Why Business Leaders Must Prioritise DEI for Corporate Sustainability: A Call to Action Amid Growing Challenges.

I don’t usually post on LinkedIn but given the latest headlines we’ve seen in the last few weeks regarding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, I thought I would give my two cents.

First of all, to say I’m worried about the current state of things would be an understatement. The pressures coming from the new US administration in terms of eliminating DEI initiatives will have far-reaching implications way beyond what they expect. And US-based companies have been quick to respond, eliminating or reducing their DEI programmes regardless of the obvious benefits they bring.

What scares me the most, as a woman in STEM, are the limitations they’re putting on basic research, cutting resources to publicly funded projects and outright censoring their national agencies’ websites. This will affect the health care and wellbeing of many people not just in the US but across the world. And that relates directly to sustainability.

Sustainability is not just about carbon emissions and waste management, it’s also about people, the impacts we have on society, on each other. Employee welfare, community engagement, and DEI are terms that often come up in my day-to-day work as we strive to help businesses develop sustainability strategies and action plans, and it’s part of the CSRD reporting standards, something that’s on everyone’s minds across the EU at the moment.

Beyond the moral aspects of whether promoting DEI is good or bad, studies show diverse workplaces increase performance and financial indicators, so it’s actually good for businesses to promote equity and inclusion in the workplace.

Companies that embed DEI into their core strategies don’t just foster inclusive workplaces, they build more resilient, innovative, and sustainable businesses. Diverse teams bring varied perspectives, leading to creative problem-solving and better decision-making, with diverse workplaces having higher job satisfaction, reducing turnover and its associated costs. We also see clients and investors are increasingly supporting companies that prioritise social impact and equity. I see this firsthand in my work as a sustainability consultant. Companies that embrace DEI tend to get their sustainability programmes up and running far more efficiently.

But DEI is not just beneficial from an economic perspective. It’s beneficial from a human one. I spoke about morality earlier, and I do believe we should encourage DEI despite our own personal beliefs because it’s about respecting human rights and valuing people for who they are. I consider myself fortunate to have found a workplace that accepts me (a female immigrant) and actually encourages me to introduce my perspective and experience into my work.

So let’s all keep working together to ensure we embed DEI in our sustainability programmes, promoting inclusive workplaces for all.