Traditionally, DEI efforts were justified by ethical and moral arguments — the belief that fairness, equality, and justice are simply the “right thing” to do. While that foundation still holds value, the modern business environment demands quantifiable outcomes and strategic alignment. The moral argument alone has proven insufficient to drive meaningful and long-term organizational change.
Without measurable outcomes, return on investment (ROI), and clear performance indicators, DEI initiatives risk being deprioritized — particularly during periods of economic uncertainty or political resistance. The reality is that for DEI to be impactful it must be viewed a strategic business imperative, directly linked to organizational performance.
Developing a DEI business case is a crucial first step in getting leadership support for funding DEI projects. Leaders may be convinced of the potential ROI, cost savings, and competitive edge of DEI initiatives by presenting them with a strong business case, (Berkshire, 2023). To do this, it is important to have in place the right data that can be used to inform decisions and drive strategy.
During this event we will explore:
- The advantages and disadvantages of a targeted DEI strategy versus a multi-faceted approach.
- Approaches to building data driven insight across the employee lifecycle
- Steps to building an outcome focused business case
- The importance of demonstrating social value and how this can be used to win public sector contracts
Donatien Chedom Fotso
Anne Hurst
Olu Orugboh
Christina Schwabenland
