As the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations filled the streets of Manhattan, over 80 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Talent leaders gathered at Seramount’s Think Bigger Summit in NYC. This exclusive event provided a platform for thought leaders to discuss how organizations can navigate the evolving DEI landscape, balancing legal, political, and business risks and opportunities.
At Seramount, our 2025 theme, “Think Bigger, Act Smarter,” drives our research, advisory, and engagement efforts. The summit reflected this ethos, bringing together top executives to explore strategies for sustaining DEI efforts amid shifting regulatory and societal pressures.
Read on for 5 key takeaways from the event on the state of DEI now:
1. DEI Under Fire: Balancing Risk and Resilience
In 2025, the legal and political landscape is evolving more rapidly than ever before. To be sure, the breakneck speed of new executive orders and compliance requirements continues to place DEI initiatives under scrutiny. At the same time, growing employee and customer boycotts are targeting companies retreating from prior DEI commitments.
With risks on both sides, organizations must strike a delicate balance between maintaining their commitment to inclusion and adapting to emerging risks. Leaders emphasized the importance of:
Conducting regular audits of DEI policies to ensure compliance without over-correcting.
Aligning DEI strategies with broader business objectives to reinforce their value.
Leveraging external advisory resources to stay ahead of legal and policy shifts.
Mitigating legal risk: Insights from a legal expert from a top firm highlighted the importance of navigating EO 14173, which mandates that federal contractors certify they do not engage in ‘illegal DEI’ practices, adding compliance complexity given uncertain terms and definitions. Companies must be prepared for False Claims Act allegations and increased enforcement actions.
2. The Business Case for DEI: Beyond Compliance
Data-driven DEI strategies continue to prove their impact on retention, engagement, and market expansion. Leading organizations from around the world shared best practices for:
Tying DEI efforts to business outcomes such as customer satisfaction, revenue growth, and innovation.
Embedding DEI across all business functions rather than siloing it as a separate initiative.
Leveraging Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) as a measurable driver of workplace engagement and long-term career success in an evolving context.
Operationalizing DEI for ROI: A DEI leader from the world of sports shared how an HBCU partnership with a national brand drove a 20% sales boost, showcasing the business impact of inclusive initiatives.
3. Reframing DEI: A Strategic Shift in Messaging
In the current climate, major organizations are reevaluating how they communicate their DEI commitments. Strategies include:
Shifting terminology to focus on “inclusive leadership,” “culture,” “impact,” and “innovation.”
Rescoping programs to emphasize broad participation while maintaining core diversity objectives.
Training leaders to articulate the business and cultural value of DEI in ways that resonate with a wide range of stakeholders.
Strategic repositioning: Companies are renaming programs to reduce external visibility while safeguarding core DEI objectives. For example, “supplier diversity” might be rebranded as “inclusive sourcing” to avoid backlash.
4. The Science of Friendliness: Inclusion as a Competitive Advantage
Keynote speaker Dr. Vanessa Woods (Duke University) presented groundbreaking research on how cooperation and inclusivity have been central to human evolution. This session reinforced the power of:
Contact theory in the workplace as a driver of innovation, collaboration, and understanding.
Intergroup relationships in reducing bias and strengthening organizational culture.
Intentional organizational and team structures that encourage inclusive perspectives and cross-functional collaboration.
Practical applications: Companies can foster cross-group interactions to enhance collective intelligence and reduce dehumanization, driving more inclusive, impactful, and psychologically safe team dynamics.
5. Executive Insights: Operationalizing DEI for Business Impact
In a powerful session, Michael Nicholson (Seramount) interviewed a DEI leader from the world of sports who shared tactical strategies and takeaways for embedding DEI into core business practices. Insights included:
Tying DEI to executive compensation: Companies are holding leaders accountable by linking DEI performance to bonus structures, driving sustainable commitment.
Leadership cohorts for historically excluded talent: Programs designed to develop the next generation of inclusive leaders are helping organizations prepare their pipelines for the future of work.
Community impact and business growth: A major sports organization’s DEI blueprint includes measurable outcomes in supplier diversity, fan development, and community engagement, demonstrating how inclusion can drive both social and financial returns.
The Path Forward: Actionable Strategies for DEI Leaders
While preparing for an uncertain future, leaders also shared their best practices for sustaining momentum:
Integrating DEI into leadership accountability through performance management metrics.
Creating open-to-all initiatives that align with business values while fostering inclusion.
Developing future DEI leaders through leadership training and mentoring programs.
Looking Ahead: Join the Conversation
Given the success of this event, Seramount is hosting a virtual Think Bigger Summit on April 1st for those who couldn’t attend in person. Additionally, we’re gearing up for our May 12th Executive Roundtable in Los Angeles, where we’ll build on these insights with fresh perspectives and new strategies drawn from our 600+ global partner organizations.
Need help navigating the evolving diversity, equity, and inclusion landscape or interested in inquiring about our upcoming Think Bigger summits for DEI leaders? Seramount is here to help.
Eva is an Associate Director of Partner Development, responsible for helping new partner organizations unlock the value of Seramount’s DEI research and apply it to drive success within their organizations. She brings extensive experience in ERG leadership, DEI curriculum development and facilitation, and team culture building within large, matrixed organizations.
Eva is an Associate Director of Partner Development, responsible for helping new partner organizations unlock the value of Seramount’s DEI research and apply it to drive success within their organizations. She brings extensive experience in ERG leadership, DEI curriculum development and facilitation, and team culture building within large, matrixed organizations.
Before joining Seramount, Eva worked with pharmaceutical and medical device companies to address strategic issues such as health equity, AI in healthcare, leadership adaptiveness, and policy implications. She supported this work through consultative relationships and data-driven research.
Outside of work, Eva enjoys traveling—most recently exploring the beauty and traditions of Sri Lanka. She is also an avid supporter of the NY film scene, actively involved in Brooklyn’s cat fostering community, and the proud caretaker of her (too) many plants.
Michael Nicholson is an Associate Director, Strategic Research and Product Marketing at Seramount. As a DEI and talent researcher, he is equally committed to delightful storytelling and useful knowledge. His responsibilities at Seramount include management of thought leadership, product narratives, and other strategic research initiatives.
Michael Nicholson is a Principal, Strategic Research at Seramount. As a DEI and talent researcher, he is equally committed to delightful storytelling and useful knowledge. His responsibilities at Seramount include management of thought leadership, product narratives, and other strategic research initiatives. At Seramount and beyond, he works to create effective messaging for all. Whether in an app or a sonnet, he believes every word counts.
Prior to joining the Seramount team, Michael earned his PhD at UCLA and served as a tenure-track professor at McGill University. As Director of the Montreal International Poetry Prize, he pursued his lifelong love of inclusive storytelling and actionable insights, helping to develop and market the first app-based, character-limited global writing product.
Michael lives in Southern California with his son, Wyatt, where he enjoys hiking along the coast and advancing environmental justice. As a neurodiversity advocate, he’s always looking to connect with fellow wordsmiths with a shared passion for impactful data and accessible communities.
