Where Does DEI Go From Here?

The pendulum has swung on DEI, from urgent initiatives and bold promises to budget cuts and political firestorms. But in the middle of that swing lies the real question: Where does DEI go from here? I’d like to answer that as not only a female executive in a male-dominated industry, but also as a hiring manager and someone who launched a podcast dedicated to women who are shattering glass ceilings and redefining leadership. I live this work every day. And while it may surprise some, I do believe we are ready for the next chapter.

The data is clear: Corporations that embrace diversity at all levels of the organization, but especially at the executive and board level, consistently outperform their peers. For instance, in a study by McKinsey & Company, researchers found that the greater the representation of gender and ethnic diversity at an executive level, the higher the likelihood of financial outperformance by as much as 9 percent. In addition, a Harvard Business Review study showed that cognitive diversity resulted in improved decision making, greater innovation, and higher productivity levels, not to mention reduced “groupthink” due to the diverse experiences and backgrounds of team members. So, if diversity, equity, and inclusion are so effective, why should we move on from it?

Like almost every major progressive movement meant to create a paradigm shift—from suffrage to civil rights to integrated school systems and Title IX—progress often requires a mandate, until the larger majority sees value in creating permanent change. To oversimplify the idea, think about the first time your parents made you eat vegetables at the dinner table. You probably resisted and didn’t welcome the change. But over time, you began to recognize the benefits of vegetables, perhaps even enjoy them, and now has become part of your daily life by choice. DEI has followed the same path: What started as a mandate or push is now embedded in how we work, lead, and measure success.

Move beyond DEI: From checking boxes to building opportunity

Where DEI has fallen short is in focusing too heavily on outcomes such as hiring, promoting, and advancing, without addressing the lack of opportunity that exists long before someone reaches the workforce. We have focused on box-checking instead of foundation-building. The reality is this: We cannot advance equity at the top with qualified individuals if the pipeline at the bottom is broken. This may result in less-qualified individuals being elevated to positions in order to fulfil DEI quotas—not the intended goal, and one of the glaring issues with DEI.

The next chapter of DEI must shift toward education, mentorship, and sponsorship. We need to create access earlier to help young people see careers and opportunities that go beyond what is immediately visible in their communities.

Consider this. Children in low-income neighborhoods often idolize athletes, entertainers, or influencers. Not because those are the only viable paths—quite the contrary. But because those are the role models of success that they can see. They are learning ideals such as wealth over education, putting them in a precarious position to focus on making a lot of money instead of obtaining success through education and skills development. Professional role models like financial advisors, doctors, lawyers, or entrepreneurs are simply absent from their daily lives. Without exposure or guidance, kids are left chasing a dream that is statistically out of reach, while overlooking careers that could provide stability, fulfillment, and long-term success.

Contrast that with children from affluent neighborhoods, who grew up surrounded by professionals. They see firsthand a variety of available career paths and often benefit from direct mentorship, internships, and introductions. The difference isn’t talent, it’s access and awareness.

This is where the gap exists today. If we truly want diversity, equity, and inclusion as a movement to be sustainable, we have to stop treating it as a hiring mandate and start treating it as an opportunity ecosystem. One that doesn’t just open doors at the top, but builds pathways from the ground up.

So, where does DEI go from here? It moves from being an initiative to becoming a responsibility. One that extends beyond hiring quotas or boardroom optics. The true test of leadership is not just in who are you bringing into your organization today, but in the opportunities you create for tomorrow’s workforce.