DEI at a Crossroads: How Associations Can Move Beyond Rhetoric to Action

DEI at a Crossroads: How Associations Can Move Beyond Rhetoric to Action

An article by Associations Now highlights how diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives face significant challenges. The Supreme Court’s decision to roll back affirmative action in higher education, along with legal threats from DEI critics, has prompted corporations like Ford, Lowe’s, and John Deere to reduce or rethink their DEI efforts. DEI-related job roles are also declining, reflecting shifting priorities, diminished leadership commitment, or a retreat from the heightened focus on social justice seen in 2020.

Despite these setbacks, the article suggests that DEI efforts have yielded meaningful results. Data from the Fortune 100 shows progress: three-fourths of companies have increased women in leadership, more than half have elevated senior ethnic minority executives, and 14 percent now have LGBTQ+ board members. These gains demonstrate that DEI drives tangible change when organizations invest in improving culture, measuring outcomes, and planning succession thoughtfully.

The article highlights that it may be time to evolve the DEI model, citing experts who emphasize embedding DEI into company culture, making it central to fostering workplaces where employees feel valued and empowered with a focus on action-oriented cultural transformation.

This evolution may involve integrating DEI into organizational structures rather than isolating it in standalone roles. GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis suggests this shift could signal deeper integration of DEI principles, ensuring they influence every facet of operations. For associations, the path forward requires transitioning from discussion to action, embedding DEI into the foundation of organizational culture.