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Corporate Leaders Explore Evolving DEI Landscape
February 24, 2025
Post by Page member Bob Feldman, originally appearing on The Dialogue Project at Duke.
Corporate leaders must navigate a rapidly changing policy landscape around diversity initiatives while staying true to their core values, according to experts at the February Dialogue Project Civility Call hosted by Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
The virtual session, which attracted 137 senior human resource and communications executives, examined how organizations can respond to recent executive orders targeting DEI programs while maintaining inclusive workplaces built on meritocracy and belonging.
“DEI is once again front page news across the country,” noted Dialogue Project founder Bob Feldman.. “For many on today’s call, successfully managing through the many DEI-related issues being raised is a major priority for the year ahead.”
The call, moderated by Page Society CEO Dr. Rochelle Ford, featured insights from SHRM’s Chief Data and Analytics Officer Dr. Alex Alonso; former Vice President of Global Diversity, Inclusion and Employee Engagement at Pitney Bowes Sheryl Battles; MSI Vice President and Global Head of HR Chris Courneen; and Greenberg Traurig attorney Kelly Bunting who co-chairs the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice’s Workplace Compliance & Counseling Group.
Panelists addressed whether current challenges stem primarily from the “DEI” terminology or represent a broader pushback against diversity goals themselves. Alonso shared SHRM research indicating a complex picture: 48% of working Americans believe recent executive orders will improve their workplaces, while 31% anticipate negative effects.
“It means that the formula for unlocking the power of DEI is still evolving, and regulators are moving toward a prescribed way of enforcing it,” Alonso explained. “We found a desire to refocus DEI on anti-preferential treatment of any kind.”
Courneen emphasized his company’s shift away from the “DEI” label toward a business-focused approach: “I start with this concept of what we’re solving for. I find it incredibly difficult for someone to argue when you say, ‘I want everyone to feel included. I want you to feel like you belong here because I want you to be enabled to do your best work.'”
Several panelists highlighted how framing inclusion initiatives in terms of business outcomes resonates across political divides, especially when supported by both qualitative employee stories and quantitative performance data.
“If you’ve got the empirical data on improved productivity alongside these stories, those two things tell an incredibly compelling story,” Courneen said. “If we’re making this place more profitable through these programs, why would we stop?”
The session explored how organizations can balance internal and external messaging during a period of heightened scrutiny. Battles stressed the importance of alignment between promise and performance.
“The best practice is say what you do and do what you say,” she advised. “Being very clear, being transparent about what you do, why you do it, and how it provides a benefit is critical.”
Bunting addressed the legal complexities created by recent executive orders and subsequent court challenges, noting that several orders were temporarily stayed by federal judges just days before the call.
“It depends on where the court is…you’ve got the Fifth Circuit, the Texas judges, they always rule this way. And then you’ve got the Massachusetts judges ruling in a different way. If you’ve got a workforce scattered around the country, how are you supposed to react to that?” she asked.
Her advice to organizations: “Don’t make too many wholesale changes. Let’s see how this plays out. Meanwhile, go back to what the core values of your company are and continue to carry those out as best you can.”
A particularly pressing concern emerging from the discussion was how organizations can create environments where employees feel psychologically safe amid heightened political tensions.
“HR leaders have a whole new problem, which is ensuring that our employees don’t just feel included, but safe at work,” Courneen said, citing issues around immigration status concerns and national origin discrimination. “I now have to worry about psychological safety being impacted by forces outside our four walls, which is a new challenge for us.”
As organizations navigate these challenges, the panel’s closing thoughts emphasized staying grounded in enduring values while remaining vigilant about changing policies.
“Create the culture and leadership attitudes that you want to see,” Battles advised. “You may not be able to control what’s happening around you, but you can control how you treat each other and how you live your values and mission.”
Post by Page member Bob Feldman, originally appearing on The Dialogue Project at Duke. The Civility …