Hearts & Minds: DEI. Now for the backlash against the backlash

It may be something; it could be nothing. But the list of firms promising to continue with their DEI programmes is growing. To Delta, Costco, e.l.f. Beauty, Meijer, Procter & Gamble, BT and Sephora can be added Apple. All have restated their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, some albeit in amended form. Nevertheless, it’s a far cry from those companies that publicly scrapped their initiatives in the wake of Donald Trump’s election victory. Is a backlash growing?

Joining them is City law firm Simmons & Simmons. It is setting a target of having 20 per cent of its partnership from ‘lower socio-economic backgrounds’ by 2029. Not only does Simmons & Simmons have a long list of financial institutions among its clients, several of whom may well have shelved their own DEI pledges, but it hails from the most conservative and traditional of professions, one not noted for diversity and inclusivity. It’s also, of course, as an international practice, flying in the face of the Trumpian push.

Meanwhile, at JP Morgan, CEO Jamie Dimon, said in defence of the bank’s DEI work and the potential for activists to use it to bully the corporation: ‘Bring them on. We are going to continue to reach out to the Black community, the Hispanic community, the LGBT community, the veterans community..

Some are withdrawing, some are continuing, others are trying to strike a middle ground. DEI confusion reigns.

For many CEOs, it’s a struggle to know which route to take. Go one way and you risk annoying one group; go another and you endanger angering others. Opting for the centre can tie you in knots.

Put your stakeholders first. What do they want? They may have different views and priorities, but talk to them, sound them out, listen to where they’re coming from, weigh the pros and cons.

Ultimately, it must be about doing what you’re comfortable with. The strength of comms and reputation are defined by authenticity, never more so in the age of Gen-Z. Talking to a script you don’t own won’t wash.

Chris Blackhurst is one of the UK’s foremost business journalists. He was previously Editor of The Independent and City Editor of the Evening Standard.