The Weaponisation of ‘DEI’
Just three years ago, the phrase “DEI must die” entered the mainstream U.S. political narrative. Since then, the term “woke” has been weaponised globally to frame DEI as divisive or even discriminatory – a distortion that has deeply affected how organisations operate. The ripple effects are clear.
Across the world, DEI budgets have been reduced, teams quietly restructured or dissolved, and accountability for inclusion absorbed into vague notions of “culture” or “engagement.” The CIPD reported that one in four HR leaders have deprioritised inclusion initiatives. It is a sobering picture of reversal and retreat.
Yet as Grace reminded delegates, “If equity isn’t intentional, it becomes optional. And once it’s optional, it’s lost.”
Global Context: How different regions are responding
Grace highlighted that the DEI landscape now looks dramatically different across countries:
- United States: Legislative bans and legal challenges have restricted DEI programs at universities and within corporate America. Following the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling, companies have been spooked into silence. Grace noted the chilling effect of these measures; the fear of doing the wrong thing has replaced the courage to do the right one.
- France: The country’s colour-blind legal stance hinders progress, as organisations are resistant to collecting race-based data. However, if you cannot name inequity, you cannot fix it.
- United Kingdom: Here, DEI is being “absorbed into business as usual” – often rebranded under broader terms like engagement or culture. This risks diluting the progress and ongoing work in this area. Without dedicated budgets or accountability mechanisms, equity loses its edge.
This quiet retreat has left many inclusion professionals isolated, underpowered and overburdened. Grace warned that organisations are asking DEI leaders to influence without authority, saying “You cannot change what you are not empowered to measure, fund or lead.”
When inclusion becomes invisible
One of the most striking moments in Grace’s talk came when she described the “quiet dissolving” of DEI roles. She shared the story of a respected Black female DEI director in a major UK organisation whose role was quietly merged into an internal communications function during a restructure, without announcement or replacement. The message was clear: visibility in inclusion can become a liability when the corporate climate turns cautious.
In academia, too, she pointed to examples of retaliation. One university DEI lead was placed on leave after formally raising bias concerns in recruitment. Grace made it clear that these are not isolated incidents: “They reflect a system that wants the optics of inclusion but not the discomfort of accountability.”
This “quiet retreat” – where DEI is rebranded, repositioned or simply phased out – represents one of the biggest risks to sustained progress. “We cannot achieve belonging until we achieve equity,” Grace emphasised, arguing that softening the language doesn’t soften the inequities.
Anchoring DEI: Data, values and legacy
Despite the challenges, Grace’s message was one of disciplined hope. She outlined three critical anchors for organisations committed to staying the course:
