DEI Rollbacks : Finding Strength In Setbacks

In this episode we discuss the troubling recent decisions by Meta. 

But it’s not all bad news. I share how leaning on the community, the Diversity and Inclusion Leaders Group, helped me work through the frustration. Plus, I highlight inspiring examples of organisations like Apple, Costco, and Cisco, who are leading the way with strong DEI commitments.

Key takeaways from this episode include:

• Why Meta’s decisions are harmful: The ethical implications of their changes and how they conflict with international human rights standards.

• Positive examples: Stories of companies doubling down on inclusion to inspire and guide us forward.

• Practical strategies: Steps to stay resilient and proactive, such as speaking out, connecting with other champions and listening to employees' experiences.

• A motivational reminder: Desmond Tutu’s wisdom that even small acts of good can create ripples of change.

This episode is your reminder that setbacks don’t define the future—they’re opportunities to reaffirm your commitment to creating fairer, more inclusive spaces. 

Join me as we unpack this important topic and explore how to stay on the inclusive edge.

Transcript

Andrea Derbyshire (00:01)
Hello, everyone. Welcome back to the inclusive edge, the power of diversity. I'm so glad you're listening today. We've got an important topic to talk about, one that's really been on my mind a lot recently. So you've probably seen over the last couple of weeks, theres been a lot of headlines around diversity and inclusion, particularly META and their decision to start to allow harmful language on their platform. They're removing fact checkers and they're scaling back on their EDI efforts. So honestly, I personally have found this really quite troubling. It's not just disappointing, it's harmful. And I'll explain why I think that in just a moment. But I also want to share some really positive stories with you today, because despite the setbacks, there are companies out there that are doubling down on their commitment to DEI, like Apple and Costco, and they're showing us what really great inclusive leadership can look like. 

So I'm also going to touch on how I've worked with my diversity and inclusion leaders, Facebook group over the last couple of weeks to work through some of the frustration that I and other members have felt about these changes. And I'm also going to leave you with some practical steps and a quote that's been keeping me personally motivated this week. So let's get started. META recently announced two major big changes. Firstly, they decided that they're going to allow language on their platform that labels LGBTQ plus people as mentally ill and objectifies women and that will be allowed and won't flag up as harmful content. And secondly, they've decided to scale back their own in-house DEI efforts of reducing their intentional diversity hiring and supply and diversity programs. And they're saying this is about protecting freedom of speech.

But here's thing, freedom of speech isn't the same everywhere around the world. So in the United States, free speech is protected under the First Amendment, even if it's hateful. And that's as long as it doesn't directly incite violence. But under international human rights standards, freedom of speech can and should be restricted when it can potentially cause harm or it's being used to spread hate or incite discrimination.

So as META, operate globally, their decision to allow this kind of language doesn't, I feel it doesn't align with the responsibility that they have and the influence they have to users this all around the world. It's not just a legal issue. It's an ethical one because allowing this type of language to be used and not flagged up and removed from their platforms, it normalizes harmful negative stereotypes and it can fuel stigma and also have real negative mental health impacts on people from particular communities that have been impacted. On top of that, they're also removing the use of pride flags and flag emojis that are used by the trans and non-binary community on their platform. And it's sending a signal that inclusion isn't a priority. And with Meta being such a huge global player, setting a precedent for other companies to potentially follow suit. So it's not just about what they're doing, it's about their influence and the message they're sending out and the potential effects it could have across other industries. So when I first read about Metta's decisions in the news, was, I personally was upset, like really upset because it's hard not to feel disheartened when you see steps like this being taken backwards and you're someone that's been working passionately on the equality, diversity and inclusion agenda for a number of years. So I'll be honest, I had to seek support from my Facebook diversity and inclusion leaders community. So just being able to talk to others who understand these challenges made such a difference. It made me feel that I'm not alone in this work and that there are still so many people and organizations out there that are fighting the good fight for. equality, diversity and inclusion and championing this work on a day to day basis. 

So there are some real positive stories out there. So I wanted to today share a few with you that have really inspired me this week. Firstly, Apple, their board recently urged their shareholders to vote against proposals being made to weaken their DEI efforts. And that's leadership taking a stand and standing up for what's right.

There's also Costco and they have opposed eliminating their DEI programs and have recognized how important diversity is for being able to retain employees, improve performance and build strong supplier relationships. And thirdly, there's Cisco. They're leading the way in engaging employees and fostering a truly inclusive workplace culture. 

So these examples, they're proof that progress is still happening. So even when it feels like things are moving backwards and it's just all negative news stories, there are some organizations out there that are doing the opposite. They're doubling down on their inclusion efforts and they're really good shining examples that are for us of what is possible. So how do we move forward? How can we stay resilient and proactive in the face of setbacks like this? Here's a few things that I've found have helped me over recent weeks and I wanted to share them with you because I think they might help you too. 

So number one, the first thing that I would urge you to do is to speak up. If you feel comfortable, call out publicly harmful changes and policies like Metas. Share your concerns and also amplify and share the positive examples and stories and together collectively we can help to hold organisations accountable. Number two, focus on what you can control.

So look at your own workplace, look at the experiences and outcomes of employees working in your organisation and whether you are creating a culture where everyone feels valued. Even small changes to support your people can have a really big impact.

Number three, find and lean on your community. So if you're not already part of our diversity and inclusion leaders Facebook group, I'd love for you to join us. This is an invite for listeners today. If you're working in or on equality, diversity and inclusion, you're invited to join the D and I leaders Facebook group. It's a fantastic community of peer support, people who are being supportive and sharing resources, insights, experiences, encouragement, collaborating together, building relationships and networking. We've got over 1700 members around the world in over 80 different countries. Number four, engage in events. In the Facebook group we have, we now have quarterly online network meetings and our most recent network meeting last week.

One of our members, Pauline Isherwood, gave an incredible presentation on how to reset and reframe. And that was the inspiration for today's podcast. Thank you, Pauline. It was a really great reminder that we can adapt to challenges while staying hopeful, positive and grounded. And number five, really important, take care of yourself. I recognise that advocacy, it can be exhausting. You do have to be resilient to be working on this agenda.

We can't change the world overnight. It's a long game. And you just need to make sure that you're prioritizing your own well-being and supporting your mental health and your team's mental health too. So before we wrap up today, I want to share a quote with you that's been on my mind this week from Desmond Tutu. And that's do your little bits of good where you are. It's those little bits of good put together that can overwhelm the world.

So if you're not familiar with Desmond Tutu, he was a South African Anglican bishop, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, and a global advocate for justice and equality. And he played a huge role in ending apartheid and was a champion for human dignity. So that quote's a reminder that even small actions, whether it's starting a conversation, checking in with people, or supporting a colleague, that can create ripples of change. So everything that we do, every small step, every little bit counts. And as a guest on one of my previous podcasts, Sami Riaz said believe in the power of one. So you can make a difference for just one person. So thank you so much for joining me today. I hope that this episode has given you some insight, some inspiration, and maybe a little bit of motivation to keep going in challenging times.

If you'd like to continue the conversation again, I'd like to invite you to join the diversity and inclusion leaders Facebook group. You can find the link to join on Andrea Jane consultancy website. And also, if you enjoyed listening to today's episode, do hit subscribe. Just remember in the words of Desmond Tutu, do your little bit of good where you are because together we can make a difference. Until next time, take care.

Stay on the inclusive edge and keep building positive, inclusive workplaces and pushing for progress. Bye for now.