The ripple effects of the new US administration are reverberating across international affairs, trade, health, migration and several other global spheres. Diversity, equity and inclusion (‘DEI’) is another area under the spotlight.

Businesses are no doubt assessing how Trump’s executive orders and domestic policies impact their operations, both locally and globally. Some may be questioning whether to scale back their commitments to fairness and equality in the workplace. But that would be a mistake.

The close relationship between the US and the UK means that what happens in the US will inevitably influence how DEI is approached here. Recently, the UK health secretary’s comments ignited a debate around DEI, particularly in the NHS. Media headlines claimed the NHS was being “attacked” for its focus on equality, diversity and inclusion.

Behind the headlines, however, health secretary Wes Streeting challenged the false dichotomy between saving money on DEI efforts versus redirecting those resources to patient care. Speaking on World Cancer Day earlier this month, Streeting highlighted persistent inequalities that remain invisible without a diversity, equity or inclusion lens.

For instance, Black men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer as White men; Black women are three times more likely to die during childbirth. Suicide rates are highest for the White British majority, those from Mixed heritage and White Gypsy/Irish Traveller backgrounds, compared with other ethnic groups. Internationally-qualified and minority ethnic doctors face more scrutiny and harsher penalties, and, minority ethnic NHS staff, including White Gypsy/Irish Travellers, report higher levels of harassment, bullying and abuse.

Beyond healthcare, a review of over 120 ‘blind CV’ studies from more than 15 countries revealed that, on average, White applicants receive twice as many positive responses to their job applications as minority ethnic applicants with the same CV. On the job, men are recognised and rewarded more than women for the same work. Fathers, unlike mothers, avoid penalties for being parents, and sometimes benefit, in terms of perceived competence and salary.

Thus, attending to demographic disparities reveals a complex web of inequities that fly in the face of fairness and meritocracy claims. Senior executives and board members must spot the fallacies and understand the nuance in prevailing rhetoric to provide informed, evidence-based strategic oversight and direction for their businesses.

Guiding through uncertainty

Board members as individuals and as a collective must resist making hasty, reactionary decisions in the current wave of ‘anti-wokeness’. The work required to build fair, inclusive businesses where all talent thrives to retain competitive advantage is too important and too complex for superficial responses. Below are key recommendations to guide board members and executives navigating the shifting tides of diversity, equity, and inclusion:

 1.  Avoid knee-jerk reactions: While there may be pressure to pivot in response to sociopolitical headwinds, board-level decisions must be deliberate and well thought out. Dramatic policy reversals or sudden shifts in strategy can erode trust and harm your company’s long-term reputation. History will record how businesses responded during these turbulent times, so it’s important to be measured and purposeful, even when the landscape is uncertain.

2.  Listen to your people: Listening is the foundation of any robust strategic imperative to create fair, merit-based organisational systems. Seek data (qualitative and quantitative) on how employees, customers, and communities are faring. Employees are likely feeling the polarisation and uncertainty around them, and the best way to respond is by staying connected to their concerns. Such valuable insights ensure that strategic decisions are grounded in real-world experiences.

3.  Provide steady leadership amid uncertainty: The unfolding implications, including companies backtracking on, or reaffirming their DEI commitments, along with lawsuits against the Trump administration, will continue for months. Boards must stay steady, expect more shocks, be prepared to weather them, and maintain a long-term perspective. It will be polarising—some will champion greater inclusion, while others may resist it. Effective leadership requires managing these tensions while staying true to the organisation’s values and vision.

4.  Lean into your values: In times of ambiguity and challenge, values serve as a compass. Board members and senior leaders must lean into the company’s core values. Leaders should ask themselves: “In previous years, how have we demonstrated that decisions linked to fairness, equity, diversity and inclusion align with our broader mission and purpose?” “Why have we prioritised DEI in the past and what were our goals and aspirations?” Values-driven leadership fosters trust among employees, customers and stakeholders, reinforcing integrity in turbulent times.

5.  Dig below the surface: The buzzword ‘DEI’ can obscure its substantive underlying ideals and the work that must be addressed. Boards must take the time to grasp what diversity, equality, inclusion and equity mean in their specific organisational context.

Diversity is inevitable in global markets, and talent pool diversity will only grow. A strong sense of inclusion—across both underrepresented and majority groups—drives engagement and innovation. Equitable outcomes are evidence of fair processes that allow everyone to reach their potential without sociocultural boosters or barriers. Which of these matter to you?

6.  Seek expert guidance: The complexities of DEI require expertise, much like finance, IT or corporate communications. When boards face murky waters, lean on DEI specialists for insights into how best to seize opportunities and navigate challenges. For instance, highlighting minority ethnic experiences is often criticised for overlooking disadvantaged White working-class boys. Putting aside the assumption that we can only focus on one inequality issue at a time, such critiques must be addressed through an intersectional lens, considering racial, socioeconomic, and gender inequities.

Experts in intersectional inclusion can help to clarify and provide solutions to address the distinct, nuanced experiences of different groups—such as White working-class boys, Bangladeshi working-class girls, and Black middle-class boys—in school and the workforce. Without this nuance, well-intentioned comparisons and ‘what aboutisms’ can miss the mark, like comparing a Premier League footballer’s sprawling mansion in Northeast England to a council estate in a deprived part of East London to justify redirecting social housing funding from Northern counties to London. The right experts can help boards avoid such misdirection.

7.  Seek evidence-based solutions: Lastly, before abandoning ‘DEI’, business leaders must ensure merit-based systems are in place and be ready to demonstrate how they work. It is not enough to claim that you are a meritocracy; there must be clear, evidence-based pathways verifying that talent is recognised and rewarded fairly, and that decisions about recruitment, appraisals, promotions, development opportunities, and who is placed on the fast-track to the C-suite are systemically bias-free. Once this is achieved, certainly the time will have come to ‘ditch DEI’.

Indeed, current DEI challenges are significant, but not insurmountable. Boards and executives have an unparalleled opportunity to keep their business on track for creating merit-based organisational cultures in which all their people thrive. By facing the current DEI headwinds with thoughtfulness, holding on to a long-term vision with corporate values at the core and seeking expert guidance, boards can ensure the long-term sustainability and growth of their organisations, protecting shareholders’ and stakeholders’ interests alike.

Doyin Atewologun is CEO and founder of leadership and inclusion consultancy Delta.