DEI Will Not Die: 5 Reasons Why DEI Plans Fail
I’m excited to share something new with you: my podcast, DEI Will Not Die.
This show has a clear message: while the language and tactics of DEI may change, the need for inclusive, equitable workplaces never goes away.
Each episode, I’ll be unpacking the challenges, myths and opportunities of DEI, sometimes through my own experiences, sometimes alongside guests who are deep in this work. From navigating resistance, to building stronger strategies, to finding ways to sustain ourselves in a field that can be both exhausting and inspiring, the podcast is about practical, honest conversations.
And to kick things off, I wanted to ask a question I know so many of us wrestle with: why do so many DEI plans fail?
Fixing People Instead of Fixing Systems
Too many plans focus on “fixing” people through training, workshops, or awareness campaigns. But inequity isn’t just about individuals, it’s about the systems we work in. If recruitment or promotion processes are biased, no amount of awareness training will change outcomes.
Programs might feel like progress, but it’s systems that deliver real change.
Expecting Change in a Vacuum
If 80% of your plan’s actions sit with HR or the DEI team, you don’t have a strategy, you have a burnout plan.
Change needs to be distributed across the organisation. Inclusion isn’t the job of one team. It’s everyone’s responsibility.
Too Many Actions, Not Enough Focus
Here’s the controversial bit I shared in Episode 2 of the podcast: DEI professionals often spend more time writing plans than implementing them.
Overloaded plans collapse under their own weight, and when actions quietly disappear, employees lose trust. It’s far better to set a few realistic priorities and deliver them well than to overpromise and underdeliver.
Measuring Activity, Not Impact
If your plan says, “We’ll raise awareness of unconscious bias” and your outcome is, “We ran training,” that’s not impact, that’s activity.
Real change looks like improved retention, diverse leadership pipelines, or stronger belonging scores – not just “we ran a session.”
Weak Governance
Even the best plan will crumble without accountability. DEI can’t be optional. If leaders aren’t measured on it, progress won’t stick.
A strong plan embeds DEI accountability into existing governance structures, making it as serious as financial or operational goals.
What I Want to See in DEI Plans
What excites me are plans that:
Focus on systems, not just behaviour
Set clear, meaningful outcomes
Share responsibility across the organisation
Embed strong governance
Keep the plan alive and evolving
Because DEI is not dead. But poorly designed plans? Those need to be retired.
Tune In
This is the kind of conversation you’ll hear on DEI Will Not Die: practical, honest, sometimes challenging, and always rooted in the belief that inclusive, equitable workplaces are worth fighting for.
And if you’re ready for tools, coaching, and support to create plans that don’t just sit on a shelf, you’ll find resources at breegorman.com.
Because while the tactics may shift, DEI will not die.
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