The Critical Role of DEI: A Business Imperative for Success
- Robin Elledge
- Jun 12
- 1 min read
Let’s be honest—what’s happening right now with DEI isn’t a needed course correction. It’s a retreat; a rush to abandon diversity and inclusion in the name of “optics” and “politics,” as if facts no longer matter.
But they do.
And the facts are crystal clear:
✔️ Companies in the top quartile for ethnic diversity are 33% more likely to outperform on profitability (McKinsey).
✔️ Gender-diverse teams outperform less-diverse peers by 21% (McKinsey)
✔️ Organizations with inclusive cultures are 6× more likely to be innovative and 8× more likely to achieve better business outcomes (Deloitte).
✔️ Diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time (Harvard Business Review).
✔️ Companies with diverse leadership generate 19% more innovation revenue (Boston Consulting Group).
Sure, some DEI initiatives have missed the mark. They should be reworked, not discarded. But abandoning the goal of inclusion? That’s the real failure.
Let’s stop ignoring the facts. Practices supporting inclusion are essential for achieving true meritocracy in the workplace.
It’s a 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧.
It’s a 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙣𝙚𝙩.
It’s 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨.
* Sources for statistics are in the comments below.
Comments