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DEI: What It Is & How to Champion It in the Workplace

• 03 Oct 2023

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are essential to fostering a positive work culture. Through exposure to diverse perspectives, you can improve employee morale, promote business ethics , and drive creative problem-solving and innovation .

According to a LinkedIn survey , 69 percent of recruiters and human resources professionals believe their organizations commit to diverse hiring practices. Yet, only 47 percent think they hold hiring managers to those standards.

If you want to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion at your organization, here's an overview of DEI’s goals, why it’s important in business, and how you can implement it.

Access your free e-book today.

What Is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?

According to the online course Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability , DEI comprises:

• Diversity: The presence and participation of individuals with varying backgrounds and perspectives, including those who have been traditionally underrepresented
• Equity: Equal access to opportunities and fair, just, and impartial treatment
• Inclusion: A sense of belonging in an environment where all feel welcomed, accepted, and respected

To better understand DEI, here’s a breakdown of its components and benefits.

Your organization can achieve workplace diversity by employing people from various backgrounds based on:

• Sexual orientation

Doing so can produce several benefits for your company's bottom line. For example, research shows that businesses with diverse teams experience more than twice as much cash flow per employee .

Employees can also file charges against your organization if they've been discriminated against. According to a Good Jobs First report , 99 percent of Fortune 500 companies have been involved in at least one lawsuit related to discrimination or sexual harassment since 2000.

Such conflict resolution can be costly, but workplace diversity involves more than difficult conversations with employees .

“I don’t want diversity to be about policing people,” says Oona King, vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Snap Inc., in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “I want diversity to be about unleashing innovation and having more diverse perspectives in the room to come up with solutions to the most pressing problems of our day.”

Equity in the workplace requires treating all employees fairly and justly—regardless of their backgrounds—and ensuring equal opportunities for growth, development, and success.

While diversity provides financial benefits, equity ensures all employees feel valued. Yet, this isn’t always the case. According to a Gallup poll , 24 percent of Black and Hispanic employees experienced workplace discrimination between 2019 and 2020.

Since people often hire or promote individuals who share similar characteristics as themselves , proactively combatting influences—such as unconscious bias —can lead to workplace equity in the form of:

• Equal opportunities
• Fair compensation
• Balanced training and educational opportunities

“What you have to do around equity is tell people there are a lot of biases we’ve built up since we were kids that have been reinforced repeatedly,” King says in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “And you need more awareness around them if you want to do well in a forward-thinking company.”

Inclusion extends beyond diversity and refers to employees’ workplace experiences.

It involves creating an environment where all employees feel valued, respected, and fully integrated into your organization's culture and operations.

According to Forrester , 60 percent of sales teams believe inclusion in the workplace has contributed to their success, while a Pew Research study indicates that over half of employees value DEI initiatives at work.

If you hope to make your organization more inclusive, consider your role as an ethical leader . According to Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability , thinking about the biases and concepts that influence your decision-making is essential to creating an inclusive workplace.

Related: The Importance of Reflective Leadership in Business

How to Implement DEI Within Your Organization

DEI is only effective when you implement it into your overall business strategy .

“You cannot have a diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy as a separate strategy,” King says in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “It's not going to work. You have to tie it into the heart of your business strategy because separate is never equal.”

Here are four tips for implementing DEI effectively.

1. Invest in Diversity Initiatives

Investing in DEI initiatives can take several forms in business.

For example, Walmart invests in DEI by offering a Supplier Inclusion Program that supports businesses and suppliers from communities often underrepresented in large-scale retail.

Companies like Salesforce also emphasize DEI education . Through its partnership with professional skills-based platform Trailhead , employees can take courses and earn certifications in subjects such as inclusion guidelines for data visualization and inclusive content creation. According to the company’s Annual Equality Update , its commitment to DEI education and inclusive hiring tactics has resulted in nearly 51 percent of U.S. employees coming from underrepresented groups.

2. Offer Bias Training Sessions

Stereotypes—whether blatant or unconscious—can negatively impact your organization and result in decreased motivation and employee engagement.

One way to overcome workplace stereotypes is by offering unconscious bias training sessions to increase employees’ awareness of implicit biases. For example, the Implicit Association Test (IAT) —developed by professors from Harvard University, the University of Washington, and the University of Virginia—helps identify implicit associations or stereotypes you might be unaware of.

You can also provide employees the opportunity to earn a business ethics certificate to gain skills to identify and surmount biases.

Don’t be afraid to make training mandatory. According to Pew Research , approximately 53 percent of employees find DEI training helpful, with only 13 percent finding it unhelpful.

In addition, companies like Google provide this type of training through workshops that more than half of its employees participate in.

Related: Leadership in Big Tech: How to Make Ethical Decisions

3. Promote Pay Equity

Ensuring employees earn equitable salaries is crucial to championing DEI.

“When you measure objectives for metrics in corporate America, you’ll see very clear differences for different groups,” King says in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability . “That's the data; we know it's a fact. So our job is to change those objectives in the workplace.”

One of those data points is pay equity. In the U.S., women earn approximately 82 percent of what men do—a figure that's only increased two percent since 2002. While various factors impact that statistic, it's critical for your organization to offer equitable compensation, regardless of gender.

“That's where today's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts really come in,” King says. “What levers and tools do we have to change, so that whoever walks through the door has the same chance as anyone else of success?”

4. Prioritize Developing Talent from Underrepresented Groups

Developing talent from underrepresented groups is crucial to fostering diversity and inclusion. By providing opportunities for personal and professional growth, your organization can help address historical workplace disparities.

For example, Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability highlights Google’s push for DEI initiatives, including:

• Funding research on why fewer students who identify as female or are from underrepresented groups enroll in computer science programs
• Offering financial support to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs in underrepresented communities
• Forming recruiting teams that establish a “pipeline program” with universities that have large populations of underrepresented students

These align with what Harvard Business School Professor Nien-hê Hsieh calls “the pipeline problem” in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability .

“There simply aren’t enough qualified members of underrepresented groups available to hire for these jobs,” Hsieh says. “In the United States, this theory points to patterns like fewer women and Black people receiving degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math than their male, white, or Asian counterparts.”

Make Your Organization More Equitable

When implemented properly, DEI’s benefits can't be overstated.

“The underlying point of DEI is to understand the impact of culture and the way we do things in business strategy,” King says.

If you want to promote DEI, Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability can help you learn how to make ethical leadership decisions and create a fair workplace culture through interactive learning activities and real-world business examples.

Ready to champion DEI at your organization? Enroll in Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability —one of our online leadership and management courses —and download our free leadership e-book on how to become a more effective leader.

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Diversity and Inclusion Efforts That Really Work

• David Pedulla

A Stanford and Harvard professor convened a symposium on what’s actually working to improve diversity and inclusion in organizational life. In this article, David Pedulla summarizes the main findings. First, organizations should set goals, collect data, and hold people accountable for improving diversity within the organization. Second, organizations should abandon traditional discrimination and harassment reporting systems—these often lead to retaliation. Employee Assistance Plans (EAPs), ombuds offices, and transformative dispute resolution systems can not only play a critical role in reducing retaliation but also provide fuel for organizational change. Third, organizations should check to ensure that technologies used to assist in hiring and promotion aren’t inherently biased. Fourth, companies must avoid tokenism. Finally, organizations should get managers and other leaders involved in diversity programs from the start. This will increase buy-in and lead to smooth implementation.

Five best practices.

In the wake of major social and political changes over the past decades, leading companies are taking steps to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion. Yet progress in most sectors remains tepid. Programs designed to increase diversity and inclusion in the workplace often fail . So that leads to a natural question: What’s actually working?

• DP David Pedulla is an associate professor of sociology at Stanford University.

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Commercial Banker Development Program Associate (Boston, MA)

Student and recent graduates, boston, massachusetts.

Description

Start Date: June 27 th , 2024

Commercial Banker Development Program Overview

The Commercial Banker Development Program (CBDP) will include an upfront 4-month early career training program in Commercial lending. Specifically, you will spend 8 weeks in classroom training and the remainder of your training and full-time role will be based in Boston, MA. You will learn the basics of how we underwrite risk and provide solutions to our clients. The mission of the CBDP is to create the future leaders of Citizens Commercial Banking. 

The CBDP includes a combination of classes, self-study, and systems training. Training encompasses a comprehensive curriculum of classes concentrating in accounting, financial and credit analysis, and high-level corporate finance. You will get exposure to a range of lending, banking products/services and support areas within the bank through focused training sessions with experts from the various lines of business. You will also have an assigned mentor and networking opportunities with senior leaders from various divisions that assist in advancing your career at Citizens. There will be opportunities to join in on Citizens’ volunteer efforts that give back to our local communities.

Upon successful completion of the upfront training, you will assume the role of Credit Analyst and join the Subscription Finance & Services team in Boston within the Commercial Banking business line.  The Subscription Finance & Services (SF&S)  portfolio management team oversees a portfolio of private equity fund relationships of varying size and complexity and applies credit policy and fields questions related to the underwriting and portfolio management of subscription lines of credit, which are used to manage capital calls from the funds limited partners. The team conducts detailed research and due diligence of the fund’s limited partners, market trends and other factors related to the financing that will be considered as part of credit decisions. 

A Commercial Banking Credit Analyst at Citizens conducts thorough research and analysis of market data, trends and other factors related to the financing that is a part of credit decisions. Supporting a team of Portfolio Managers and Relationship Managers, our credit analysts work together to understand and apply credit policy and field questions related to financial analysis and interpreting financial statements.

Job Responsibilities

The CBDP Associate is responsible for successfully completing all aspects of the program including:

• The Accounting session, complete with two exams; an average passing grade of 75% on both exams is required to proceed with the Program.
• Attend all classes and complete homework and other assignments as required.
• Demonstrate competence in materials presented and ability to successful complete a Credit Proposal Summary write-up on a typical bank client.
• Synthesize and formulate data to draw conclusions and make informed decisions.
• Commitment to work at Citizens Bank following completion of the program.

Qualifications

• Successfully complete a video interview assessment within 7 days of receiving the link. If not completed within the timeframe, your application will be automatically withdrawn from consideration.
• Current students graduating between Winter 2023 – Spring 2024 OR candidates with a bachelors’ degree and 0-2 years of experience in a related field.
• Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.2; Preferred cumulative GPA of 3.5
• Relevant work experience, leadership experience or coursework in Finance, Accounting, Economics or Data Analytics is preferred
• Candidates must currently be a U.S. Resident to be eligible for this program.
• Please note that U.S. Immigration sponsorship or work visa is not available for intern / full time Analyst positions and candidates must have permanent authorization to work in the U.S
• Strong analytical skills and software skills: MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access) proficiency is required.

The Credit Analyst role at Citizens is an entry level role. We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity/paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs and more. Note, Citizens’ paid time off policy exceeds the mandatory, paid sick or paid time-away policy of very local and state jurisdiction in the United States. For an overview of our benefits, visit https://jobs.citizensbank.com/benefits .

Some job boards have started using jobseeker-reported data to estimate salary ranges for roles. If you apply and qualify for this role, a recruiter will discuss accurate pay guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity

At Citizens we value diversity, equity and inclusion, and treat everyone with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on experience, performance, and ability. Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression (including transgender individuals who are transitioning, have transitioned, or are perceived to be transitioning to the gender with which they identify), genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague’s or a dependent’s reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws.

Equal Employment and Opportunity Employer

Citizens is a brand name of Citizens Bank, N.A. and each of its respective affiliates.

We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity/paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs and more.

Awards We've Received

FORTUNE’s World’s Most Admired Companies

Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index 100 Award

Military Friendly® Employer

Age-Friendly Institute's Certified Age-Friendly Employer

Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, Standout

Dave Thomas Foundation’s Best Adoption-Friendly Workplace

DiversityInc Top Regional Company for Diversity

Forbes America's Best Large Employers

National Organization on Disability's Leading Disability Employer

Citizens is committed to ensuring that all interested candidates can successfully participate in our recruitment process. If you are an individual with a disability or require a reasonable accommodation, please see our Job Seeker Help policy .

• Citizens Teller Warwick, Rhode Island Warwick, Rhode Island View Job
• Sr Compliance Manager - Fair Lending Advisory Fort Washington, Pennsylvania; Johnston, Rhode Island; Iselin, New Jersey Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, Johnston, Rhode Island, Iselin, New Jersey View Job
• Compliance Sr. Manager – Fair Lending Advisory Johnston, Rhode Island; Fort Washington, Pennsylvania; Iselin, New Jersey Johnston, Rhode Island, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, Iselin, New Jersey View Job

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1.1 Allyship

Allyship is essential in creating inclusion in the workplace. Watch this short film, to hear a useful introduction.

Transcript: Video 2: 5 Tips For Being An Ally

Becoming a good ally is not a quick change, and it requires a consistent approach. Atcheson (2021) describes allyship as:

• a lifelong process of building relationships based on trust, consistency, and accountability with marginalised individuals and/or groups of people
• not self-defined—work and efforts must be recognised by those you are seeking to ally with
• an opportunity to grow and learn about ourselves, whilst building confidence in others.

On a personal level, there are many ways you can become a better ally. In their article, Melaku et al (2020) focus on gender and race related advice for white men in the US, but they ‘believe it can be used by members of any privileged group who want to create inclusive organisations’:

• Educate yourself – take the time to read, listen, watch and deepen understanding. Recognise that members of an underrepresented group won’t all have the same experiences.
• Own your privilege – acknowledge the advantages, opportunities and resources you have automatically been given, while others have been overtly or subtly denied them.
• Accept feedback – establish trust with, and seek feedback from, people from marginalised groups. Be thoughtful and sincere, using responses such as ‘I recognise I have work to do’, or ‘how can I make this right?’
• Become a confidant – let people know they can confide in you and make yourself available. Listen generously and try to empathise with and validate their experiences.
• Bring diversity to the table – invite colleagues from marginalised groups to meetings. Ask them specific questions, encourage them to lead the meeting or to represent you at an event.
• See something, say something – monitor your workplace for inappropriate comments and behaviour, and be clear and decisive in shutting them down. Frame any confrontation as a learning or growth opportunity for the person and the team.
• Sponsor marginalised co-workers – get to know their strengths and weaknesses, help them to develop and put their names forward whenever new projects, stretch opportunities or promotions are discussed. Introduce them to key players in your own professional networks.
• Insist on diverse candidates – strengthen your own recruitment processes (using some of the ideas you learned from Week 6).
• Build a community of allies – look for like-minded people within your organisation and boost your impact by forming groups interested in fighting inequality.

You may find it useful to watch this short video from Lean In, which categorises allyship actions into three groups – individual, interpersonal and structural.