Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) recognises that every employee brings different qualities and characteristics to the workplace. Embracing these differences can create a working environment where employees feel safe, valued and included, with benefits for both the individual and the business.
In the UK, DEI has the Equality Act 2010 as its legislative starting point. This recognises nine protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
DEI in the workplace
But, to truly embrace DEI, employers go beyond these legal duties, supporting additional employee characteristics. Depending on the nature of the organisation, its workforce and customer base, these could include factors such as neurodiversity, gender identity and socio-economic background.
Although it has been on the corporate agenda for several years, DEI hit the headlines in 2025 when, shortly after he was sworn in, US President Trump issued a series of executive orders to scrap DEI policies. This has seen large US organisations such as Google, Meta and Walmart roll back their programmes.
However, support for DEI remains strong on this side of the pond. Research across more than 1,000 UK organisations published by employee experience platform Culture Amp in February 2025, found that 74% have a DEI programme, with 26% of these looking to increase funding.
Advantages of DEI
As well as helping employees feel valued and supported, there is plenty of evidence that DEI is good for business. Employers can access a broader talent pool, and, by building a workforce that more accurately reflects their customer base, enhance loyalty and drive sales.
Performance is also boosted, with Gartner’s white paper Creating Competitive Advantage Through Workforce Diversity pointing at a 12% uplift. Different outlooks can foster more innovation too and deliver better financial results. In 2022, Gartner predicted that 75% of organisations that embrace DEI would exceed their financial targets.
Allowing employees to be their authentic selves also delivers when it comes to engagement and retention. As employees feel valued, they tend to stick around. Gartner’s aforementioned research found that intent to stay increased by 20% in organisations with a DEI culture.
Implementing a DEI strategy
Every organisation is different so the approach to implementing DEI and building a business case for it will vary between employers. The first step is to understand the organisation, where it is at now in terms of DEI and what it wants to achieve.
Aligning these objectives with business goals is sensible. For example, if the organisation is looking to break into new markets or appeal to a new customer base, it may want to attract employees with similar characteristics. This alignment also makes it easier to set targets and get management buy-in.
It is also important to listen to employees. Establishing employee resource groups or forums, or tapping into existing ones, will give a different view on what is and is not working from a DEI perspective.
Authenticity also matters. If employees, customers or the public suspect an organisation is only paying lip service to DEI, it faces reputational risk. Ensuring everything is aligned, whether it is the recruitment process, employment policies or the benefits package, is essential.
Supporting DEI through benefits
The benefits package can play a key part in an organisation’s DEI strategy, underlining the support it offers to employees as well as the values it holds.
To achieve this, the benefits strategy must be broad to accommodate everybody’s needs. Using flexible benefits and voluntary benefits schemes can help achieve this objective without breaking the bank.
The benefits an organisation provides should also reinforce its DEI objectives. For instance, if an employer wants to retain more female employees, it may want to bolster benefits and opportunities for this group. Research published by Simplyhealth in November 2023 found that 23% of working women had considered leaving due to menopause or menstrual symptoms: providing them with support and flexible working can stop this exodus.
Health and wellbeing benefits more generally are a good fit with a DEI strategy too. If an employee feels their health is looked after by the organisations, it will foster a sense of being supported and valued.
Making DEI part of the DNA
To really benefit from a DEI strategy, it needs to be embedded in the organisational culture. Every vision, decision and action needs to take the DEI objectives into consideration.
Measures such as implementing unconscious bias training can help shift the dial but it is also important that an organisation reviews all its policies to ensure they are aligned. This is particularly the case with pay, where transparency and equity will help to demonstrate a commitment to fairness.
Organisations should also see this as a long-term exercise. Change, whether that is recruiting more people with disabilities or closing the gender pay gap, takes time. Checking the data, refreshing initiatives, and listening to employees will help organisations on this journey.
