Research
Corporate DEI in the U.S. is contracting visibly but unevenly: headcount is down ~15%, one in five companies has scrapped programs, and public transparency has collapsed — yet internal inclusion practices appear more durable, with only 34% of employees reporting material reductions despite 55% seeing public retreat. The core tension is whether this divergence between public silence and private continuity is a pragmatic adaptation or a slow-motion abandonment, with the business case itself contested between McKinsey's 39% outperformance finding and Stanford GSB's evidence of near-zero hiring impact from DEI commitments. The most underreported finding is structural: where inclusion is legally and financially embedded — Brazil's tax-penalized Racial Equity Seal, UAE Emiratization, Vietnam's Labor Code — retreat is architecturally impossible, exposing U.S. DEI's fragility as a consequence of its voluntary, reputationally-driven design rather than any inherent failure of the equity goals themselves.
Then, in January 2025, in the weeks before Trump's inauguration, McDonald's (#131 on the 2024 Fortune 500 list) announced that it was retiring ...
June. Tractor Supply announces an end to DEI programming. · July. SHRM drops the E from its DEI function. · July. Microsoft laid off two redundant ...
Nonetheless, Bloomberg reported in February that Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc. intended to abandon their DEI initiatives after Trump's orders.
Revelio Labs data reveals that 55% of DEI workers leaving these roles moved into non-DEI positions at new organizations, while 38% remained at ...
This report offers four practical recommendations for how leaders can assess risk in DEI programs, modify programs as necessary, align communications to their ...
Implementation of DT has clearly outpaced the available evidence that such programs are effective in achieving their goals.19. Contributing to ...
Cases that feature women and underrepresented minorities as protagonists; · Cases that consider DEI efforts inside organizations and within their communities.
Critics, particularly from the conservative side, argued that these quotas led to reverse discrimination. In an attempt to diversify workplaces ...
This report breaks down five business-critical risks leaders face when dialing down DEI: brand vulnerability, stakeholder backlash, talent loss, legal exposure ...
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down race-based affirmative action in higher education in June 2023, effectively foreclosing the consideration of race in and ...
If the capital “cake” is the source of economic growth and a higher standard of living, we want to do everything we can to encourage capital accumulation. Make ...
Major institutional investors and proxy advisors, including ISS, are showing reduced support for shareholder resolutions tied to DEI commitments ...
The study finds that following a DEI controversy, companies increased their hiring of women and people of color by an extremely modest amount — ...
We recommend statements that include both a message such as “we believe that achieving greater diversity will enhance our organization” and one stating that “we ...
Our latest research reinforces the link between diversity and company financial performance—and suggests how organizations can craft better inclusion strategies ...
The erosion of DEI programs will result in fewer support systems for underrepresented students in STEMM, thereby worsening existing disparities in racial and ...
Similarly, companies in our top quartile for ethnic diversity show an average 27 percent financial advantage over others (Exhibit 2). The ...
The great subtext of so much of Jesse Singal's writing & podcasting may be “How (as an intelligent sympathetic white cis hetero liberal male) do ...
Research cited in the report highlights how many DEI programs rely on untested theories or unverified self-reports, with little oversight or ...
“We've been committed to diversity and inclusion for literally decades, and it's the core to who we are. So, our commitment remains unchanged.
Total pro-DEI proposals for 2025 appear to be on pace to finish below the 2024 proxy season totals, based on early data. Total anti-DEI ...
While almost all Fortune 500 companies made DEI commitments after the death of George Floyd, only 27% showed verified follow-through for women ...
Rapid legal developments in the US related to diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) practices, programs, and policies require continuous monitoring.
In a survey of 180 Black executives, 73% who rated their companies as strong DEI performers credited their CEOs with driving DEI strategy.
Many leaders follow a “hero's journey” that leaves them with new skills, relationships, commitment to work, and desire to improve systems for the next ...
The findings reveal a substantial increase in DEI spending, largely attributable to policy directives under the Biden administration. Of the programs identified ...
These findings support the continued gap between DEI rhetoric and representation outcomes and affirm the need for systemic, measurable ...
By late 2024, support for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace had visibly weakened. According to a Pew Research survey featured by ...
The White House has taken swift and significant actions to roll back diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and initiatives through executive orders.
Within this narrower data set, the share of non-White directors remained broadly stable in 2025: 23.9% in the Russell 3000 and 24.7% in the S&P ...
Yet we also know that diversity without inclusion can have deleterious effects on creativity. So we already know “why” DEI can be helpful.
Fortune 500 companies have issued 36 standalone DEI reports in 2024, representing 2023 corporate activity. Many organizations were prompted to revisit their ...
Investing in equality for women can potentially increase a company's—and your portfolio's—bottom line. Our expert explains.
This distinction is crucial, especially as the current administration targets educational institutions that promote DEI and possess significant endowment funds.
A brief history of DEI / EDI. The term 'DEI' has its roots in the social justice movements of the 1950's and 60's in the US and other countries like the UK.
Today, Black directors hold 12% of board seats at S&P 500 companies, up from 9.5% at the end of 2020, but that growth has recently leveled off, according to ...
The US Department of Education has taken action to eliminate harmful Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
She says, “Diversity is being allowed to go to the dance and inclusion is being asked to dance.” Diversity is numbers. Our business school has ...
Colleges and universities face compliance costs, legal challenges and long-term financial uncertainty as they set about dismantling DEI on campus.
Business leaders who cut or scaled back DEI cited a shift in the political climate as the reason, the report found. “Eliminating DEI programs, ...
Myth: DEI is illegal Reality: It's not DEI programs are designed to promote fairness and inclusivity, and they operate within the bounds of ...
DEI metrics track representation, pay equity, promotion rates, and inclusion. Measure DEI in nonprofit programs with disaggregated outcome data.
The HRCI survey showed that 96% said diversity leads to a better-functioning company and 71% personally support DEI programs, while only 11% ...
Leading companies and institutions recognize the critical importance of diverse perspectives in driving organizational success.
According to the report, just 131 companies chose to publicly document their DEI practices in 2026, down from the 377 firms in 2025. "This ...
Use data-driven insights to inform decision-making and course corrections. •. Regularly assess the organization's culture and gather feedback from employees.
This policy brief examines the current state of workplace discrimination and demonstrates how many diversity, equity and inclusion efforts effectively address ...
This manual establishes policies and procedures to plan and execute Global Force Management (GFM) allocation activities of the Armed. Forces of ...
While others like Target, Amazon, Walmart, and McDonald's have backpedaled under political pressure, these businesses have stood firm. These are ...
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