63 - Politics, Publicity, People: What Does the Future of DEI Really Look Like?

Welcome back to Blended!

 

Today, we’re going full circle with the show. We’re going back to our roots – because we’re talking about DEI.

 

When Sarah founded Blended back in 2020, we were in the trenches of the pandemic. Everything was changing – within businesses, people’s personal lives, within society as a whole. And it felt more important than ever to talk about people. To share stories and get to know each other better, to learn and to really think about what we wanted things to look like for ourselves when the pandemic was over. And the root of all of that was diversity, equity, inclusion, equality – community. 

 

Now, five years later, a lot has changed. And so has how many of us think about diversity and inclusion. Political changes have seen many organizations publicly pull back from visible DEI efforts and, internally, scale back or completely retire diversity goals altogether. And that’s a problem. For many people, it’s a step – or more than a step – backwards.  

 

So, as we look to 2026, what is DEI going to look like? And what’s that impact of that on people, businesses and culture in general? Our guests will be diving into all of that today.

 

 

IN THIS EPISODE:

 

[01.23] Introductions to our Blended panelists.  

·       Sue – Founder and CEO of Origen Air

·       Sheri – Sourcing, procurement and supply chain leader   

 

“DEI is so important to me. Throughout my journey as an entrepreneur, it’s become even more apparent. It seemed like we were getting to the point of equality, but as I started my own company and went through not only fundraising but also procurement, it became very clear that we still have a long way to go.” Sue

 

 

[06.09] The group discuss what the current DEI landscape looks like, some of the biggest changes they’ve seen this year, and what we might expect from DEI in 2026.

·       Guarded, ‘behind closed doors’

·       Competing narratives

·       Strategic

·       ‘Permission to backtrack’  

·       News ways to make progress

·       Reframing of DEI programs

·       Being less externally vocal

·       DEI folded into wider social governance programs

·       Integration of data analytics and technology

·       DEI specialists stepping back/reframing their value proposition  

·       Firing of DEI employees

·       Squeezed DEI budgets

·       Negative links to other issues, eg. Sustainability, woman-owned   

·       Words we use – diversity vs inclusion

·       Organizations re-thinking core values 

·       Rebuilding DEI

·       DEI built in, rather than separate

·       Advocacy

·       Swinging pendulum of support for DEI

·       Transformation

 

“It used to be something that lit a lot of people up, it was colorful. Now when I think about what the landscape looks like, it’s muted and gray.” Sheri

“I don’t think it’s fading out, it’s just transforming. It’s going to look different. It’s going to be more of a quiet, strategic commitment.” Sheri

 

[29.18] The panel dive deeper into allyship, why it’s important, and how we communicate what we want and need from allies.

 

·       Mixed messages

·       Men and women are not opponents

·       Representation

·       Working together/collaboration  

·       What men can do practically in the workplace

·       Creating safe spaces 

 

[39.45] The group discuss the public dialogue around DEI in light of current political influence, and how that’s impacting people, organizations and their commitment to DEI. 

·       Common misconceptions

·       Access to opportunity

·       Privilege

·       Role of leadership

·       Responsibility

·       Fear

·       Making excuses

·       Scarcity

·       Fairness

·       Ego

·       Women vs women

·       Doing things quietly vs loudly

·       Metrics/measurement/KPIs – what does success look like?

·       Education  

·       Redefining what diversity and inclusion actually means  

 

“The misconception that I’ve been hearing is that we’re asking to ‘take,’ people are worried that things are going to be taken from them. But that’s not what DEI is about.” Sue

“We’re not asking for special treatment – we’re just asking to be seen and heard. We don’t want you to hire us if we’re not the right person. We don’t want you to buy from us if we don’t have the best product… We just want the opportunity to be a consideration.” Sue   

“If the checklists and the targets go away, you’re not boasting about it publicly, and it’s all done quietly, how are we going to know if we’re making progress?” Sheri

 

[01.06.25] The panel sum up their thoughts from today’s discussion and share their advice for approaching DEI issues in 2026. 

 

 

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED:

You can connect with Sue or Sheri over on LinkedIn.  

Episode 20 - DEI in the Workplace - Not Just The Smart Thing To Do, But the Right Thing to Do