What is DEI? If you take the word itself, it is ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’. We all know the meaning of it in English. If it is about a garden, we have different types and colors of plants which produce flowers- that is diversity. You give each plant nourishment and care based on that particular plant’s needs- that is equity. Sometimes it is not all about flowers, you include bushes, hedges and trees too – that is inclusion. So, there is nothing wrong with the term or the purpose. Something becomes Illegal when it is doing something against the law. Employee programs with the name, DEI, will not make it illegal.

Before getting into the details, why are DEI programs placed in workplaces?

If we look at the society we live in, what is the reality?

Let me tell you a story:

Once at lunchtime at school, my colleague was eating a sandwich and told me there was free lunch for new students. As a new student, seeing that I said with enthusiasm- ‘I’ll go get one too’. When I went to get one, the girl who was in charge – told me ‘ This is for first year students only’. For a moment, I forgot who and what I am – I could feel her disapproval and disbelief piercing through my body, her unasked question ‘ how can YOU be a student here, this elite school’. I could feel her looking down on me as if I am a free loader – and I froze. I did not want to argue or fight – or I didn’t need a small sandwich for what I felt. When I came back empty handed, my colleague – who was an immigrant but European, tried to console me ‘ When our kids grew up as Americans, they will not have any problems ‘. I looked at her and said, ‘ Not my kids, your kids will not have problems ‘. We ate in silence.

As you can see in my incident, I cannot change my physical appearance or age no matter what. My color, gender, or my appearance is not a choice, it is something I am born with. Those physical characteristics which I cannot change are called ‘immutable characteristics’ in legal terms. This is one of the criteria for the court to consider why a particular group is subject to discrimination or not. Well-designed DEI programs, along with policies and procedures prevent workplace discrimination.

These are some of the laws related to employment and workplaces:

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act,

Equal Pay Act,

Age Discrimination in Employment Act

and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

When anything against these happens, it is illegal. Workplaces often create programs to prevent illegal incidents and demonstrate preventative measures in court, which benefit them if sued or facing complaints. DEI programs are in the same category.

With the current political circumstances, public institutions and organizations which receive funding from governments are cautious about ‘DEI’ which is understandable. But why do companies and CEOs stop programs related to DEI, if those programs are related to prevent illegal incidents?

There is only one answer, lack of strong leadership. If a company has core values, it will always match DEI programs. If a company is pulling all their DEI programs, that company doesn’t uphold their core values. On the other hand, if a company can say DEI programs reflect our core values, there’s not much government can do against corporate rights, which grant businesses certain constitutional protections similar to those of natural persons, including free speech, property rights, and due process.

According to this article by Michelle Travis, most employees support DEI programs at workplaces.

“More than three out of four employees (76%) say they are more likely to stay in their job long term if their employer continues to support DEI, according to a large-scale survey published in June 2025. More than two out of five employees (43%) said they would quit their job if their employer stops supporting DEI.”

Costco’s leadership is an example companies can follow about DEI programs. They didn’t suffer any consequences but had a 7% rise in net sales compared to the previous year. Their fearless leadership brought public admiration along with profits.

Leadership is not about being cautious or only about business results, but also about fostering environments where integrity, trust, and respect thrive. That is why DEI programs exist.