Is Talking about "DEI" Bad for Business?

CEOs often feel damned if they do, damned if they don't. But the tide has turned decisively.

Even two years ago, it would have been hard to fathom the near-total downfall of DEI we’re now witnessing.

It’s not just due to President Trump’s re-ascendancy either. For over a year now, the business world has been discussing how to handle the DEI backlash. Target, McDonald’s, Meta, and many more are letting diversity goals fall by the wayside. Factions of the right and even some on the left are glad to see these programs go.

In today’s “CEO Daily” newsletter from Fortune, Diana Brady talks to Glassdoor CEO Christian Sutherland-Wong and summarizes the DEI issue this way:

In my experience, here’s what most CEOs believe to be true: a diverse and engaged workforce is good for business; talking about DEI externally is not.