The backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion in business is in full force − but myths obscure the real value of DEI

Inclusive workplaces are good for morale as well as the bottom line. Luis Alvarez/DigitalVision via Getty Images by Adia Harvey Wingfield, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis Few ideas in business are as misunderstood as DEI. While opposition to DEI – diversity, equity and inclusion – has a long history, it has picked up steam recently. In 2023, when Silicon Valley Bank collapsed, detractors claimed that the bank’s focus on DEI was responsible – rather than the bank overinvesting in bonds that suddenly lost much of their value. Not long afterward, when a wall panel detached from an Alaska Airlines flight at 16,000 feet, opponents claimed without evidence that DEI’s corrosive effects were to blame. More recently, when a cargo ship lost power and slammed into Baltimore’s Key Bridge, critics suggested that DEI was somehow at fault. In the face of these attacks, many company leaders are troublingly silent about their commitment to DEI. I believe this is a mistake. It allows misrepresentations to take root, and it reinforces the exclusion and marginalization many workers of color already experience. As a sociologist who focuses on race, gender and work, I believe this is a pivotal moment for...