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Critics frame diversity, equity, and inclusion — or DEI — initiatives as a system of handouts based on identity. This couldn’t be further from the truth. DEI represents the countless practical improvements that make our world more accessible, productive, and humane for everyone.
Think about the last time you pushed a stroller up a curb cut or watched a movie with subtitles. Remember when you used a family restroom during an emergency or when your male colleague took parental leave to bond with his newborn?
These conveniences are the result of intentional inclusion efforts.
Look closer at the innovations transforming our communities and our workplaces. That’s DEI at work, quietly revolutionizing how we all participate and succeed. It’s the floating paid holidays that let employees observe their faith without penalty. It’s the transparent pay practices that ensure fair compensation for equal work. It’s the flexible work arrangements that help parents, caregivers and other workers balance their responsibilities.
The current backlash against DEI misreads its role in modern society. Those who frame it as a zero-sum game of identity-based preferences are missing its true value: creating systems that work better for everyone. When we design quiet spaces and flexible lighting for neurodivergent employees, we create environments where all workers can focus better. When we make workplaces more accessible for disabled employees, we improve comfort and efficiency for everyone. When we implement flexible work policies for parents, we create options that benefit every worker. These aren’t accommodations — they’re innovations that enhance workplace performance across the board.
The future of work isn’t about checking boxes or meeting quotas. It’s about building environments where everyone can contribute fully, where innovation comes from understanding diverse needs, and where practical solutions make life better for all. Companies that understand this will thrive. In fact, we already see them thriving.
Companies that embed DEI into their operational DNA consistently outperform their competitors. Organizations with mature DEI initiatives beat their competitors to market 71% of the time and exceed revenue expectations by over 10%. They experience an average 11.7% gain in market share. Companies in the top quartile for ethnic diversity are 36% more likely to have above-average profitability. Those with gender-diverse executive teams are 25% more likely to deliver above-average profitability.
In a nation where tomorrow’s workforce is already majority-diverse and where people of color will represent half the population by 2045, the path forward is clear. Companies must integrate DEI deeper into their operational strategy. Those who don’t will find themselves irrelevant.
As the CEO of the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce and an entrepreneur, I’m calling on all business leaders to double down on DEI as a core business strategy. Make it part of your decision-making DNA. Invest in the practical solutions and systemic changes that make your organization more accessible, equitable and innovative. Document and communicate the tangible benefits these initiatives bring to all stakeholders. Stand firm in the face of criticism, knowing your commitment to DEI isn’t just morally right, it’s also imperative for business success.
This column was originally published in Colorado Newsline.