State Responses to DEI Initiatives

When corporations like Target Walmart Amazon and Meta decide to roll back their #DEI initiatives, it sends shockwaves—not just through their organizations but through every professional space where equity has been hard-fought. For DEI practitioners, and anyone championing change, this isn’t just a business decision—it’s a call to action. Dr. Kimberle Crenshaw’s work on #intersectionality has taught us how systems of power intersect to marginalize certain groups. These rollbacks are a stark reminder of how fragile progress can be when profit and politics collide. But here’s the truth: even when systems shift, we hold the power to influence from within. This is where the role of the in-house influencer becomes critical. What Is an In-House Influencer? An in-house influencer is more than just an employee—they’re a changemaker. It’s the person who raises the tough questions, advocates for systemic equity, and pushes for accountability, even when the organization tries to retreat from its commitments. If you’re leading DEI efforts—or simply care about fostering inclusion—you are an in-house influencer. Here’s How to Show Up as an In-House Influencer: 1️⃣ Advocate for Intersectionality DEI isn’t just about diversity statistics—it’s about addressing the overlapping systems of inequality that impact marginalized groups. Use your voice to remind your organization that equity isn’t just for some of us—it’s for all of us. 👉 Action: When faced with rollbacks, ask: “How will this decision impact employees from intersecting marginalized identities?” Document the gaps and amplify the need for solutions. 2️⃣ Lead with the Question Trap Navigating a company pulling back from DEI? Use intentional questions to spotlight priorities and identify allies. For example: • “What is our strategy to ensure equity and belonging in the absence of formal DEI programs?” • “How are we addressing the morale of employees who feel left behind by these changes?” 3️⃣ Position Yourself as the Trusted Voice When companies shift, employees often feel disillusioned or directionless. This is where your influence matters most. Be the person who says, “We may not have the same resources, but here’s how we can keep making progress.” 👉 Action: Create informal networks, mentoring programs, or resource-sharing spaces to keep the momentum alive—even if the official structures are gone. 4️⃣ Consider Your Own Path When companies signal that equity isn’t a priority, it’s also an opportunity to evaluate your alignment with their values. As Kimberlé Crenshaw reminds us, we must constantly navigate systems to reclaim power. Sometimes, that power comes from knowing when to stay and fight—and when to build something new. 👉 Action: “Am I working in a space that aligns with my values?” If the answer is no, begin preparing for a pivot. Here’s the reality: the rollback of DEI programs doesn’t erase the need for equity. It simply shifts the responsibility. #alignment #careernomad #rna

DEI Rollbacks: A Step Backward—But We Can Keep Moving Forward Toni Morrison once said, “The very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining over and over and over again, your reason for being.” That is exactly what is happening with the current administration’s attacks on DEI programs. They’ve co-opted the language of equity to claim “reverse racism,” falsely asserting that they are “ending illegal discrimination” and “restoring merit-based opportunity.” But the underlying message is clear: a manufactured narrative that suggests DEI programs take opportunities away from deserving individuals, implying that those who don’t fit the dominant identity are somehow unqualified. Let’s be clear—DEI is not about excluding talent. It is about expanding access. These programs create pathways for historically excluded communities—including women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities—who possess the skills, qualifications, and, in many cases, are overqualified but would have otherwise been overlooked due to systemic barriers. As a Non Profit Executive, I’ve led  successful strategies that fostered equitable pathways and true inclusion. And if organizations want to thrive, we don’t need less of these strategies—we need more. The facts don’t lie: Studies consistently show that diverse teams drive more innovation, make better decisions, and yield higher profits. Yet, despite this evidence, we are witnessing a rollback of DEI efforts across industries. So what can we do? Even in the face of these rollbacks, organizations can continue advancing equity in meaningful ways: ✅ Embed DEI into core business strategy. Move beyond performative gestures—ensure inclusion is a fundamental part of how decisions are made and who gets a seat at the table. ✅ Reframe DEI as a driver of innovation. Position diversity, equity, and inclusion as competitive advantages, emphasizing their proven impact on creativity, problem-solving, and business success. ✅ Prioritize inclusive hiring practices. Implement skills-based hiring, equitable advancement opportunities, and mentorship programs to cultivate diverse leadership pipelines. ✅ Leverage Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Support and fund ERGs to empower employees, foster belonging, and create spaces for underrepresented voices. ✅ Hold leadership accountable. Ensure executives and decision-makers are actively championing equity efforts, not just delegating them. DEI is not about checking boxes—it’s about unlocking potential. Despite the distractions and political rhetoric, we must remain committed to building workplaces where talent thrives, opportunity expands, and inclusion fuels innovation. How is your organization maintaining its commitment to DEI in these times? Let’s keep this conversation going. 👇🏾 #DEI #Equity #Leadership #Inclusion #Innovation

In the wake of the recent executive orders targeting DEIA initiatives within federal organizations and beyond, it’s clear that the current administration is setting the stage for broader attacks on inclusion efforts. From the establishment of a “hotline” for reporting DEI language to the appointment of DEI critics to key leadership roles, these actions are not just a government matter—they are a signal of what’s to come for private businesses. As I’ve said before, it’s going to get worse before it gets better. However, instead of retreating, we must act now. The playbook being deployed isn’t new, and it’s more important than ever to double down on creating cultures of belonging and environments where all voices are valued and heard. Here are six actionable steps leaders can take to safeguard and strengthen their commitment to building inclusive workplaces: 1. Embed DEI Into Core Business Strategy Treat DEI as integral to your business strategy, not a separate initiative. Align DEI initiatives with organizational objectives, and tie them to measurable outcomes like employee retention, innovation, and customer satisfaction. Pro Tip - Ensure Merit, Excellence & Intelligence (MEI) is highlighted. 2. Invest in Psychological Safety Ensure your workplace fosters open communication where employees feel safe to express themselves without fear of retaliation. This foundation of trust enables innovation and builds stronger, more cohesive teams. 3. Be Transparent and Data-Driven Use metrics to assess the current state of your culture and workforce. Share findings transparently with employees and leadership. Pairing data with storytelling humanizes the numbers and helps make the business case for DEI. 4. Strengthen Leadership Equip leaders with the cultural competency and tools they need to champion inclusion authentically. Empower them to drive change at every level of the organization, making them visible advocates for a culture of belonging. 5. Collaborate Across Sectors Join forces with advocacy groups, industry leaders, and community organizations to share resources, amplify impact, and stand united in advancing inclusion. This collective approach can strengthen resilience against external pressures. 6. Listen, Learn, and Adapt Create regular opportunities to listen to employees and communities impacted by your decisions. Use their feedback to refine and adapt your DEI strategies to remain relevant and effective. While the current climate might be challenging, this is also an opportunity to reaffirm your commitment to creating workplaces where everyone feels valued and supported. Proactive leadership in the face of adversity not only protects your organization but also positions it for success as workforce and market demographics continue to evolve. Rise to meet the challenge, stay the course, and collaborate to create a workplace where belonging thrives. Together, we can ensure our workplaces are resilient and inclusive moving forward.

💡 The rollback of #DEI initiatives under the guise of “colorblindness” or “meritocracy” ignores the very real structural barriers that persist. It assumes a level playing field where NONE exists. A vitally important read from Katica Roy: Here’s what leaders must do: ➡️ Commit to closing pay gaps: Black women earn 34% less than white men, amounting to nearly $1 million in lost wages over a lifetime. Companies must eliminate pay inequities and enforce transparent salary practices. ➡️ Diversify leadership pipelines: Analyzing data from Pipeline’s research, we found that the promotion gap for Black women is twice that of all women. Black women must be promoted at equitable rates and given the same access to leadership training and sponsorship as their peers. ➡️ Eliminate bias in performance reviews: Pipeline’s analysis of performance review data reveals that one in three reviews contains bias, which in turn doubles the time it takes for women to receive a promotion. Companies must use inclusive, AI-driven, data-backed performance and potential review processes to reduce bias and increase objectivity. ➡️ Ensure paid leave for Black breadwinner moms: Over 51% of Black households with children are led by breadwinner moms, yet more than one-third lack access to paid sick leave. Providing paid caregiver leave is essential. ➡️ Hold executives accountable: DEI initiatives must be measured and tied to executive performance evaluations and compensation—just like any other business metric. Daisy Auger-Domínguez (she/her/ella) Cate Luzio Dee Poku Spalding Michelle Gadsden-Williams Mita Mallick Ellen McGirt Adaora Udoji

I’ve stayed quiet on an issue that’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Today, another colleague reached out after their DEI role was eliminated, seeking guidance on what to do next. Historically, DEI roles have not served as a direct resource or business driver for East Coast Executives. Our primary focus has always been on diversity recruitment and career strategies. However, many who have commanded these positions are more than just peers—they’ve become trusted friends and valued colleagues over the years. It’s disheartening to see these efforts reduced, but now is the moment for corporate leaders to rethink how to continue pushing the diversity mission forward, even without dedicated DEI roles. Here are three strategies to consider: 1. Embed DEI into Core Business Strategies: DEI should not be a standalone initiative—it must be woven into your company’s business goals. Make diversity, equity, and inclusion integral to decision-making processes, from hiring to product development to leadership appointments. When it’s core to your strategy, it becomes everyone’s responsibility. 2. Empower Leadership Accountability: Without DEI departments, the responsibility to drive diversity efforts needs to sit squarely on the shoulders of your leadership teams. Hold them accountable for creating inclusive environments where diverse talent can thrive. Setting measurable goals and tracking progress can help ensure that DEI remains a priority. 3. Leverage External Expertise: If you no longer have in-house DEI experts, partner with organizations like East Coast Executives to support your recruitment and talent acquisition strategy. We’ve been helping companies create inclusive hiring practices and fostering environments where diverse talent can succeed. You don’t have to do this alone—there are resources available to help you stay on course. To the corporate leaders reading this: Now is the time to act. Don’t let the elimination of roles lead to the elimination of your equity commitment. And to those DEI professionals impacted by these cuts: Know that you are not alone. East Coast Executives is here as a resource to help guide your next steps. Let’s continue this important work, together. #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #Leadership #EastCoastExecutives

Leaders: you can short-circuit the cognitive dissonance driving anti- #diversity, #equity, and #inclusion backlash by simply tweaking how you communicate. Much of anti-DEI backlash is a defensive reaction to a psychologically threatening idea: the existence of workplace policies, practices, processes, and cultures that might only extend benefits to some, while enabling inequity, exclusion, and discrimination for many others. We might hope that people resolve this challenging information by graciously acknowledging their discomfort, revising their perception of the world, and rethinking their own identity and role in that new understanding—but this doesn't always happen. Far too often, people reject, downplay, or delegitimize threatening information, instead. People question or ascribe malice to the communicator, attempt to find outlandish interpretations of data, or even flip the script and assert that identifying discrimination is itself a discriminatory or defamatory act. So long as people view the fundamental premise of DEI work—the existence of an unequal status quo—as a personal attack on their status as "good people," they will fight tooth and nail to reject it. Recognizing this source of backlash can feel sobering, but it also gives us some powerful insight. If people reject DEI because they feel accused of being bad people, we can resolve this dissonance by re-linking the status of "being a good person" to the actions of championing inclusion and equity. It can be as simple as a communications shift. 🔉 "Can you stop using that racist phrase?" 🔊 "I learned some new language lately to communicate more respectfully. You're a thoughtful communicator and I figured you'd want to keep up with best practices." 🔉 "You need to fix the high prevalence of discriminatory behaviors in your department." 🔊 "I know you're the kind of leader who takes responsibility and solves problems. This is a tough challenge but I know you're up to the task." 🔉 "Why are you not speaking up when you see people getting mistreated?" 🔊 "You've always cared about using your voice to make a difference, and I think this is a great opportunity to do so." By framing our calls to action in this way, we're making it clear that DEI is not about "remedial punishments for bad people," but instead about "good people living up to their values." That assertion can make a surprising difference when it comes to defusing backlash. As a last note: these reframings may not always be necessary or work for everyone. But knowing how to use them in a pinch, especially if we're aiming to reach those who might be the most defensive or antagonistic about DEI, is a skill that every leader and practitioner should have in their toolkit.

When you see lists celebrating companies for making changes to DEI policies, it’s easy to assume these organizations are champions of diversity, equity, and inclusion. But headlines often obscure the full picture. Take John Deere, for example. While this list might appear to signal their commitment to DEI, a closer look reveals a more complex reality. Their decision to cease sponsoring social or cultural awareness events and audit training materials reflects a troubling shift away from meaningful inclusion. Adding to this, their statement distancing the company from diversity quotas and pronoun identification shows a selective approach to DEI. This serves as an important reminder: NOT ALL DEI EFFORTS ARE CREATED EQUAL. True diversity, equity, and inclusion require an unwavering commitment to uplifting all marginalized communities—not just those whose support aligns with corporate comfort or public image. Companies don’t get to cherry-pick which groups they’ll support, leaving others—such as LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, Black and Brown communities, or people with disabilities—behind. DEI isn’t a token gesture or a PR move. It’s a pledge to create equitable spaces for everyone. So when you see these articles and images, dig deeper. Are these companies truly embodying the principles of DEI, or are they merely reacting to external pressures? Performative actions and diluted commitments aren’t enough—not when real lives and livelihoods are at stake. Rejecting anti-DEI sentiment is a start, but it’s only the beginning. What we need are organizations willing to lead with courage and advocate unapologetically for inclusion. Because when even one community is excluded or seen as “other,” we all lose. As Audre Lorde wisely said, “There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” It’s time for companies to embrace this truth, take real action, and build a better, more inclusive future for everyone. True inclusion doesn’t allow for exceptions—when even one group is left behind, the work is incomplete.

What’s happening with DEI right now affects every workplace. In the past three months, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives have faced targeted attacks and growing confusion. Recent policy shifts and legal challenges have dominated headlines, leaving many organizations and their employees asking: What’s next for DEI? Last week, the #EEOC released new guidance on "unlawful" DEI practices. DEI itself isn’t illegal—but how it’s structured matters. 💡This new guidance doesn’t introduce anything radically new—discrimination has always been illegal. What it does is highlight specific DEI strategies that could pose legal risks if not carefully designed. Here’s what this news means for workplaces: ✅ ERGs can still exist—just ensure all employees have the option to join. ✅ Leadership development & mentorship programs should be accessible based on clear, job-related criteria rather than identity-based criteria. ✅ DEI efforts should focus on equity and avoid any type of exclusion, intentional or non-intentional This guidance doesn’t mean we step back—it means we refine, reinforce, and continue this work strategically. Check out the slides for more insights, examples, and recommendations on how to adapt your DEI programs. #Unspoken #TheNecessaryJourney #WorkplaceUtopia

"I hope people running these companies have courage in their convictions.” Jim Fielding, former CEO of Claire's and Disney Stores President, talking about Robby Starbucks' bullying companies to ditch their #DEI efforts. Tractor Supply Company, John Deere and Harley-Davidson Motor Company all capitulated pretty quickly, even if the changes were modest, to social media pressure from a vocal minority. Is Robby Starbuck really just pushing companies to be apoliticl as he proclaims? As Beth Kowitt put it in Bloomberg: “In reality, there is no true neutral ground here. Operating a company in a way that results in a less diverse workplace or more carbon emissions can also be viewed as advancing a political agenda.” Capitulation doesn't settle the issue. 1️⃣ #Diversity, #equity and #inclusion programs are seen as a positive among a growing majority of employees, across gender, race, age and political affiliation. Americans increasingly agree that the goal of DEI programs is to improve business outcomes. That belief is up from 4 percentage points from last year, and up 9 percentage points to include a majority of Republicans. Retreating can impact employee retention and engagement; 65% of workers 18-34 say "an inclusive work culture with a well-supported diversity program is critical" to attracting and retaining them. That's true of a majority of #GenX and Boomers as well: 56% of those over 55 (like me) agree -- up from 41% last year. 2️⃣ Retreating creates its own backlash, and encourages the behavior. Tractor Supply Company, who went furthest in capitulation, faces a backlash from its own customer base, many of whom are both rural and diverse, including the National Black Farmers Association. Capitulation just adds fuel to behaviors that increase the odds that issues like prejudice (“she’s an affirmative action hire”) will become more prevalent. Princeton Prof Betsy Levy Paluck recently described to Adam Grant how prejudice grows through shifting norms of what is acceptable behavior, and that leaders have a role in pushing back on what’s unacceptable. 76% of employees want companies to recommit, not retreat. They want companies to address the criticism when DEI initiatives are attacked internally or externally, correcting misinformation and inviting open conversation. Back to Jim Fielding's quote at the top: one of the ways to stem this is for leaders to speak up, dispel misinformation and voice their support. "Those who stand for nothing fall for anything." 🔗 Links to Beth Kowitt's work, Edelman's research and Chip Cutter's coverage in comments.

DEI isn't the first movement to be stalled by closed doors. The wisdom of social movements points to survival strategies in times like these, when the opportunity structures that provide resources and supports are closed. Leveraging expertise about #DEI, #leadership, #socialmovements, we collaborated to offer four strategies to sustain the work. 1️⃣ Sustain networks of people engaged in DEI work, in brave spaces, DEI gatherings, and Town Halls. 2️⃣ Preserve the collective memory; we learned the tactics to create more inclusive and diverse workspaces such as bias mitigation and team norming. Keep this work going. #ERGs are allies in this work. 3️⃣ Reframe and rename the work for survival. Don't be disheartened if the nomenclature evolves; the work remains the same. Remember "climate justice" used to be called "nature conservation." 4️⃣ Nurture the collective identity within the DEI community. Don't be apologetic about supporting the "choir"--they are the ones doing the work when the winds are against us. Loved this collaboration with CDOs from the Stanford VMware Women's Leadership Innovation Lab's Corporate Program and my co-authors Sarah Soule, Shelley J. Correll, and Melissa C. Thomas-Hunt. And leveraging great scholarship, including Alison Crossley's work on feminists.