A message from Dublin Pride

In recent months, attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) have been a recurring topic in global business news. However, is the rollback on these initiatives really as widespread as it seems? Jed Dowling, Co-CEO of Dublin Pride, goes beyond the headlines to paint a clearer picture.

DEI — Pride — Support

If I said 8 out of 10 cats prefer DEI, you’d immediately know that that’s the majority and that the 20 per cent that don’t or aren’t interested are a minority. Now that’s not a real statistic, it’s based on an old cat food ad, but you get the point. When we see a number expressed as a percentage or out of 10, most of the time we immediately understand it. If, on the other hand, I said, “1 in 8 companies are scaling back DEI commitments in 2025”, it might take you a second to figure that out; fractions are tricky like that. That is a real statistic and was the headline used by some news outlets covering a report by Resume.org.

Every other statistic in the report is expressed as a percentage or out of 10. For example, the report, which was based on a survey of 1,000 companies, also found that 65 per cent said their DEI budget would remain the same, and 22 per cent said they’d be increasing it. That’s 77 per cent. It’s almost the same as saying 8 out of 10 cats prefer DEI. And, as for the 1 in 8 that are scaling back, that’s 12.5 per cent.

It reminds me of the saying, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” It’s important never to take a statistic or a headline at face value. Over the past few months, there’s been a lot of headlines about companies ending DEI initiatives, but what’s the full story, and what have they actually said?

Firstly, it’s important to understand that ‘DEI initiative’ is a very broad term, and even among DEI practitioners, there are differing views on which practices work best. Some may favour a data-driven approach, the idea being that you measure, analyse and improve, and then measure again. Some may incorporate targets and quotas into their practices. Most LGBTQ+ organisations that work in the DEI sphere in Ireland use an empathy-led system, with a focus on education, knowledge sharing, storytelling and collaboration. That’s just a few of the systems that are used.

While some organisations, most notably the new American administration, appear to be attacking all forms of DEI and pose real threats to workers’ rights and dignity, this is not necessarily the case for all organisations. When you read the whole story, you might find that a company is ending DEI targets, quotas or reporting, but other programmes will carry on unaffected or even be expanded. Of course, that’s not always the case; as marginalised communities, we understand only too well how the thin end of the wedge works.

Some organisations have also begun to change the language they use when they talk about diversity, equity and inclusion. That could be as simple as just spelling out the words rather than using the acronym, or by using words like fairness, dignity, or respect. There are mixed views on this. Some may feel that this would be capitulating to right-wing demands, and even if they did change their language, it wouldn’t make a difference. On the other hand, some will argue that it’s the work we do and the positive impact it has on individuals, organisations, and wider society that’s important, and the name we call it shouldn’t be allowed to distract from the work. Over the past month, we’ve seen a lot of new acronyms and variations of DEI, and no doubt we’ll see a few more.

To put this in some context, in the same way that not all DEI practitioners use the same systems or processes, we also don’t all use the term DEI. For some, it’s a variation of all or some of the letters DEIBW (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, Well-Being). Others use terms like ‘Social Justice’, or ‘Social Sustainability’, and may even manage diversity and inclusion initiatives from an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) or sustainability department. For others, it’s a HR function or even a standalone department. Language evolves, systems and processes evolve, people evolve.

As we go through Pride season this year, typically a time when companies get involved in big shows of support for the community, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Alongside protest and celebration, Pride is a time for connection. For many, that connection has been facilitated by the companies they work for. That could be by inviting LGBTQ+ organisations into your office to give talks or run events, or by marching as a group at Pride. Organisations are made up of people, and in most cases, the vast majority of those people have no say in the policies that the organisation takes, even though they are usually the ones most impacted by them. If a company rolls back or completely terminates its DEI programmes, its workers will be the ones who suffer most. It would be wrong to blame them for the actions of their employers. It’s also important not to wipe out the legacy of good work they achieved. Many DEI programmes were built from the ground up by workers, often on their own time. Watching your employer abandon you and possibly wipe out years of work, along with a fear that maybe what you thought was genuine support was rainbow-washing after all, is devastating.

If this has been the case for you, don’t lose your connection to your community. It’s more important now than ever. Why not consider joining up or volunteering with one of our amazing community organisations and marching with them at Pride? They could really use the support right now.

Another thing to remember is that Pride is one of the biggest fundraising events of the year for many LGBTQ+ organisations. Behind the flags and floats, staff and volunteers around the country are working overtime to raise the funds needed to keep our community spaces and support services running all year round. If you’re a business, choosing community and non-profit organisations to deliver talks and workshops has a double impact, as you’re not only supporting your own team, but your contribution is providing meaningful support for the LGBTQ+ community. As individuals, we all have a role to play in supporting our community, which could be by donating, volunteering, or simply showing up when needed.

Finally, be clear in your own beliefs. Mary Robinson once said, “The stories we tell determine the history we make and remake”. Think about that. It’s not the stories we hear, it’s the stories we tell. We’ve heard a lot of negative things about diversity, equity, inclusion and sustainability recently, but what’s the story that you’re going to tell? What do you believe?

We at Dublin Pride believe that diversity gives organisations and communities the opportunity to be more innovative, better at solving problems and more efficient. We believe that equity gives everyone the opportunity to achieve their full potential and be their best selves. We believe that inclusion gives us all the opportunity to be our own wonderful and unique selves, while at the same time being part of something bigger than the sum of its parts: community. We believe that sustainability means giving every community the opportunity to meet their needs, without compromising the needs of other communities or future generations.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Sustainability. DEIS—that’s the Irish word for ‘opportunity.’