Diversity, equity and inclusion — or DEI — generally refers to efforts and practices meant to promote fairness in workplaces, government offices and college campuses, though what that encompasses can vary by organization or person.
DEI is based on three pillars — one for each of the words the acronym represents. Those pillars can serve as steps for organizations to ensure everyone is represented and given equal opportunities, said Jihye Kwon, associate director for survey research at the University of Southern California’s Race and Equity Center, which provides DEI consulting.
Diversity, the first pillar, means having people from different backgrounds and cultures — and people with varied identities — represented in a workplace or institution, Kwon said.
To increase diversity, many organizations focus on groups that have historically had fewer opportunities or have been underrepresented in a field or labor market because of external factors out of their control, like discrimination or lack of opportunities, rather than a lack of ability, according to Monica Khetarpal, a principal of the law firm Jackson Lewis.
She said examples of such groups include women and people of color, but can also encompass people with different socioeconomic statuses, political perspectives, religious beliefs, educational backgrounds, or workers and students who are parents.
“The idea being that the more different perspectives that you get, the more chance you have at innovation,” she said.
Because higher education is a key opportunity for socioeconomic advancement, diversity among students gives more people from varied backgrounds and groups a chance to better their lives, Kwon said. She added that diversity among faculty can help underrepresented students feel more welcome.
DEI practices aimed at diversity can include:
- Using gender neutral language in job descriptions
- Not listing or requiring an advanced degree if it’s not needed for a job
- Increasing job recruiting in overlooked places like Historically Black Colleges and Universities or in non-traditional settings
- Redacting certain identifying information in resumes and job applications in order to avoid bias and increase focus on applicants’ qualifications
Equity focuses on providing fair treatment and opportunities, such as paying all employees fairly based on their work and skills and not discriminating in compensation and promotion opportunities. It can also mean addressing people’s different needs, such as providing accommodations for people with a disability.
“Equity means giving everybody what they need to reach their full potential,” Khetarpal said.
Inclusion, the final pillar or step, focuses on fostering an environment where everyone feels they are respected, valued and empowered to contribute and grow. This includes the ability to learn from mistakes, Khetarpal said.
“Inclusion really means that everybody in an organization feels like their presence there, their contributions are respected and valued in accordance to how much they’re contributing,” she said. “And that’s across the board, inclusion has to be everybody.”
Inclusion is important to avoid perpetuating power imbalances, and without diversity and equity, there can’t be inclusion, Kwon said.
Examples of efforts to foster inclusion include anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training. It can also entail employee resource groups and campus multicultural centers, which can give employees or students spaces to discuss shared experiences.