Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI, also known in the United Kingdom as equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI)) are organizational frameworks that seek to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all people, particularly groups who have historically been underrepresented, marginalized, or subject to discrimination based on identity or disability. These three notions (diversity, equity, and inclusion) together represent "three closely linked values", which organizations seek to institutionalize through DEI frameworks.
Diversity refers to the presence of variety within the organizational workforce in characteristics, such as race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, age, politics, culture, class, veteran status, or religion. Equity refers to concepts of fairness and justice, such as fair compensation and substantive equality. More specifically, equity usually also includes a focus on societal disparities, allocating resources, "decision making authority to groups that have historically been disadvantaged", and taking "into consideration a person's unique circumstances, adjusting treatment accordingly so that the end result is equal". Inclusion refers to creating an organizational culture that creates an experience where "all employees feel their voices will be heard" and a sense of belonging and integration.
DEI policies are often used by managers to increase the productivity and collaborative efforts of their workforce and to reinforce positive communication. While DEI is most associated with non-elected government or corporate environments, it is commonly implemented within many types of organizations, such as charitable organizations, schools, and hospitals. DEI policies often include certain training efforts, such as diversity training.
DEI efforts and policies have generated criticism and controversy. Some criticism has been directed at the specific effectiveness of its tools and its effects on free speech and academic freedom, while other criticism has related to broader political or philosophical objections. In addition, the term "DEI" has gained traction among conservative groups as a derogatory term for minority groups in the United States, who feel that the term is a pretext for discrimination against the majority.
Other terminology and extensions An extended version of the DEI concept, known as "diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility" (DEIA, IDEA, or DEAI), explicitly names accessibility as one of the aspects to be paid attention to in frameworks and policies that aim at the fair treatment and full participation of all.Multiple sources:
The concepts of DEI predate the terminology, and variations sometimes include terms such as "belonging", "justice", and "accessibility". As such, frameworks such as "inclusion and diversity" (I&D); "diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging" (DEIB); and "justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion" (JEDI or EDIJ) exist.
In the United Kingdom, the term "equality, diversity, and inclusion" (EDI) is used in a similar way.
History in the United States Early history Early DEI efforts included preferential hiring and treatment of veterans of the US Civil War, their widows, and orphans, in 1865. In 1876, this was amended to give preference to veterans during a reduction in force. In 1921 and 1929, executive orders by presidents Coolidge and Harding established ten-point preference for veterans towards exams and hiring criteria for federal employment. In 1944, the Veterans' Preference Act codified the previous executive orders, clarified criteria, and included special hiring provisions for disabled veterans. Later amendments added veterans from conflicts after World War II, special provisions for the mothers of disabled or deceased veterans, and job-specific training for veterans entering the federal or private workforce.
In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Randolph–Sheppard Act, which mandated the federal government to give preference to purchase products made by the blind, and established the Committee on Purchases of Blind Made Products. The 1971 Javits–Wagner–O'Day Act expanded the Randolph–Sheppard Act and changed the name to The Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled (now AbilityOne). Blind-made products are used throughout the federal government, and include brands such as Skillcraft, ARC Diversified, Austin Lighthouse, and Ability One.
Other DEI policies include affirmative action. The legal term "affirmative action" was first used in Executive Order 10925, signed by President John F. Kennedy on 6 March 1961, which included a provision that government contractors "take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated [fairly] during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin".A Brief History of Affirmative Action , University of California, Irvine (access date 16 May 2015) It was used to promote actions that achieve non-discrimination. In September 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order 11246 which required government employers to "hire without regard to race, religion and national origin" and "take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, color, religion, sex or national origin".Executive Order 11246 The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Neither executive order nor The Civil Rights Act authorized group preferences. The Senate floor manager of the bill, Senator Hubert Humphrey, declared that the bill "would prohibit preferential treatment for any particular group" adding "I will eat my hat if this leads to racial quotas".
More recently, concepts have moved beyond discrimination to include diversity, equity, and inclusion as motives for preferring historically underrepresented groups. In the landmark opinion of 1978, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, diversity became a constitutional law factor. The Supreme Court ruled that racial quotas were illegal, but it was allowable to consider race as a plus factor when trying to foster "diversity" in their classes.The Court ruled: "The diversity that furthers a compelling state interest encompasses a far broader array of qualifications and characteristics of which racial or ethnic origin is but a single though important element", quoted in Brent K., Nakamura, and Lauren B. Edelman, "Bakke at 40: How diversity matters in the employment context". UC Davis Law Review 52 (2018): 2627–2679 at p. 2629. online
1980s Diversity themes gained momentum in the mid-1980s. At a time when President Ronald Reagan discussed dismantling equality and affirmative action laws in the 1980s, equality and affirmative action professionals employed by American firms along with equality consultants engaged in establishing the argument that a diverse workforce should be seen as a competitive advantage rather than just as a legal constraint. Their message was not to promote diversity because it is a legal mandate but because it is good for business. From then on, researchers started to test a number of hypotheses on the business benefits of diversity and diversity management, known as the business case of diversity.Erin Kelly, and Frank Dobbin, "How affirmative action became diversity management: Employer response to antidiscrimination law, 1961 to 1996". American Behavioral Scientist 41.7 (1998): 960–984. online
1990s In 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities, and imposes accessibility requirements on public accommodations. President Bill Clinton signed the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act in 1998. It helps eligible veterans access federal job opportunities by allowing them to compete for positions typically open only to current federal employees and by reinforcing veterans' preference in hiring. It also protects veterans from discrimination in federal employment and provides a process for addressing violations of their rights.
2000s to early-2020s By 2003, corporations spent $8 billion annually on diversity. In 2009, in response to calls for the US government to do more for disabled veterans returning from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, President Barack Obama signed Executive Order 13518, which established the Veterans Employment Initiative to enhance recruitment and retention of veterans in the federal workforce by creating a comprehensive framework to support their transition into civilian employment. It directed federal agencies to increase veteran hiring (especially disabled veterans), set goals for improvement, and establish the Veterans Employment Program Office to provide assistance and resources for veterans in civilian employment. In 2011, Obama signed Executive Order 13583 concerning diversity and inclusion.
After the election of Donald Trump in 2016 and the ascent of the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements, Time magazine stated in 2019 that the DEI industry had "exploded" in size. Within academia, a 2019 survey found that spending on DEI efforts had increased 27 percent over the five preceding academic years. In 2019, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a pilot program to provide training opportunities for prospective air traffic controllers with "targeted" disabilities. A 2020 estimate by Global Industry Analysts placed the size of the global diversity and inclusion market at $7.5 billion, of which $3.4 billion was in the United States. Global Industry Analysts projected that the global market would reach $17.2 billion by 2027.
In September 2020, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 13950, which prohibited the use of "divisive concepts" relating to race or sex "stereotyping" or "scapegoating" in workplace training by government contractors.
In January 2021, President Joe Biden signed Executive Order 13985 after taking office, which directed federal agencies to rescind activities related to Executive Order 13950. In June 2021, he signed Executive Order 14035, which directed the government to enhance its ability to "recruit, hire, develop, promote, and retain talented individuals and to act as a model employer" for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA).
In 2021, New York magazine stated that "the business became astronomically larger than ever" after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020.Bridget Read, "Reckoning with as Reckoning: Doing the Work at Work What are companies desperate for diversity consultants actually buying?" New York: The Cut, May 26, 2021 online . The Economist has also stated that surveys of international companies indicate that the number of people hired for jobs with "diversity" or "inclusion" in the title more than quadrupled since 2010.