Don’t get distracted by the DEI noise

I’m trying to stay focused and not get distracted by the noise surrounding Meta, Amazon and others decision to scale back some of their diversity programmes. I remain optimistic that despite some of the DEI backlash things aren’t as bleak as some of the headlines suggest.

I’ve often said that if you’re a leader who can turn DEI efforts on and off like a tap, your initiatives were likely performative. It's disappointing—but not surprising—that many initiatives launched in a wave of excitement (and black squares) in 2020 are now being shut down, many of us saw this coming.

So, why am I still optimistic?

1. Many high-profile leaders remain dedicated to DEI and are speaking out about its importance. As Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase put it, “It’s good for business; it’s morally right; we’re quite good at it; we’re successful.”

2. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 highlights a growing commitment to DEI, with 83% of employers prioritising it as essential for business success.

3. Organisations continue to prioritise building inclusive cultures—and you can’t have an inclusive culture without DEI.

I’m also reminded of Adrianne C. Smith's powerful talk at Cannes last year, where she urged us not to buy into the hype and reminded us that 'DEI will never die.' We must stay 'ten-toes down' doing the work that delivers real outcomes that remove barriers to belonging and equity for all.