Top 3 Questions Board Members Are Asking About Inclusion

This report outlines the three most pressing questions corporate boards are posing to leaders about inclusion in 2025. First, boards are asking what other companies are doing as many organizations rebrand or scale back their efforts under political and legal pressure, often replacing “DEI” with terms like “belonging” or “culture.” Second, they’re weighing the risks of maintaining versus reducing inclusion initiatives—while scaling back may lower legal exposure, it can harm reputation, workforce engagement, and customer loyalty. Finally, boards want guidance on communicating inclusion effectively by linking it to business goals, embedding it across departments, using inclusive language, and leveraging ERGs to reinforce belonging for all employees.