicalSafety for all parties involved. Lead with self-awareness, keenly observing and responding to non-verbal cues. Respect and empathy can diffuse tension and facilitate understanding. This may mean saying 'yes' to things you initially disagree with in order to attain better outcomes in the long run. 5️⃣ Seek contextual understanding: grasp the history behind the status quo. Demonstrate profound knowledge of past decisions and the current state before pushing for change. The tips above may look simpler than they are, especially as DEI work is often emotionally laborious and it can be hard to find the mental space to position ideas in such meticulously strategic ways. What has helped in my practice is keeping my eyes on the prize (i.e.: equity): even when the road is winding, as long as it's leading us all closer to that, I can sleep in peace. What else works on your experience?

I would love nothing more than for DEI programs to become obsolete. Surprised? Actually, I think most people involved in DEI would agree with me. The goal of DEI has always been to create workplaces where leadership equity across gender, race, ability and sexuality is the norm, eventually eliminating the need for DEI programs altogether. So much progress we’ve made over the past decade is now at risk due to the current rollback, or watering down, of DEI initiatives and resources. Whether it’s blamed on activists, a lack of need, or the “executive order”, the impact will be significant. It already is. Despite the rationale provided by leaders and executives, I would encourage people to take a step back and remember why DEI began in the first place. The focus on diversity, equity and inclusion was originally established to help organizations thrive by ensuring leaders learnt from those with diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Programs were intended to drive innovation, spark creativity, and help make smart decisions. Later, put in place to support employees from historically underrepresented groups, including the creation of affinity networks or E/BRGs (employee/business resource groups), and how those communities could come together inside an organization to support each other. Somewhere along the way, people lost sight of DEI’s real purpose. It's not about checking a box and for those doing it right, it wasn’t. It was about something much more fundamental: creating workplaces where people feel valued, heard, and empowered to contribute. As an athlete, I’m a fundamentals kind of person. Let’s go back to basics. At its core, DEI was designed to: ✅ Increase employee engagement and retention. When people see themselves represented, they’re more inclined to stay. ✅ Build stronger, more innovative teams. Diverse perspectives lead to better ideas, smarter decisions. ✅ Improve business outcomes. A Boston Consulting Group (BCG) survey found that companies with more diverse leadership teams saw up to 19% higher profits. ✅ Create better representation internally that reflect their customers/audience. Today DEI has become so politicized that some have forgotten (or ignored) these facts. The truth is, inclusive companies don’t just retain talent, they attract it. And when they represent their employees, they’re also better set up to reflect the needs of their customers and keep them. We know that having a more diverse workplace contributes to the bottom line and drives ROI. Diverse companies earn 2.5x higher cash flow per employee, according to a 2022 Research and Markets study. So let’s refocus. If DEI is done right, it helps everyone—including leadership—become more effective, more informed, and more customer-centric. It’s not just good ethics; it’s good business. And maybe if we truly achieve equity, instead of removing DEI, we actually won’t need it anymore. That would be a real success. #DEI #equity #leadership Luminary

There’s a dangerous assumption creeping into UK businesses: that if DEI is under attack in the US, maybe we should quietly pull back too. Don’t. An exceptional new paper by Caspar Glyn KC and Olivia-Faith Dobbie from the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA) lays it out clearly that rolling back DEI in the UK is not only risky, but legally incoherent. While the US continues down a deeply polarising path fuelled by recent political shifts – it’s crucial to remember that the UK’s legal framework is completely different. Some important things to note: 📌 The UK Equality Act 2010 allows for positive action, not quotas. It promotes equality of opportunity, not outcomes. 📌 Indirect discrimination - where policies seem neutral but disproportionately harm marginalised groups - is prohibited in the UK. 📌 UK DEI policies already align more closely with the current, more restrictive US legal view - meaning there’s no concrete legal basis for scaling back. And importantly, UK employers are under additional obligations including: ⚠️ Taking reasonable steps to prevent harassment (with stronger duties incoming). ⚠️ Showing evidence of inclusive practice under tribunal scrutiny. ⚠️ Implementation of thoughtful, lawful DEI policies supported by data, proportionality, and purpose. And here’s the kicker - removing DEI policies puts your business at greater legal risk - not less. So to every business leader considering their next move: Now is not the time to step back, or become complacent when it comes to designing inclusive workplaces. DEI is foundational to good governance, legal compliance, talent attraction, and business reputation. Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/ePcfQ4rK Would love to hear what you think? 💡💡💡 #diversity #inclusion #belonging

I feared that the widespread adoption of DEI frameworks in 2020 was, for many, a knee-jerk reaction to the murder of George Floyd and the global reckoning on racial injustice that followed. Sadly, I was right. Corporations scrambled to issue statements, create initiatives, and hire diversity officers—not necessarily out of a deep understanding of or commitment to DEI, but because they feared being left out or publicly criticized. It was, for many, about optics rather than true change. This bandwagon approach lacked substance. Instead of embedding DEI as a fundamental principle of their operations, many organizations treated it as a temporary campaign. They missed the essence of DEI: it is not a trend, nor is it a branding tool. It is a long-term commitment to dismantling systemic discrimination and fostering fairness and inclusion. By extension, it is a commitment to justice. This lack of genuine belief is part of why we are seeing a retreat from DEI now – cowardly retreat I say. For organizations that never truly internalized its purpose, it is easier to abandon these efforts under pressure. But for those who understand its value, DEI is non-negotiable. It is not about checking a box—it is about building better, stronger and more just organizations and communities. The principles of diversity, equity and inclusion are not luxuries or “nice-to-haves.” They are essential for creating a just and caring world. When biases and prejudices are allowed to fester, we all lose. But when the true ideal of DEI is embraced, society becomes richer, more vibrant and more innovative. Justice is not about favoritism; it is about fairness. Removing systemic barriers is not about giving an unfair advantage; it is about restoring balance. DEI is a framework for unlocking human potential, recognizing talent and fostering a society where everyone has a chance to thrive. The pushback against DEI is disheartening, but it should serve as a reminder that progress is never linear. The work of dismantling inequities and fostering inclusion is ongoing, and it requires courage, persistence and clarity of purpose. Let us not lose sight of why DEI matters. It is not a trend. It is a commitment to justice, creativity and the shared humanity that binds us all. The question is not whether we can afford to embrace the principles of DEI but whether we can afford not to.