Delving into DEI Backlash
On the latest episode of Why Care? I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Sandra Upton, a renowned industry thought leader, Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Strategist for Upton Consulting Group, a keynote speaker, and an esteemed author. Sandra’s impressive 25+ years of experience in the field were incredibly insightful in our discussion on overcoming resistance in DEI work, building effective DEI governance, and ensuring long-term success through her 8-step DEI Propel framework. Our discussion about the current ‘backlash’ on DEI prompted me to explore the subject further: the reasons behind it, and how organisations can work around it.
Why is DEI facing “backlash”?
The field is one that has existed for decades, and in many forms for centuries. It is no stranger to resistance, but is rather, as Sanda says “fuelled” by it because it demonstrates more than ever the need to continue forward. As with many things, understanding the ‘why’ behind the action is a helpful approach to working through concerns.
Everyone’s primary goal is to be seen, heard, and valued.
Much of the resistance stems from people feeling like those in the majority are no longer seen, heard and valued. The American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER)’s lawsuit against Fearless Fund, which is dedicated to supporting Black women in their start-ups, gained much traction and spotlight, citing this very reason. AAER asserted that by specifying a demographic to dedicate its funds to, Fearless Fund was being “racially exclusionary”.
This approach from AAER unfortunately overlooks the fundamental difference between equity and equality, a concept that is demonstrated by this well-known visual below.
AAER’s claim overlooks the political and historical context that mean the fund was necessary, i.e. the start-up space remains white-male dominated.
It is more fruitful that we collectively prioritise and foster equity in business as opposed to approaching all demographic groups with the same nuanced formula because the latter is more effective in achieving the shared value of recognising everyone effectively.
Leading closely on from this, another concern that is sometimes voiced is
that DEI condemns or villanises those from historically privileged backgrounds, as individuals aren’t personally responsible or ‘at fault’ for their privilege. This idea leads to the fear that they will be left out - for those who have read my book, Beyond Discomfort, this describes a Disconcerted Way of Being. It should never be the case that DEI work isolates certain people or makes them feel guilty about who they are - this needs to be urgently addressed. For more on the ways that DEI work benefits those from historically privileged groups, see my article Is DEI the Right Step for Your Workplace?
Why is the criticism picking up now, and how should organisations react?
In 2021, a year after the BLM movement gained momentous traction following the murder of George Floyd, companies on the S&P 100 list introduced 300,000 new jobs, and a whopping 94% of which went to people of colour. Many companies, such as Google, Adidas, and Intel, among numerous others, began to publish Annual Diversity Reports. The ‘who’ and the ‘why’ were suddenly spotlighted, and organisational ethics became more scrutinised. What followed was a clear correlation of increased profit for organisations, a fact which is evidenced by a plethora of statistics.
Since then, there has been a growing counter-narrative, headed by notable voices in the world of business, such as CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, and hedge-fund manager, Bill Ackman. On a column in Sight & Sound magazine, the BBC’s previous Head of Creative Diversity, Joanna Abeyie, states why she departed from the position after less than two years, reasoning that jobs in the sector had become ‘untenable when autonomy, influence and decision-making is minimal to absent, when there is no sign of improvement and the role is created because optically it’s the right thing to do’.
I previously wrote a piece, The Brand Behind the Mask, which touches on the importance of having clearly defined and authentic values that clients and customers can identify with. This stands true, particularly in this case, when the social pressure to stick to the initiatives that organisations committed to four years ago isn’t currently as visibly pressing. Demonstrating to a customer base (which is increasingly discerning, engaged and loyal) that organisations follow up on their promises and can take a stand gains them something priceless: their trust.
How can Avenir help?
Organisations typically want to continue working towards a more inclusive culture, but are feeling apprehensive about the pushback and negative rhetoric around DEI. My new book Beyond Discomfort: Why inclusive leadership is so hard (and what you can do about it) delves into ways organisations can go about the process of authentically fulfilling their values and working through the discomfort of the process. You can get your hands on a copy of the book here.
At Avenir, we also offer an Inclusive Leadership Programme, which provides an experiential learning approach to supporting inclusive practices.