A few days ago, a couple of friends and I were talking about the practice of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and organizational ethics. We all agree that DEI – despite the recent Supreme Court ruling on Affirmative Action and prevailing angst over its implications for nonprofit and corporate DEI initiatives – will survive, in one form or another. Whether you believe in it or not, DEI has been proven to be good for business and that ought to be incentive enough in our capitalistic society! Moreover, younger generations of the labor force expect and clamor for a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
At a deeper level, centering DEI in our organizations is the right thing to do. Employees, regardless of social identities chosen by or imposed on them, must be treated fairly. In the U.S., DEI is also part of the ongoing work to rectify past and address current racial and social inequities.
My thought partners and I believe that equity is the paramount value in DEI as it stems from the fundamental belief that each of us has intrinsic worth and is entitled to being treated with dignity and respect. Diversity, inclusion, and other ideals affixed to DEI lead to the fair and just treatment of individuals.
The reality though is that not everyone believes in equity, in theory much less in practice. In our own organizations, we have colleagues who remain skeptical of DEI and who can sabotage efforts to promote diversity and inclusion and ultimately, equity in the workplace. I know passionate and committed folks who insist that these DEI doubters and deniers, especially in leadership roles, must change their hearts and minds.
Here’s the thing: we can’t force others to change their values, ideas, and motivations. The best we can do within our organizations is educate everyone, empower those from minoritized groups, set clear guidelines for what is unacceptable, and model ethical behavior.