In the aftermath of George Floyd's murder and the subsequent rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, the chief diversity & inclusion officer (CDIO) became the hottest hire into C-suite ranks as companies sought to strengthen equality and diversity in the workplace. But has it become more of a hindrance than a help?
A diversity chief can take organisations away from vague aspirations of inclusivity, ensuring that goals are concrete and properly resourced. The DIAl Global Diversity Review 2023 – an annual study of diversity and inclusion in large UK companies – has found 84% of the 86 participating companies now report having one.
For some, however, appetite for such a role is fading. In February, Zoom replaced its internal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) team with outside consultants, as part of a new approach. In doing so, they joined the growing list of high-profile organisations to have ditched their diversity chiefs or shrunken their DEI teams in the past twelve months.
Dwindling commitment to the role has led many to question if it is important or effective enough. Others argue that the demise of the diversity chief is a reflection of inadequate resourcing, not inherent role weakness, and that organisations need someone sitting in the C-suite to hold them truly accountable. So, what’s the best approach for organisations looking to drive their diversity agenda?