Successful DE&I programs focus more on inclusion and belonging, new report finds

Amid the DE&I debate are these frequently asked questions: Are DE&I programs effective at encouraging talent attraction, a sense of belonging, career advancement, and industry influence?

A new report from Expanding Equity, a W.K. Kellogg Foundation program that educates and helps organizations implement DE&I initiatives, finds that companies have success advancing DE&I initiatives when they have proper leadership support and goals, and deploy inclusion and belonging efforts.

Companies won’t back down. The report collected and examined insights and analysis of DE&I programs from 88 participating companies from 2020 to 2024. One overarching takeaway: Companies are doubling down on DE&I, regardless of the politicization of the efforts.

“This [DE&I] is broader than any kind of a political issue,” La June Montgomery Tabron, president and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, told HR Brew. “So whether they change the frame slightly or do whatever the legal teams recommend, as far as framing, most all of them are saying, ‘We’re going to double down.’”

Effective strategies. Approximately 90% of participating companies of Expanding Equity claim they’ve made “measurable progress” in DE&I since 2020. The report identified three main components of effective DE&I strategies, including involvement from every individual in the organization. Inclusion must also be a core component of the organization’s cultural foundation, and hiring shouldn’t just focus on diversity, but instead intentionally incorporate various inclusion and belonging efforts.

Nearly all (94%) participants have implemented at least one belonging-focused initiative, such as ERGs, flexible work options, sponsorship and mentorship programs, or community or university outreach. Companies reported that DE&I programs made progress when they had the support of senior leadership (92%), and companies have an understanding of the business need for diversity (79%), and a clear DE&I strategy (50%).

While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, there are some things that can stall progress. Companies reported a lack of support staff (63%), budget (34%), and management support (31%) as their biggest DE&I barriers.

The report notes that looking ahead, “an equitable workplace requires investment in inclusion and belonging to empower employees to workplaces must not just be diverse, but equitable and empower employees to bring their whole selves to work, experience deeper levels of employee commitment, and achieve higher levels of innovation and impact.”