In this episode of Me, Myself & AI, we unpack why retreating from Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) isn’t a “neutral reset,” but a risk, for people, for culture, and for business. We explore what academic research reveals about the impact of microaggressions, lost diversity, and dismantled inclusion efforts. From real-world DEI rollbacks to data on firm performance and organizational health, we show how exclusion isn’t just a social problem, it’s a business problem. If you care about fairness and sustainable success, this episode is for you.
Sources:
Mihaylova, I. & Rietmann, K. — Diversity, equity and inclusion at a crossroads: a scoping review of the characteristics of workplace backlash (2025)
- Hamza-Orlińska, A., et al. — Unlearning diversity management (2024)
- Saha, R.; Kabir, M. N.; Hossain, S. A.; & Rabby, S. M. — Impact of Diversity and Inclusion on Firm Performance: Moderating Role of Institutional Ownership (2024)
- Turi, J. A. et al. — Diversity impact on organizational performance (2022)
- Kasih, E. & Ruslaini — The Impact of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives on Organizational Performance (2025)
- Østergaard, C. R. & Timmermans, B. — Workplace diversity and innovation performance: current state of affairs and future directions (2023)
- Raddant, M. & Karimi, F. — The dynamics of diversity on corporate boards (2024)
- de Souza Santos, R.; Barcom, A.; Wessel, M.; & Magalhaes, C. — From Diverse Origins to a DEI Crisis: The Pushback Against Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Software Engineering (2025)
