Are Your Organization’s DEI Efforts Superficial or Structural?

What can organizations do to determine if their DEI initiatives are mere scaffolds or performative solidarity — or whether they’re actually positioned to put racial and gender equity at the center of the company’s core values and move the needle on change. Leaving DEI scaffolds in place can create the “illusion of inclusion,” which organizations must resist. The authors describe a framework intended to help leaders move DEI to something deeply woven into an organization’s mission, culture, and values. It includes asking: Are we providing equitable access to career opportunities? Are we promoting a culture of allyship? Have we made a public commitment to DEI with external partners? Do we know how we’ll measure our progress (or lack thereof)? These questions can help leadership teams do some critical self-examination and empower them to create an equitable work environment based on a foundation and culture of shared responsibility and organizational accountability.