Embracing Inclusion: Meetings and Events Can Show How DEI Works

In mid-2023, job advertisements related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion witnessed a 44 percent decrease compared to the same period in the preceding year, according to data from career site Indeed. By November 2023, the most recent month with available data, there was still a significant year-over-year decline, at 23 percent. This is a stark departure from the 30 percent surge in such postings from 2020 to 2021.

Companies have taken drastic measures in response to this trend—laying off DEI staff and leaders of diverse employee resource groups, scaling back learning and development programs, and slashing budgets for external DEI groups by as much as 90 percent in 2023, according to a report from CNBC.

Tech giants Google and Meta have undergone staff cuts and downsized programs falling under DEI investment. This trend appears to be on the rise, possibly exacerbated by the shifting focus of news towards other pressing issues like upcoming U.S. elections and conflicts in the Middle East.

Whether the reduced emphasis on DEI initiatives is a consequence of not getting a reputation return from active media coverage, a need to cut budgets amid economic uncertainty, a lack of clear ROI or a combination of reasons—its forfeiture is disheartening to witness and stands to hurt corporate travel, meetings and events.

The business travel and events industries serve as vital arenas where professionals from diverse backgrounds converge, share ideas, collaborate, and weave the networks that power business. Over the past three years, I have seen meetings and events become more authentic and more vibrant, with an exchange of ideas and diversity of voices reaching a level I have not seen before.

Although there is still room for improvement, I think we have all observed the positive steps in terms of diversity across executive ranks in our own industry, staffing, leadership, speakers, panelists, conference agenda topics and—very importantly—across the meeting and event attendee base. Our industry is finally addressing a more inclusive version of the business world and the customer and employee groups that should matter to our businesses.

Whether companies continue to have designated diversity leaders or not, the diversity of prospective employees and business partners will only grow—as will their interest in DEI support in the workplace. A Pew Research Center survey of more than 5,900 U.S. workers conducted last year showed more than half supported DEI initiatives in the workplace. Focus on just the youngest age group in the survey, 18 to 20 year olds, and that support jumped to 68 percent.

Other surveys have shown that job applicants actively seek workplaces where DEI is part of the corporate culture and may choose to steer clear of those that have abandoned or discontinued that support. Why limit one's career potential by joining companies clinging to the status quo of a homogeneous majority? This is a valid question for employees to ask but also a critical question for future business partners as well.

The current shift away from DEI support will dampen innovation and perpetuate systemic inequalities in all business environments. It is crucial for corporations to grasp that genuine progress necessitates an unwavering dedication to diversity, resonating not only within the workplace but echoing throughout the broader professional ecosystem.

Meetings and events are uniquely positioned—given their new stature in many companies as a linchpin of business collaboration and corporate culture in an age of remote work—to exemplify and facilitate the integration of DEI into work culture

What other industry brings diverse groups of employees, industry leaders and colleagues, and customers together to focus on common challenges, opportunities and celebrations? As such, it is crucial for the health of our industry—and for the many industries we support, whether they recognize it or not—that meetings and events professionals view DEI not merely as a temporary initiative but as a permanent fixture in our business execution and industry culture. By actively embedding DEI principles, we can not only continue our progress but also set a standard for other industries to follow.

Instead of abandoning DEI initiatives, businesses should seize this pivotal moment to introspect and fortify their commitment to inclusivity. This involves reexamining recruitment practices, championing equal opportunities for advancement, and creating environments that exalt and embrace differences—the latter is literally what the meetings and events industry does every day.

Consumers themselves may be the ultimate lever of accountability. Two-thirds of U.S. consumers, according to Ipsos, make purchasing decisions based on their values. And the number-one judgment criteria for the increasingly young consumer is how well a company treats its employees. As younger generations gain the power of the purse, they will approach corporate posturing regarding DEI support with skepticism. They will choose to spend money with companies that prioritize diversity as an intrinsic element of their corporate DNA—transcending the mere ticking of checkboxes and irrespective of fluctuating public spotlight.

As leaders and participants in the business travel and events industries, it is imperative that we resist the current trend of retrenching DEI support and ensure that it does not disrupt or hinder the progress already underway. In short, why participate in misguided steps backward in 2024 when our industry’s DNA can help show the way to a brighter, more equitable, inclusive and profitable future?