The Diversity Project is launching a campaign to find a new name in a bid to “reframe and depoliticise” the DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] discussion, it was announced.
Speaking at The Diversity Project’s Annual Event in London last week, Helena Morrissey, chair of the Diversity Project, said the decision partly reflects the initiative having grown beyond the idea of a “project”.
She added that the conversation about diversity has become distorted and overly politicised, with some now viewing diversity as ideological, divisive, or preferential.
The name change is planned to coincide with the organisation’s 10th anniversary next year.
Morrissey told IPE: “It’s time to reframe and depoliticise the discussion and to reclaim our original intention, which was always to ensure the best talent had the opportunity to be recruited, develop their careers and make a real contribution to businesses.”
The announcement comes amid the backlash against DEI, particularly after US president Donald Trump’s anti-DEI executive orders and the global “chill wind” they created, Morrissey said.
“It was exactly 12 months ago, pretty much to the day, that we were digesting the news of president Trump’s election to a second term, and as we all know now, he hit the ground running in January and hasn’t really stopped since,” Morrissey continued.
“Amongst his very early interventions were two, now very infamous, executive orders which were entitled, and I quote, ‘Ending radical and wasteful government DEI programmes and preferencing’ and ‘Ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity’, respectively.
“Since then, one in five American companies has completely eliminated their DEI initiatives,” she added.
Cognitive diversity study
Speaking at the event, Morrissey added that the initiative’s goal is not to claw back lost ground in a defensive posture, but to make a breakthrough and build a broader coalition for change.
Earlier this year, the Diversity Project commissioned a research project, led by Alex Edmans, professor of finance at the London Business School, to revisit the business case for diversity of thought.
The Cognitive Diversity in Asset Management paper, published earlier this year, challenged the commonly held assumption that diversity, particularly cognitive diversity, guarantees stronger team performance and investment decisions.
Speaking to IPE about the planned rebrand, Edmans said: “I am fully supportive of the name change. The initial business case for diversity was, and remains, compelling: to recruit the very best people regardless of background and create an environment where they can thrive and exchange different viewpoints. However, some diversity advocates reduce it to a box-ticking exercise; some opponents believe that it helps some groups at the expense of others.
“A new name can highlight how diversity can grow the pie for the benefit of all, if implemented in a systemic and multidimensional way,” he added.
The consultation launched last week, with submissions closing Friday 21 November.
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