Develop an effective DEI communications strategy with our 7-step guide. Align DEI efforts with business goals and foster an inclusive, equitable workplace.
Communications around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) need to be strategic, thoughtful, and empathetic. Ensure your DEI communications are up to standards with our 4 step planning document.
Access NowWhile many organizations continue to champion inclusion, the focus of corporate DEI programs has changed dramatically. The past two years have brought political, legal, and cultural pushback, forcing companies to re-evaluate language, scope, and metrics.
With the spotlight focused on companies withdrawing or pivoting their DEI strategies due to “conservative activism”, professor Julie Kratz asked this question in Forbes, “Is DEI Backlash Real Or Manufactured?” — and opted for the latter. Pointing out that news stories don’t generally highlight the positive impact of DEI, she said the DEI industry was growing, not shrinking.
“Research continues to show that diverse and inclusive teams are more innovative, make better decisions and have higher profitability rates.” Julie Kratz
In another Forbes article, DEI In 2025: Should Companies Double Down Or Pivot to New Priorities? strategic advisor Jason Wingard argued that the business case for DEI “remains compelling.”
“In a highly competitive and globalized economy, companies that prioritize inclusivity gain a distinct advantage in attracting top talent, fostering innovation, and capturing emerging market opportunities.” Jason Wingard
While it is true that many large U.S. companies have scaled back or rebranded their DEI initiatives in 2024-2025, it is clear that these changes don’t signal an end to DEI but rather a transition to quieter, compliance-aligned strategies.
The World Economic Forum’s insight report, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lighthouses 2025, highlights that only a small fraction of organizations achieve measurable, scalable DEI impact across their operations.
“Not every diversity, equity and inclusion programme implemented over the last decade has proven equally effective. Yet, where done well, efforts have emerged as increasingly mission- critical for business competitiveness in all parts of the globe.” World Economic Forum
In short, DEI has entered a new phase. It’s less branded, more data-driven, and increasingly framed as organizational change rather than advocacy.
Ensure your company's communications promote diversity, equity, and inclusion
Despite the changes and challenges, diversity, equality, and inclusion communications remain an integral part of a company’s DEI initiatives. In essence, it refers to effectively conveying DEI-related information both internally and externally. A good DEI communication strategy involves candid discussions on DEI topics, transparent reporting of the organization’s DEI efforts, and promotion of DEI initiatives through various channels. These may include email, social media, internal newsletters, and town halls.
For example, executive leadership might send monthly emails providing diversity statistics and regular updates on progress made toward DEI goals. The human resources team may host webinars on critically important topics like inclusive language and unconscious bias, providing tips on how best to counteract them.
Additionally, a good DEI communication strategy tailors its messaging to the specific needs and nuances of its audience. For example, in healthcare, DEI communications might focus on culturally sensitive patient care and promoting diversity in medical staff, whereas in construction, the focus might be on promoting inclusivity in a male-dominated industry and ensuring fair representation at all levels.
By aligning DEI communications with an organization’s broader DEI strategy, companies can create a culture of openness, inclusivity, and accountability, making sure that DEI efforts are visible and impactful both inside and outside the organization.
We are going to explore DEI and the concept of communication as it relates to DEI and suggest strategies for building effective DEI communication practices. Our 7-step guide explores how communication plays a pivotal role in DEI. It also provides a winning strategy to help you develop effective DEI communications. Additionally, we offer a comprehensive checklist to ensure that every aspect of your DEI communications is thoughtfully addressed, enabling your organization to foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all.
DEI has increasingly become a critical aspect in organizations. For the uninitiated, DEI refers to the conscious practice of fostering an environment that celebrates differences, treats everyone equally, and includes all individuals, regardless of their backgrounds. Be it gender, race, culture, or personality type, every difference is valued and respected in a DEI-embracing workspace.
More simply stated, it strives to meet the needs of employees from all walks of life.
To spell it out:
Job seekers today pay a significant amount of attention to whether or not their prospective employers maintain a healthy DEI environment. According to Julie Krantz, 78% of U.S. employees wouldn’t consider working for a company that fails to commit significant resources to prioritizing DEI initiatives.
Additionally, DEI impacts the employee experience (EX) and influences the general image of an organization. Moreover, these initiatives don’t stop at creating a diverse workforce. They ensure that all employees are equally heard, respected, and provided equal opportunities. Furthermore, as countless studies have shown, organizations that embrace the values of DEI become stronger. They are better equipped to respond to challenges, attract and win top employee talent, and meet the needs of a broader customer base.
“As DEI continues to embed itself into the fabric of business operations, it is evolving into a strategy that is not just additive, but essential to sustainable success.” World Economic Forum, 2025
A 2025 study conducted by Catalyst, the leading global nonprofit advancing women through workplace inclusion, and the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at NYU School of Law, is focused on the risks of scaling back DEI initiatives. Risks of Retreat: The Enduring Inclusion Imperative reveals that most employees want companies to stay committed to inclusion, with Gen Z and Millennials significantly more likely to seek out employers with a visible commitment to inclusion and equity. Furthermore, DEI increases retention across generations, with younger employees increasingly more likely to stay long-term at a company that supports DEI (Baby Boomers 64%; Gen X 71%; Millennials 78%; Gen Z 86%).
Across the board, 76% of all employees are more likely to stay with employers that support DEI initiatives. Additionally, most C-suite leaders (84%) see a positive correlation between their inclusion programs and employee attraction.
However, according to Paradigm’s The State of Culture and Inclusion: 2024 Trends and a Look Ahead at 2025, fewer organisations are structured to deliver. In one dataset, 66% of companies had a DEI budget, yet only 40% had a senior leader dedicated to DEI.
DEI is not just a social investment practice. It has a direct impact on an organization’s success. Countless studies show there is a correlation between diversity and business performance, extending to the bottom line.
The Risks of Retreat study states that C-suite leaders warn eliminating DEI opens companies to higher reputational and legal risk. And it appears that more companies than we know of are aware of the risks.
According to a news article in Newsweek, despite the Trump administration’s moves to end DEI initiatives, Nearly Half of Companies Surveyed Say They Will Maintain DEI Effort in 2025. It quotes a survey of corporate leaders by employment law firm Littler Mendelson, which found 49% of C-suite leaders weren’t considering new or further rollbacks of DEI programs. According to Littler’s New York office managing shareholder, Jeanine Conley Daves, it is because companies see the value of DEI strategies that they maintain them but call them by a different name.
Certainly, there is continuing evidence that organizations that value DEI tend to be more innovative and outperform their competitors. For instance, the leading global research and advisory firm, Gartner, has found that performance improves by 12% in a diverse workforce, and intent to stay increased by 20%.
Their 9 Future of Work Trends for 2025 show that leading companies are embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into their core strategies. By fostering an inclusive environment, they recognise that diverse teams drive better decision-making and innovation.
Nevertheless, there are barriers that need to be overcome.
Communicating DEI has never been more complex. Once seen as a purely positive organizational value, it has become a polarizing topic in many regions, forcing leaders to rethink both language and intent.
In 2025, Forbes reported that major companies, including IBM, Bank of America, McDonald’s, Walmart, Disney, and Citigroup, were rebranding or narrowing DEI programs to align with executive directives and shareholder sensitivities.
This shows that despite the clear importance of DEI, significant barriers persist — particularly around communication and structural alignment.
Corporate commitment appears to be plateauing globally. According to the Diversity & Inclusion Speakers Agency, from 2017 to 2024, gender‐diversity programmes fell from 88% to 78%, and racial diversity initiatives from 76% to 69%.
Like other organizations, they warn that poor DEI practices expose companies to “reputational and legal risks, while genuine inclusion builds stronger cultures and attracts top talent.” The challenge is to overcome the barriers.
On top of that, many companies are scaling back visible reporting. For instance, U.S. firms are increasingly recalibrating how (and how much) DEI is disclosed in annual reports. The Harvard Law Forum highlights three key barriers in an online post, DEI in transition: 2025 Corporate Diversity Disclosure Trends.
There’s no denying that forming an inclusive internal communication loop is not an easy task. There may be implicit biases and prejudices among employees that can unintentionally exclude certain individuals or groups. The fear of miscommunication or backlash can also discourage open DEI discussions.
Ensure your company's communications promote diversity, equity, and inclusion
To build an effective diversity and inclusion communication strategy, you need to understand who you’re dealing with. You need to create a clear DEI-oriented message. Then, to spread your message, you need to choose the best possible communication channels to meet the needs of individual employees.
One essential aspect when constructing any communication strategy is understanding your audience. Unsurprisingly, it’s the same for an effective DEI communication strategy. Understand who your employees are, what they value, their preferred mode of communication, and the kind of DEI content that might interest them. An employee experience strategy lead plays a crucial role in gathering this valuable information. This person takes responsibility for developing the organization’s strategy to enhance and optimize the overall experience of its employees.
Surveys can also be very useful because they will give you an indication of what employees are thinking about DEI. They encourage input from employees, which in itself increases inclusion.
Creating a clear DEI message goes beyond just using inclusive language. It requires creating an environment where sensitive topics related to DEI can be discussed openly. Listening is just as critical as speaking. Encouraging employee advocacy by creating safe spaces for discussions can significantly help mold a favorable organizational culture.
A clear DEI message must also align with the organization’s core values and long-term goals. It should convey commitment, actionable steps, and accountability, ensuring that all stakeholders understand the company’s dedication to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in every aspect of its operations.
It is more important than ever to understand that each employee may have a different preferred communication channel. Some people might prefer emails, whereas others might respond better to more interactive modes like webinars or town hall meetings. Personal meet-ups, newsletters, intranet portals, and even social media can be leveraged to improve DEI communication efforts.
You should choose the appropriate generic channel based on your workforce demographic and their preferences. A platform that allows you the freedom to do this by targeting individuals and linking them to channels is the best option.
Inclusive internal communication is crucial for driving a vibrant DEI culture within an organization. It creates a respectful work environment where diverse perspectives are valued. It also promotes fairness and offers an employee experience that motivates employees to contribute to their maximum potential.
Fostering inclusive internal communications ensures that all employees feel heard, respected, and supported, regardless of their background or role. This involves using accessible language, offering multiple channels for feedback, and ensuring that communication flows both ways. By making sure everyone’s voice can be heard, organizations promote trust and collaboration, which are both essential for sustaining a thriving DEI culture.
Inclusive DEI communications start from the top. Your executive leadership should lead by example, using inclusive language and demonstrating behaviors that value diversity. Ensuring that your EX strategy lead guides and fosters this culture can be a game-changer for any organization.
Another important factor is the appropriate training of internal communicators. They should be equipped with the skills to handle the nuances of DEI content and ensure it is communicated in a way that honors the diversity within your organization.
Adopting a zero-tolerance policy against any form of discrimination and promoting candid discussions on DEI issues can significantly boost your DEI effort.
An inclusive organizational culture is one where every individual feels valued, heard, and appreciated. Building such a culture requires conscious efforts to foster diversity, inclusion, and equity. This should be well-documented in your DEI communications strategy. Regular presentations, workshops, and team-building activities promoting inclusivity can radically transform your workplace culture.
Bridging the gap between various cultural and social backgrounds should be seen as an opportunity to learn and grow rather than a mere challenge. Regularly sharing stories, experiences, and lessons learned from different cultural and social backgrounds can foster understanding and acceptance among employees.
A diverse workforce brings a wealth of experiences, ideas, and skills to the table. Recognizing and appreciating this diversity through consistent DEI initiatives is crucial. Leveraging a diverse workforce can lead to innovation, improved problem-solving, and better performance overall.
It’s equally important to ensure that the diverse experiences and expertise are evenly represented across all levels and departments of the organization. This can be encouraged through a DEI communication strategy that includes programs for mentoring and sponsoring diverse talent.
The very essence of leveraging a diverse workforce lies in the organization’s ability to provide equal opportunities while embracing diversity and inclusive growth. Encouraging employees to share their success stories and discussing achievements during meetings or through digital platforms can be a great way to foster an inclusive work environment.
Effectively managing DEI communications requires a well-planned diversity and communication strategy. Checklists can be a useful component of this. They allow you to ensure that no crucial elements are overlooked in your strategy.
Checklists also serve as a roadmap for internal communicators, ensuring nothing is missed during the implementation of DEI initiatives. The lessons learned throughout the process can be included in the checklist for continuous improvement. They allow for easy documentation of completed tasks and unaddressed areas needing attention. This contributes to transparency and allows for continual improvement in your communications efforts.
Some key items that your DEI communications checklist should include are specified awareness days, a reviewed inclusive language guide, clear routes for candid discussions, social media content checks, employee experience surveys, and inclusive hiring and promotional practices. These elements should be ingrained in your overall DEI communications strategy.
The fact that you need to engage both internal and external communication channels should be entered on your checklist, too.
It’s always a good idea to have regular updates and engagements aligned with thematic days such as International Women’s Day, Pride Month, or Black History Month to highlight your commitment to DEI.
Your DEI communications checklist should also include a strategy for consistent internal training programs to educate employees on unconscious bias, cultural awareness, and inclusive behaviors. Regularly reviewing your inclusive hiring and promotion processes is essential to ensure they align with DEI goals. Another key item is ensuring that your leadership team is actively involved in modeling inclusive behaviors and regularly communicating DEI priorities.
Additionally, incorporating metrics and tracking mechanisms to measure the success of DEI initiatives, such as engagement rates in DEI programs or improvements in employee sentiment from surveys, will help gauge the impact of your efforts. By embedding these elements into your checklist, you can create a dynamic, results-oriented approach that drives meaningful progress.
To ensure the maximum efficacy of the checklist, it should be treated as a living document that evolves based on lessons learned, feedback received, and changes in organizational culture.
Here’s a FREE DEI Communications Checklist that you can use to prepare a communication plan for a DEI communication strategy.
Even as many organizations scale back or rebrand DEI programs, many continue to demonstrate that clear communication and leadership accountability can drive real inclusion.
For example, the World Economic Forum’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lighthouses 2025 report highlights numerous multinationals (their DEI Lighthouses 2025) that have achieved measurable cultural and business impact by embedding DEI metrics into communication and leadership development.
Here are three DEI strategy examples that show what effective DEI communication looks like in practice:
Procter & Gamble (P&G) emphasizes everyday inclusion through its internal gender equality, #We See Equal platform, which connects corporate DEI messaging with employee stories and product innovation. P&G’s 2024 Citizenship Report confirms that DEI goals are embedded into brand storytelling and employee engagement programs across regions.
Accenture continues to integrate DEI into its business strategy and internal communications. Its 2024 Environmental and Inclusion & Diversity Metrics report outlines progress toward gender parity. For instance, it indicates that the employee workforce in 2024 was 48% women, and the 2025 goal was 50%. It also discloses leadership representation by ethnicity in markets where it is legally allowed. Regular internal updates reinforce visibility and trust.
Unilever Global describes itself as “A beacon of diversity and inclusion.” The company connects global and local DEI communication through an internal platform that translates inclusion goals into region-specific action. By tailoring messages to a cultural context, it ensures relevance while maintaining global consistency.
“We want to help build a fairer, more inclusive society. Our foundation must be an equitable workplace.” Unilever
These companies prove that, even in a period of retraction, transparency and consistent communication remain the clearest indicators of sustained DEI commitment — especially when companies are operating globally.
Every DEI initiative depends on communication that is inclusive, consistent, and equitable. But it’s not enough to simply send company-wide updates. You need a DEI communications platform that ensures the right message reaches the right people, in the right way, every time.
Cerkl Broadcast was designed for organizations that want to connect meaningfully with every employee and understand them in context. Using HRIS data, Broadcast builds dynamic audience segments based on DEI criteria such as department, role, location, and interests. Messages are automatically personalized and delivered through each employee’s preferred channels, including email, mobile, Teams, or Intranet, so that communication feels relevant rather than repetitive.
This approach ensures equity in communication. When an employee views a message on one channel, Broadcast’s intelligent delivery engine removes it from their other channels, preventing duplication and information overload. Employees stay informed and empowered to engage on their own terms.
For communicators, Broadcast makes measurement simple. Real-time analytics reveal who is engaging, which DEI messages resonate most, and where communication gaps remain. Insights like these help internal communicators adjust their diversity and inclusion communication strategy, demonstrate impact, and ensure every voice is included.
Learn how Broadcast supports organizations that want to build inclusive, data-driven communication strategies aligned with DEI goals.
A successful DEI strategy hinges on effective, streamlined communication. Cerkl Broadcast has the solution. Want to learn more?
Ensure your company's communications promote diversity, equity, and inclusion
Ensure your company's communications promote diversity, equity, and inclusion
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