top of page

The Failure of the “E” in DEI

Writer's picture: TaChelle LawsonTaChelle Lawson

Equity—the elusive middle child of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. As with most middle “kids,” it’s often the most misunderstood, ignored and in this context, the most poorly executed pillar of the DEI framework. While diversity emphasizes the “celebration of cultural differences,” and inclusion focuses on ‘being seen, valued or creating a sense of belonging,’ equity aims to level the playing field. It sounds great in theory, but in practice, the “E” has become a minefield of confusion, inconsistency, and quite honestly, failure.


In writing Black is NOT a Credential, I observed firsthand how tangled this concept has become. On one occasion, I sat in on a panel of ten experts, each tasked with defining equity. Not one definition matched. Ten people, ten perspectives. Not a single unified direction. I can confidently say this is the root of the problem. Equity often shows up as a moral mandate, shaped by personal beliefs and experiences rather than a strategic approach aligned with business goals. And that is why we’re seeing companies eliminating DEI left and right–no one has said they hate diversity or inclusion is bad. They’re ditching the “E.”


It sounds more sinister than it probably is because this boils down to whether or not it’s worth it. In most cases, it isn’t. Here are three simple reasons why the “E” is failing.


1. Confusion About the Definition

Equity is often confused with equality, leading to misinterpretation and misapplication. Equality ensures everyone gets the same resources. Regardless of background, education, race, gender, etc., everyone gets the same “treatment.” (I know that’s not always the reality, but this is its purpose). On the other hand, equity provides resources to individuals based on their unique needs or circumstances. In other words, assumed need can justify applying equity without acknowledging or considering the lack of fairness to others. 


Naturally, this approach presents several problems. But the main issue is implementation. Most organizations don’t understand the distinction between equality and equity–let alone those charged with executing it. There’s extremely generic talk about “equity” without defining what it means for a company, workforce, or mission. For some, it’s about fairness; for others, it’s a tool to fix historical wrongs. Without clarity, equity becomes whatever the loudest (and most divisive) voice in the room it claims to be supporting. 


The BINAC Insight: If ten experts can’t agree on what equity is, what chance does a CEO have of executing it effectively? Before equity can work for your company, determine what it means for your business.


The Fix: Start with tough questions. Are you trying to achieve equality and calling it equity? What does success look like in your organization? Is it measurable? And most importantly, does it align with your mission?


2. Inconsistency in Who Benefits

Who is equity for? Just like the definition–there’s no consistent answer to this question. In some cases, equity initiatives favor specific demographic or “underrepresented” groups, while in others, they’re tied to job titles, roles, or organizational hierarchies. As you can imagine, it often results in inconsistency, creating resentment, confusion, and, ironically, inequity.


When equity is dictated by moral mandates instead of logic and strategic alignment, it’s primed to create problems and threaten all 3 R’s: Revenue, Reputation and Retention. Employees who feel excluded—or worse, tokenized are rarely good for culture. And when leaders can’t tie equity back to the customer or the business, it becomes impossible to defend.


The BINAC Insight: Equity without a clear business rationale will always invite criticism, and that’s to be expected. The only way to get this right is to focus on outcomes that serve the mission and customers without falling victim to moral manipulation or trendy media headlines.


The Fix: Equity must be tied to measurable outcomes that benefit the organization as a whole—not just certain groups or individuals. Lukewarm leadership has to stop, and leaders must take a firm position against the failure of the "E." Be transparent with employees, customers and shareholders about their decisions and center every one of them around the business. No exceptions.


3. Poor Implementation

Although the intentions are (mostly) good, the execution of equity initiatives has fallen flat. Programs have been rolled out without data-driven goals and, in many cases, without logic. Leadership buy-in was guilt-driven or fear-based. Equity efforts were outsourced to third-party consultants who offer generic solutions that don’t fit the organization’s unique challenges—the majority of whom lack the business acumen to make recommendations effectively.


For example, companies launching mentorship programs or hiring quotas without addressing unconscious bias, pay disparities, growth opportunities, or performance expectations. These surface-level fixes may look good on paper but fail in the long term.


The BINAC Insight: Execution is where leaders show their strength—or their failure. When equity efforts are half-baked or disconnected from measurable goals, they do what they’ve done–backfire.


The Fix: Execution requires commitment from the top down. Like every other business initiative, investments must be backed by data, tailored to the company’s specific needs, and designed to produce results. Anything less is a waste of time, energy and resources.


Is Equity Even the Right Mission?

Here are some tough questions every leader must ask: Does equity align with your business goals? Did guilt drive your decision to support it? Should personal beliefs dictate business decisions? If so, whose beliefs?\


For some companies, equity is a natural fit. For others, it’s a distraction that pulls focus from their core goals, and equality makes more sense. Either way, leaders must decide what’s best because there is no default answer. Failure to take ownership is a failure of leadership itself.


Where Do We Go From Here?

The failure of the "E" is real. Leaders must take responsibility for redefining, realigning, and executing initiatives in a way that makes sense and prioritizes the 3 R’s: Revenue, Reputation and Retention. 


No more checking boxes or tiptoeing to avoid backlash. Examine your systems. Does everyone have the tools they need to perform their best? Can they be successful with policies as they are? Identify those gaps and address them in a way that benefits the entire organization.


If you’re tired of the confusion around equity, Black is NOT a Credential is a great start.

4 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comentários


Diversity-Consulant
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
bottom of page