Five practical ways to maintain DEI initiatives in challenging times
As diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives come under increasing pressure owing to the changing political climate, Georgie Williams sets out some steps organisations can take to protect underrepresented workers.
Published: 22 April 2025 | by Brightmine
If recent headlines are anything to go by, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is in danger. In the United States, companies such as Goldman Sachs and Google are scrapping their DEI initiatives. These changes will have a profound effect on social mobility for many talented and ambitious workers in the US – and probably beyond, given the interconnected, more globalised nature of the work sphere.
Where the UK branch of Deloitte has clashed with the US branch in defying this DEI rollback, we may see some companies double down on their efforts. However, others may yield to pressure – at the expense of their employees as well as their reputation. As we face an uncertain future in the realm of DEI, we must consider the following: first, what’s at stake? Second, what can be done at an organisational level to protect the welfare of underrepresented workers?
The business case
What’s at stake, talking pragmatically, are serious financial returns. A 2023 study of the Harvard Business Review investigated “change power” – a measure of business adaptability associated with “financial performance, stronger culture and leadership, and more engaged and inspired employees” – and how it correlated with workplace DEI initiatives. Their findings were as follows: “In a detailed study of 79 large companies, we found that every 0.1-point improvement in DEI ratings for a company (on a 5-point scale) was linked to a corresponding 13% increase in the absolute change-power score on average.”
These findings mirror those emerging from research at the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2024, which demonstrated that “DEI is positively associated with long-term market valuation and innovation”. Research continues to demonstrate the bankable benefits of DEI workplace practices.
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What doors to opportunity can we carve out with adequate resources, time and participants? At all levels within an organisation, we can contribute to a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture. So what can that look like?
The ethical stakes
Beyond the obvious business benefits, we have to address what it means, ethically, for DEI to be threatened. It is easy to lose sight of what any acronym means – DEI is not exempt. Diversity, equity and inclusion are cornerstones of human dignity. The dignity of having accessible bathrooms, the dignity of being referred to correctly with our name and pronouns, the dignity of being allowed to work for our place at the table – this is what DEI is about. Our DEI efforts should always be grounded in maintaining human dignity, and this endeavour must be made explicit. DEI practices still have remarkable scope for improvement, especially around their ability to reflect a full range of diverse lived experiences. But when it comes to workplace inclusion, we cannot let “perfect” be the enemy of “good” in the face of growing political hostility towards the most vulnerable communities.
Some practical steps
A workplace is a microcosm of the outside world: it reflects the same tensions, connections and challenges as those that exist in our lives beyond it. What is special about this microcosm is that it is one we can control. What injustice do we face in the outside world that can be eliminated from our workplace? What doors to opportunity can we carve out with adequate resources, time and participants? At all levels within an organisation, we can contribute to a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture. So what can that look like?
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Undoubtedly, DEI initiatives suffer without wider governmental support – but the push for diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace started from the bottom, not the top of the sociopolitical ladder.
1. Use your platform
The normalisation of anti-DEI sentiment begets the acceptance of anti-DEI motions. Both internally (in meetings and via internal digital platforms) and externally (on platforms such as LinkedIn), raising the alarm about the importance of protecting DEI is essential. Not only does this challenge the encroaching anti-DEI narratives, but it also signposts you as a trusted colleague and peer to underrepresented and more vulnerable employees. Sharing educational resources and compelling narratives from individuals affected by these rollbacks can have a profound effect.
2. Employee solidarity
Whether or not DEI initiatives affect us personally, we can all recognise the value of employee solidarity and speaking up for others. This is often more direct than using your platform – it may involve intervening when recognising problematic or harmful behaviour towards underrepresented colleagues or directly mobilising against DEI rollbacks in your workplace. If we are in any way different from the overrepresented “norm”, sacrificing support for any underrepresented workers is a slippery slope that will eventually affect all of us.
3. Steer your budget
Where some DEI initiatives may falter under waning external support, it is crucial to do what we can to steer our budget towards diverse, equitable and inclusive practices. If you have oversight on any internal training, education or public speakers, sequestering a budget for diverse voices is incredibly important. Social solidarity is essential, but economic solidarity is empowering. The impact of utilising budget for events such as these is threefold:
- it makes underrepresented employees feel safer;
- it makes employees less affected by DEI aware of the values of your institution; and
- it puts much-needed money in the pockets of educators and public speakers whose work has been adversely impacted by anti-DEI sentiment.
4. Know your rights
It goes without saying that the Equality Act 2010 is still an essential tool in all matters DEI in the UK. Although internal hiring initiatives or quotas may be affected by DEI rollbacks, the Equality Act ensures that individuals with protected characteristics have legal grounds for contesting potential hiring discrimination, as well as a multitude of other discriminatory practices that may occur after someone has been hired. Internal DEI rollbacks do not invalidate the power of the Equality Act, nor do they absolve companies from their legal requirement to adhere to it. If in doubt, consult the legislation and know your rights as an employee.
5. Emotional fortification and resilience
Championing DEI can be vulnerable and emotionally challenging work, especially when faced with adversity. Access to mental health support or counselling can mean the difference between burnout and survival as an underrepresented worker. Protecting access to these services is important; where these services aren’t currently available through your organisation, supporting mental health leave as a manager and checking in on the welfare of your direct reports and colleagues is also impactful. Be conscious of how news stories about particular social groups affect the welfare of employees from these social groups. Not all grief can be left on the doorstep of our workplaces. We can demonstrate patience and support to those who are affected.
Compassionate workplaces of the world, unite!
It would be easier to believe DEI was genuinely in danger if DEI was not a responsibility and benefit we all naturally share. Undoubtedly, DEI initiatives suffer without wider governmental support – but the push for diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace started from the bottom, not the top of the sociopolitical ladder. The power of any business institution exists in the united power of its workers. Now, more than ever, solidarity between our communities feels paramount. There is much that can still be done to protect the human dignity of all workers.
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About the author
Brightmine
With more than 10,000 customers, Brightmine is a leading global provider of people data, analytics and insight – empowering HR leaders to deliver brighter business outcomes.
For more than two decades, Brightmine, formerly XpertHR, has continued to help HR leaders confidently navigate the evolving world of work through our unique combination of critical workforce data, AI-enabled technology, and trusted HR expertise.
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