7 Ways Top Companies Are Rethinking Inclusion in 2025

What Talent, Inclusion, and People Leaders Need to Know Now

Inclusion work has never been under more scrutiny, nor more essential. Legal risks, political polarization, and fatigue with traditional framing have made “DEI” a loaded term in 2025. At Seramount, we believe this is not the end of the work, however, but an evolution.

Here’s what’s changing, and here’s what future-ready organizations are doing now to lead through the shift.

1. Reframe the Work Around Strategy, Not Sentiment

Leading organizations are shifting from public-facing campaigns to embedded, business-aligned strategies. The work is quieter, but smarter.

“Companies aren’t retreating, they’re recalibrating.”
—Ripa Rashid, Managing Director

2. Understand the Four Types of Risk

Inclusion now lives at the intersection of:

Legal risk
Reputational risk
Workforce risk
Loyalty risk

Being proactive, not reactive, will define resilient global brands

“Inclusive leaders act on fact, not fear.”
—Bridgette Scales, Managing Director

3. Use Frameworks to Guide Strategy

Three New Frameworks for Inclusive Business Strategy (from Seramount leaders):

“The Sieve Model”
Sort what to preserve, pause, or sunset
—Subha Barry, President

“Three C’s”
Community, Competitive Advantage, Collectivism
—Steve Pemberton, Managing Director

“Four Pillars”
Talent, Business Outcomes, Culture, Conscience
—Bridgette Scales, Managing Director

4. Speak a Different Language

The term “DEI” may not serve you right now. But the work still matters. Lead with strategic empathy, not political correctness.

“Brag less. Do more.”
—Subha Barry, President

“Reframe inclusion in the language of innovation, growth, and efficiency.”
—Laura Sherbin, PhD, Managing Director

5. Embed Inclusion Across the Business

R&D
Marketing and design
Clinical trials
Product shelves
Leadership pipelines

Think bigger about inclusion, then act smarter.

“Are you willing to lose market share? If not, inclusion isn’t optional, it’s operational.”
—Bridgette Scales, Managing Director

6. Evolve ERGs into Strategic Assets

Support them. Resource them. Integrate them.

“When done right, ERGs are the cultural antennae of your business.”
—Bridgette Scales, Managing Director

“ERGs should be advisory engines.”
—Subha Barry, President

7. Hold Leaders Accountable Like You Mean It

Tie inclusion to:

KPIs and metrics
Executive compensation
Culture scores
Customer insights

“Stop measuring intent, start measuring results.”
—Steve Pemberton, Managing Director

Designing the Next Era of Inclusion

The future of inclusion isn’t about defending the past. It’s about designing for the workplace of tomorrow.

Whether you use the term “DEI” or not, the mandate is clear: inclusion must become smarter, broader, and more embedded than ever.

It’s not just the right thing to do. As demographics continue to shift, it’s how high-performing companies will compete to win the customer and employee of the future.

Ready to Lead Through the Shift?

Seramount partners with organizations of all sizes to evolve inclusion into a strategic business advantage.