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Picture the ongoing debate about the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as a battleground.
On the front lines are the foot soldiers, deep in the trenches of social media, embroiled in vigorous and often vicious debates that quickly resort to little more than mudslinging.
Occasionally, one side might land a victory – perhaps an anti-DEI post on X turns into a social media campaign, which spirals into a boycott or lawsuit, which prompts a company to roll back some diversity measures – but amid a sea of negativity and in-fighting, few are ever totally satisfied with the outcome.
And then, far away from the no-mans-land of social media, a different type of battle altogether is being fought. To quote the late Stephen R Covey, “Wars are won in the general’s tent.” In the context of 2024’s corporate America, the general’s tent becomes a boardroom, where executive officers and activist shareholders increasingly skirmish over the need for DEI.
On the frontlines: Social media activists can pack a punch
Social media can be a dark place if one becomes bogged down by the many hurtful, aggressive, and often anonymous voices that seek to mock, threaten, and criticize. Perhaps businesses should follow the advice of rapper and record producer Tyler the Creator, who back in 2012 tweeted words to the effect of, ‘Hahahaha just walk away from the screen, like just close your eyes haha.’
But one social media user, Conservative activist Robbie Starbuck, popular for his anti-DEI campaigns posted on X, has become tricky to ignore over recent weeks. A series of anti-DEI campaigns by Starbuck have led Tractor Supply, John Deere, Lowe’s, Ford, Molson-Coors, and Harley-Davidson (among others) to scrap diversity measures of some kind.
The announcement from companies like Tractor Supply and Harley Davidson included the confirmation that they would no longer sponsor events such as LGBTQ+ Pride festivals, instead focusing on core business activities. Employee resource groups were redirected, and while Harley-Davidson said hadn’t had a DEI department for many months, Tractor Supply even said it would “eliminate” all DEI roles.
Despite celebrating his “massive victories,” Starbuck has already turned his attention to further targets, particularly those with a strong Conservative base. And with each U-turn from a company on their diversity measures comes fresh momentum for social media campaigns.
Lisa M. Sánchez, VP of Employee Experience and Engagement (HR) at ArtCenter College of Design suggests that while social media campaigns against DEI may gather momentum, HR teams cannot relegate DEI to a simple program that can be tossed out.
“DEI should be treated as a natural and organic way of conducting effective business practices and guiding employee and customer experiences and engagements,” she explains. “Instead of being wary, HR leaders must, more than ever, dig in and go deep and wide to ensure that DEI values remain integral to organizational culture, HR practices, services, programs, and policies to support overall business strategies and the financial bottom line.”
Ignoring the noise, says Sánchez, is the only path forward to ensuring employers create a safe and engaging space for all employees. “This is the time to step up and lead in this space, be proactive, and not subscribe to the chatter about scrapping DEI,” she advises.
In the general’s tent: Fighting for DEI in the boardroom
Research shows that if you ask HR leaders or the general public whether they think DEI has a place in corporate America, the majority will agree it does.
A 2024 Washington Post-Ipsos poll found that 61% of adults think DEI programs in the workplace are a good thing, and a report from Bridge Partners polling 400 US-based C-suite leaders and HR decision-makers found that 72% plan to enhance their DEI programs in the next 24 months.
But far away from the front lines of social media, or the safe havens of HR-centric polls, an uncomfortable shift is happening. Behind closed doors in boardrooms and annual meetings taking place in companies across the US, right-wing shareholders are gathering pace in their efforts to force companies to ditch DEI.
According to an analysis by Bloomberg, notable conservative investors only filed one proposal that could be interpreted as anti-DEI in 2021. But in 2024 to date, the number stands at 42, with companies like Boeing, Alphabet, and PepsiCo all targeted.
Ditching DEI | Who's afraid of Robby Starbuck?
Granted, the same research found that overall support for anti-DEI resolutions averaged 2% in 2024 compared to 18.5% for pro-DEI proposals. But momentum is growing, and HR and DEI leaders involved in boardroom conversations must be prepared for the proposals when they come.
HR and DEI leaders in the boardroom should be increasingly prepared to answer questions about whether DEI programs bring any legal or reputational risk, and if they negatively impact the company’s fiscal responsibility, as well as proposals framed with surprisingly similar language to pro-DEI proposals designed to confuse and pressure companies.
“There are people who are actually serious about this and are making policy proposals that they think will make things better,” Heidi Welsh, Executive Director of the Sustainable Investments Institute explained to Bloomberg. “And there are anti-DEI groups that “just want to blow it up.”
To proactively tackle this, and ensure they do not have to “make a case” for DEI, Sánchez says HR leaders should ensure they are in the board room to “temper down any discussion about striking DEI.”
“HR teams need to help the boardroom rethink how they are viewing DEI. It’s a mindset shift,” she explains. “DEI is something that lives and breathes; it doesn’t go away. There is a fundamental misunderstanding about DEI. These values are treated as additional work or programs for those in need. And that, quite frankly, is not the case.”
“Everyone in the organization benefits from driving DEI, access, and belonging as core organizational values,” Sánchez adds.
Advice for engaging the boardroom from a Global Head of DEI
While social media campaigns may make the headlines, HR and DEI leaders should focus on educating their boardrooms about the ongoing need for DEI as a fundamental way of doing business.
“The way to overcome the criticism, in my opinion, is to demonstrate that a commitment to DEI is, first of all, good for everybody. It's a business imperative… resist getting into pointless emotional arguments,” advised Melissa Donaldson, Global Head of DEI at Morningstar on a recent episode of the HR Grapevine podcast.
“Buy-in and protection has to emanate from the top down and be reinforced from the bottom up,” she asserted. “DEI and HR practitioners get absolutely nowhere without clear, consistent and visible support for that work.”
In practice, this means DEI and HR leaders must understand the company they work for, including the perspectives of all stakeholders, and understand how best to cement the business case for DEI.
“Taking a customer-first or business-first approach with leaders and other key stakeholders can be a very open door to gaining credibility, trust, and partnership to pursue the work,” Donaldson suggested, recalling the words of a former CEO of a Fortune 500 firm. “‘A diverse, inclusive, and well-managed team will outperform the competition every time.’ That has stuck with me for many, many years because it is absolutely true. When employees know the company has their best interest at heart, they will highly engage and consistently perform at higher levels.”
While those vocally opposing DEI on social media may have landed a few small victories, getting stuck in the trenches will not serve any HR or DEI practitioners. Instead, as Sánchez asserts, it is the time for those in the profession to “step up and lead,” and ensure ongoing protection for DEI from fellow boardroom members and shareholders.
