How to win over DE&I doubters and disruptors

The positive business impact of a joined-up, strategic approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) on decision-making, innovation, and performance is well documented. Research shows that hearing, integrating, and giving space to diverse perspectives and people leads to stronger analytical capabilities, better problem-solving abilities, and enhanced partner, stakeholder, and employee representation and engagement. This approach, in which inclusive environments and leadership styles are crucial prerequisites for diversity to thrive, can better equip organizations to face the challenges of a complex and polarized world.

The library of research that supports this position has grown rapidly over decades, leaving little doubt that adopting a credible DE&I strategy is not just doing the responsible thing from a societal or personal point of view but also from a business perspective. For example, Malgorzata and Stephen Smulowitz found that female board membership en…