Atlanta CHROs Reframe DEI in Response to Legal and Cultural Shifts

HR Policy’s Atlanta CHRO Community convened 13 CHROs on May 1 to discuss changes companies have made—or are considering—following the Trump administration’s Executive Order on DEI, along with other timely issues. 

• Graciously hosted by Karen Bennett, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Cox Enterprises, and moderated by Steve Fry, HR Policy Senior Advisor and former SVP and CHRO at Eli Lilly & Co, the breakfast gathering featured CHROs across multiple industries.

Committed to the Work of Inclusion: Participating CHROs noted that their companies were committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, within the bounds of the law, but some were adjusting their programs and how they communicated them. 

This affirms HR Policy’s recent CHRO survey findings  and other research. Specific changes include:

• Changing the name from diversity, equity and inclusion to: “employee engagement,” “inclusion,” “engagement and culture,” or “belonging,” and tying the work to employee engagement;

• Changing external disclosure of aspirational diversity targets;

• Ensuring that employee resource groups are indeed open to all employees;

• Reviewing and adjusting language on external websites and communications, as well as internal portals for consistency with company principles; and

• Revisiting the use of diverse slates for interviews.

Employee Reactions: Most CHROs noted that employees appreciated the explanations of the changes they were making. Some participants explained that they received some negative employee reactions for moving away from the use of “diversity, equity and inclusion.”  From a global standpoint, companies affirmed that they were structuring DEI approaches to comport with the law and cultures of the countries in which they operate.

Supplier Diversity and Outside Groups: Participants discussed reframing supplier diversity to focus more broadly on small businesses. With respect to outside surveys and groups, several companies have stopped or revised participation.

Bottom Line: HRPAs CHRO networking events provide an unparalleled combination of networking, peer sharing, and substantive information that reinforce the value of Association membership.  Look for more regional events soon!