DEI Changes and Support

Legal and social issues have put corporate America’s diversity efforts on defense like never before. But despite the scrutiny, diversity, equity and inclusion programs continue to receive high marks from employees, according to a recent survey from The Conference Board.

The survey, which polled employees and executives on DEI initiatives and their concerns, found that some 58% of U.S. workers believe their organization devotes the “appropriate level” of effort and resources to their DEI initiatives; while 21% don’t believe their organization’s efforts go far enough.

Nearly half of women (49%) and Black (56%) respondents say they wouldn’t work for a company that does not take DEI seriously.

Employees also shared that initiatives which emphasize the importance of DEI and fair pay are the most impactful. Some 63% reported a positive impact from executive leaders communicating the importance of DEI, and 62% say the same for initiatives that promote equitable compensation and benefits.

“DEI values and initiatives are essential for many U.S. employees and continue to receive strong, positive feedback,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher, Human Capital, The Conference Board. “Leaders should focus on what really matters for their workforce amid the noise, as these initiatives are crucial for attracting and retaining current and future talent.”

Even with employee support for DEI initiatives, the political and legal landscape for corporate diversity efforts continues to be contested, pushing some organizations to make changes.

The survey found that 63% of executives view the political climate for DEI as very or extremely challenging, and some 63% say the 2023 Supreme Court decision on affirmative action negatively affected their DEI efforts.

Executives are bracing for more scrutiny of their diversity initiatives next year, The Conference Board said. Some 69% of executives responding to the survey expect scrutiny over DEI efforts will persist or possibly increase in the next three years.

The pressure has caused some companies to make changes. More than half (53%) of companies have revised their DEI terminology both internally and externally over the past year, with another 20% considering similar changes.

The survey found that companies are adjusting language to broader concepts like “inclusion,” “belonging,” and “engagement,” which are less prone to legal challenge.

The Conference Board survey polled 1,345 U.S. workers and executives during August 2024.