DEI - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Diversity refers to the presence of differences within a workplace, including race, gender, age, ability, religion, sexual orientation, and more.

Equity means ensuring fair treatment, access, and opportunities for all employees, recognizing that different individuals may need different levels of support to succeed.

Inclusion is the practice of creating a work environment where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute fully.

DEI fosters a more innovative, engaged, and productive workforce by ensuring that all employees have an equal opportunity to thrive. Research shows that diverse teams are more creative, companies with inclusive cultures perform better financially, and employees are more satisfied in workplaces that prioritize fairness and respect.

No. DEI is about removing barriers, not creating unfair advantages. It ensures that everyone—regardless of background—has a fair chance to succeed based on their skills and qualifications. Equity recognizes that people may start from different positions due to historical and systemic inequalities, and it works to level the playing field.

DEI encourages organizations to implement fair hiring and promotion practices by reducing biases in recruiting, interviewing, and evaluating candidates. It doesn’t mean hiring unqualified individuals—it means ensuring that everyone has an equal shot at opportunities based on their skills and experience.

No. While DEI has gained more attention in recent years, its principles have long been essential to workplace fairness. Civil rights laws, equal employment policies, and diversity initiatives have existed for decades to prevent discrimination and promote equal opportunity. Companies that prioritize DEI are better able to attract top talent, retain employees, and build stronger work environments.

DEI isn’t just for corporate offices—it benefits all workers. In industries like construction, manufacturing, trucking, and healthcare, DEI can:

• Improve safety standards by considering diverse worker needs.
  Ensure fair wages and reduce wage gaps.
• Open up training and promotion opportunities for underrepresented workers.
• Reduce discrimination and harassment, making workplaces more supportive.

DEI lowers standards.”
Reality: DEI ensures qualified people from all backgrounds get fair opportunities—it does not mean hiring or promoting unqualified workers.

False: “DEI is only about race and gender.”

Reality: DEI includes veterans, workers with disabilities, older employees, and many others who face workplace barriers.

False: “DEI creates division.”

Reality: DEI fosters teamwork and inclusion, making workplaces stronger and more collaborative.

• Speak up when you see bias or unfair treatment.
• Support colleagues from different backgrounds.
• Join unions or worker groups advocating for DEI policies.
• Encourage training and open conversations on inclusion.

When DEI initiatives are rolled back, workers may face:

• More discrimination in hiring and promotions.
• Fewer protections for women, people of color, LGBTQ+ workers, and people with disabilities.
• Less pay transparency, widening wage gaps.
• More workplace hostility and reduced job satisfaction.
• DEI isn’t about division—it’s about fairness and opportunity for everyone.

The Trump administration is making sweeping changes to DEI programs by eliminating diversity-focused initiatives in federal agencies, government contracting, and workplace training. The administration frames these changes as a move toward “merit-based opportunity,” but in practice, they weaken protections against discrimination, roll back support for underrepresented workers, and make it harder for federal programs to address systemic inequities.

These policies also target gender inclusion efforts, removing protections for LGBTQ+ employees and restricting workplace policies aimed at fostering inclusive environments. By dismantling DEI programs, the administration is not promoting fairness—it is reinforcing structural inequalities that make workplaces less inclusive and less equitable for millions of American workers.

ERGs are employee-driven groups focused on a shared and often protected characteristic, life experience, or interest. Limiting participation in ERGs to employees who are protected by a factor such as race, ethnicity, or gender has aleady been seen as problematic by the courts and is likely to attract even more attention now as the administration targets various diversity initiatives.  As a best practice, ERGs should be open to all employees.

Here are some examples of legal ERGS:

• ERGs that have open membership to all employees. 
• ERGs that are mission-focused without exclusionary policies. 
• ERGs that offer leadership development through nondiscriminatory means.
• ERGs that have funding and employer support without coercion of employees.  

The Society of Human Resources (SHRM), recommends that “all private companies evaluate their inclusion and diversity initiatives to ensure they provide equal access to opportunities, skills development, and do not give special advantages to one person or group over another, avoiding any perception of identity-based favoritism,” she said. “They should also review their initiatives to determine whether they foster inclusivity or inclusive workplace cultures.”