Moving DEI from Statements to Strategy
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has never really been just a moral imperative for the most virtuous of companies, nor a box to tick for bare minimum compliance. The smartest organisations have long realised that DEI is a strategic keystone that can propel their business and people strategies forward—helping you future-proof your talent pipeline, anticipate market trends, and build a culture that retains and empowers your people.
But to really squeeze out every drop of this potential, DEI has to be treated as more than isolated statements and standalone awareness days. It needs to be embedded into your core business strategy.
Step 1: Understand Your Starting Point
Before launching into action, take a moment to pause and assess. Too often, organisations jump into DEI initiatives without a clear understanding of their current state. While we'll always commend the enthusiasm, a more strategic approach delivers far greater, and a more sustainable, impact.
So, start with a baseline assessment. This means identifying:
Where your organisation currently stands on DEI: What are people's attitudes to it? Is there buy at senior leadership, middle-management and front-line management levels? Have any DEI initiatives been done in the past, and what was the impact?
What your key challenges are: Attitudes towards DEI? Unstructured processes? High barriers to entry in your industry? Difficulty attracting talent?
How these challenges affect your people, policies, and culture, creating opportunities for further inclusion.
What your employee feedback and survey data are telling you about colleagues’ experiences of inclusion in your culture.
This diagnostic phase is critical. It ensures that any actions you take are grounded in real needs and aligned with your broader business goals. It also provides a benchmark to measure progress and impact over time.
Step 2: Align DEI with Business Strategy
Once you understand your starting point, you can begin to align DEI efforts with your strategic objectives. For example, if your goal is to enhance your brand and attract diverse talent, your DEI strategy might include:
Reviewing your current customer base and how it’s reflected in your workforce. What's getting in the way of attracting and hiring a more representative workforce?
Auditing the language and imagery used on your website and in marketing materials, plus getting rid of restrictive criteria (something we explore in this article).
Ensuring your recruitment processes are inclusive and accessible, so when diverse talent knocks on your door, you're ready to assess them.
By aligning DEI with your business strategy, you avoid the pitfall of treating it as “extra work” or investing time and money into actions that don't address your real challenges. Instead, it becomes a natural extension of what you already do—integrated, impactful, and sustainable.
Final Thoughts
Prioritise a clear, data-informed starting point, identify the unique needs and gaps for DEI within your organisation, and then align your DEI actions with your strategic goals. This approach builds momentum whilst also ensuring your efforts have lasting impact.
We promise you, this is where it gets interesting and you start reaping the rewards! DEI isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s the smart thing to do.