Don’t Call Me Outside of My Name: The Need for Unified Definitions

Abstract

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have faced unprecedented political and organizational backlash recently, with over 100 bills and federal prohibitions reshaping this landscape substantially. As policymakers and organizational leaders work toward a solution to ongoing and growing skepticism around DEI, they must invest in rigorous and evidence-based practices to build confidence in the utility of DEI initiatives. In our work, we identify two critical issues that must be resolved as we work toward this goal. First, as a field, we lack agreed-upon and unified definitions of DEI initiatives, inviting ambiguity. Second, we lack clear and concise recommendations around the efficacy and utility of specific DEI initiatives, leaving organizations with little guidance on selecting initiatives that will manifest intended outcomes. Our chapter tackles each of these questions, ending with recommendations for a path forward for researchers, practitioners, and organizations in implementing generative and results-driven DEI initiatives.