The principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) aren't just a moral imperative, but a strategic necessity. The success of any organization is woven with its commitment to DEIB and in most cases, your organization's approach to DEIB reflects its values and aspirations.
We asked business leaders, entrepreneurs, and business owners about how their organization is addressing DEIB, and here are the responses.
#1- By implementing a multi-faceted approach
As the founder of our company, I've prioritized Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) as essential components of our organizational culture. We've implemented a multi-faceted approach that starts with our recruitment process. Once employees join our organization, we focus on creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. We offer regular DEIB training for all employees, covering topics such as microaggressions, allyship, and cultural competence. We've established a DEIB council that includes representatives from various departments and levels to drive initiatives and provide accountability.
Thanks to Christian Espinosa, Blue Goat Cyber!
#2- By providing culturally sensitive training
In our company, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment by ensuring our services are accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances. One way we address DEIB is by offering our online medical certificates and doctor’s notes in multiple languages. This helps to break down language barriers and ensures that non-native English speakers can comfortably access the medical documentation they need. On top of that, we provide culturally sensitive training to our staff, so they are equipped to understand and respect the diverse needs of our users.
Thanks to Maria Knobel, Medical Cert UK!
#3- By cultivating a culture of creativity
At RSM Design, we cultivate a culture of creativity where everyone is welcome. Our team is a mosaic of different cultures, experiences, and perspectives, and we recognize that this rich diversity only produces greater innovation and the ability to resonate authentically with the communities we serve. This is apparent in our company culture & inclusive policies. We are proud to be a certified Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and promote sustainable practices that help protect the environment and all its inhabitants. we ensure everyone can share their voice and feel welcomed in the built environment.
Thanks to Cody Clark, RSM Design!
#4- By establishing employee resource groups
We've implemented several initiatives to foster a more inclusive workplace environment. This includes revising our hiring practices to reduce bias, offering unconscious bias training to all employees, and establishing employee resource groups to support underrepresented communities within our workforce. Our company-wide communications now include regular updates on DEIB progress and initiatives, and we've incorporated DEIB objectives into our performance evaluation process. We recognize that this is an ongoing journey, to ensure all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best work.
Thanks to Ben Whitmarsh, Generators For Export!
#5- By ensuring equal opportunity to all
We believe that a diverse team is essential for driving creativity and innovation. For this, we focus on creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected & included. This includes DEIB training for all employees, transparent recruitment processes, & policies designed to ensure equal opportunities for everyone. We actively seek feedback from our team to continuously improve and address any concerns. Our goal is to not just meet but exceed industry standards for DEIB, making sure that every individual feels a genuine sense of belonging and is empowered to succeed.
Thanks to Chris Bajda, Groomsday!
#6- Through a holistic approach
For DIEB, what we have focused on, rather than token items, is embedding DIEB in a structured way. We’ve done this to ensure we’re creating a solid, meaningful foundation and we find it has a real impact. Take our recruitment process; we share questions with candidates, ahead of the interview which helps neurodivergent candidates and can reduce anxiety and stress for many people. Also, we’ve had a big focus on transparency, and our vision is to create an empowered and equitable organization. Overall, the way we’re approaching DEIB is a holistic one woven into the employee experience.
Thanks to Elle Chappell, CareScribe!
#7- By hiring people from different backgrounds
At ShipSage, we actively hunt for diverse talent to bring fresh perspectives to our team. We believe hiring people from different backgrounds ignites creativity and drives new ideas. This diversity strengthens our team and helps us better serve our diverse clients. By valuing and integrating various viewpoints, we create a dynamic, inclusive workplace where everyone feels empowered to do their best work.
Thanks to Ben Pu, ShipSage!
#8- By providing equal opportunities
As a remote digital marketing agency, we leverage geographical flexibility to cultivate a diverse workforce. We actively recruit talented individuals from varied backgrounds, ensuring a wide range of perspectives that enrich our creativity and enhance services. We've implemented policies and practices that ensure all team members feel valued and respected, regardless of their race, gender, age, or cultural background. Equity is particularly important to us. We strive to provide equal opportunities for growth and advancement. Our leadership regularly reviews our practices to ensure fairness in project assignments, promotions, and benefits, making adjustments as needed.
Thanks to Paul Mario Vratusha, D Studio Consulting!
#9- By encouraging feedback about DIEB
We’re committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging by integrating these values into every aspect of our organization. We prioritize creating an inclusive work environment where everyone feels valued and heard. This means actively recruiting from diverse talent pools and providing ongoing training to ensure that our team is equipped with the knowledge and skills to foster an equitable workplace. We promote a culture of openness by encouraging feedback and dialogue about DEIB, and we have implemented policies that support work-life balance and career growth for employees.
Thanks to Daisy Cabral, Teami Blends!
#10- Implementing a mentorship program
In our firm, we’ve implemented a mentorship program that pairs our senior staff with junior employees from diverse backgrounds. This initiative not only fosters a culture of inclusion and belonging but also provides opportunities for diverse perspectives to influence our decision-making processes. It’s a win-win situation: our junior staff gain valuable insights and career guidance, while our senior staff benefit from fresh perspectives and ideas. This program is just one of the ways we’re working to ensure that every member of our team feels valued and heard. We believe that by embracing diversity, we can better serve our clients and contribute to a more equitable society.
Thanks to Oliver Morrisey, Wills & Estate Lawyers!
#11- By implementing structured recruitment processes
At Morse Decoder, we firmly believe that a diverse and inclusive workplace drives innovation and creativity. We are committed to fostering an environment where every individual feels valued and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. Our approach includes implementing structured recruitment processes that focus on diverse talent pools, providing ongoing training on unconscious bias, and creating employee resource groups that champion underrepresented voices. We strive to cultivate a culture of belonging, ensuring that all team members not only feel heard but also have the opportunity to thrive and advance in their careers.
Thanks to Burak Ozdemir, Morse Decoder!
#12- By hiring and training diversified teams
We prioritize DEIB because we believe that diverse teams drive innovation and success. We’ve implemented hiring practices that ensure a wide range of candidates from different backgrounds are considered. We provide regular DEIB training to our employees to foster a culture of understanding and respect. We have employee resource groups that offer support and a sense of community. Our commitment to DEIB is not just about policies but about creating an environment where everyone feels valued and included. This approach helps us better serve our customers and enriches our workplace.
Thanks to Jason Jones, ATX Epoxy Floors!
#13- Two ways
Nurp has taken significant steps towards DIEB by empowering women and placing them in executive roles within the company. This initiative has led to a well-rounded vision and leadership, with diverse perspectives driving the company’s direction, success, mentorship, and culture. Nurp uses a quantitative scoring system in its interview processes to ensure objectivity and fairness, evaluating candidates solely on their skill sets. Additionally, we post job roles worldwide, allowing us to build a team from diverse cultures & perspectives, enhancing problem-solving & innovative success.
Thanks to Jeff Sekinger, Nurp!
#14- By cultivating a sense of belonging
At Truck Driver Institute, we are deeply invested in a diverse and inclusive environment that is welcoming to our staff and students. We actively recruit from a rich pool of prospective students from various backgrounds and locations near our campuses. We also regularly hold trainings for our staff to encourage of culture of inclusion amongst our team. Our overall goal is to cultivate a sense of belonging amongst our team members and students where individuals can thrive.
Thanks to Lauren Gast, Truck Driver Institute!
#15- By prioritizing empathy and mutual respect
Addressing DEIB, we've essentially cultivated a workplace culture rooted in human connection. Prioritizing empathy and mutual respect. we've built together an environment where every individual young and old, no matter the identity as well as ideals feels valued. We strongly believe that a team of diversity brings a wealth of perspectives and ideas, leading to innovative solutions and better business outcomes. By mentorship & cultural festivities/acknowledgment, as well as inclusive policies. We strive to create a workplace where everyone can reach their full potential.
Thanks to Steve Sacona, Top 10 Lawyers!
#16- Through engaging seminars & group meetings
We’re weaving DEIB deeply into the fabric of our organization through engaging seminars and group meetings. I find that these aren’t just lectures— they’re platforms for real, open conversations among our team. We dive into difficult questions and everyday scenarios, ensuring every individual feels heard and valued. Our goal? To do more than just inform—to create a workplace where everyone truly feels part of the team and empowered to share their unique viewpoints. These sessions are an ongoing effort, underscoring our commitment to making DEIB a continual, evolving part of our culture.
Thanks to Stanley John Kebite, Japan-101!
#17- By establishing metrics and KPIs
To ensure the long-term success of our DEIB initiatives, we have established clear metrics and KPIs to track our progress. These include measures of workforce diversity, employee engagement, and belonging, and the inclusivity of our business processes. We report on our DEIB performance regularly and transparently, both internally and externally, to build trust and demonstrate our commitment to continuous improvement.
Thanks to Chris Hoffman, Lehigh Valley Just Listed Real Estate!
#18- Through comprehensive bias training
For DIEB, We have implemented various initiatives to ensure that our organization truly represents the world we live in. We've embraced comprehensive bias training for all employees, designed to uncover unconscious biases and foster a more inclusive attitude across the board. This has been instrumental in creating an awareness that leads to more equitable decision-making processes and opportunities for everyone. These initiatives have helped us build a culture of belonging where everyone feels valued and respected for who they are. Also, we actively seek out and partner with diverse suppliers and vendors to support economic equity within our community.
Thanks to Caroline Bogart, As Well You Should!
#19- By having discussions on equity and diversity
A key aspect of addressing diversity and inclusion in our organization is having constructive discussions with our staff on what diversity and equity mean to them. This may include understanding their experiences where they felt they didn't belong or were excluded. we provide an opportunity for our staff to provide input into what constitutes a successful culture of inclusion. Some of the initiatives are training on such topics as unconscious basis, and revising our hiring practices. We have facilitated round table discussions with other organizations & DEI targets to monitor our progress.
Thanks to Mo Jalloh, Athletic Fusion Labs!
#20- By celebrating different backgrounds and perspectives
We prioritize DEIB by creating an environment where everyone feels valued and heard. We actively seek diverse talent, ensuring our hiring practices are inclusive. Our DEIB committee regularly hosts workshops and training sessions to educate our team on unconscious biases & cultural competence. We also encourage open dialogue and feedback to continuously improve our practices. By celebrating different backgrounds and perspectives, we foster a sense of belonging and drive innovation. A diverse & inclusive workplace enhances employee satisfaction and also leads to better business.
Thanks to William Clark, SATX Concrete Contractors!