In 2025, the landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is undergoing significant transformations. While some organizations are scaling back their DEI initiatives due to political and legal pressures, others are reaffirming their commitment to fostering inclusive workplaces.

Corporate Retrenchment and Rebranding

Several major corporations have reduced or rebranded their DEI efforts. For instance, Rolls-Royce has ended its formal DEI programs across global operations, replacing them with a new “employee voice network” open to all staff, reflecting a broader retreat from DEI initiatives amid political pressures . Similarly, Goldman Sachs has removed race-specific language from its diversity initiative web pages, particularly those promoting its “One Million Black Women” and “Black in Business” programs, amid increasing legal scrutiny and DEI rollbacks. 

Continued Commitment to DEI

Contrastingly, some companies are steadfast in their DEI commitments. Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano reaffirmed the company’s dedication to DEI, emphasizing that Marriott welcomes all and creates opportunities for all, values that will not change regardless of political climates. His public remarks drew widespread praise, resulting in 40,000 emails of support from Marriott employees worldwide.

Legal and Regulatory Developments

In the UK, the Business Disability Forum (BDF) faces criticism for not taking a clear stance on proposed disability pay-gap reporting reforms. The government seeks to mandate companies with 250+ employees to report pay disparities by disability and ethnicity, akin to gender pay-gap reporting. Although the BDF’s purpose is to dismantle barriers for disabled individuals, it has neither supported nor opposed the policy, citing concerns about unintended consequences.

Conclusion

The evolving DEI landscape in 2025 presents both challenges and opportunities. Organizations must navigate political, legal, and societal pressures while striving to create inclusive environments. By reaffirming commitments, adapting strategies, and engaging in transparent practices, companies can foster workplaces that value diversity and inclusion.

Remember the phrase, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.” This saying has been encountered by many in various life experiences. Polite, kind, pleasing, and agreeable are terms Merriam-Webster uses to define nice. Those favorable terms can go awry if over-indexed. Amira Barger, Communications Expert, DEI Executive, and Author of The Price of Nice: Why Comfort Keeps Us Stuck—And 4 Actions for Real Change, unpacks the impact of niceness and provides solutions and frameworks anyone can benefit from.

The Price of Nice: An Interview with Amira Barger

Amira Barger’s upcoming book, The Price of Nice: Why Comfort Keeps Us Stuck—And 4 Actions for Real Change, explores how the social construct of “niceness” preserves the status quo and often stifles real progress. In it, she provides a practical four-part “Think-Feel-Do-Revisit” framework for readers to shift from defaulting to “nice” to acting with “nerve”—boldness, audacity, and courage to disrupt and take necessary action.

Defining Inclusive Leadership

Inclusive leadership is defined as leadership that is clear, honest, and growth-oriented because it doesn’t avoid hard conversations or dilute necessary feedback. It prioritizes the long-term development of the people entrusted to your care over short-term harmony or comfort. It is also about growing the ability, potential, and opportunity for the entirety of the organization and the team.

Understanding the Concept of Being Entrusted to Care

Being entrusted to care means seeing, understanding, and knowing the whole person and understanding that people have lives, dreams, and desires outside of the four walls of the workplace. This includes understanding the needs of employees, such as those who need to start their workday at 9:45 instead of 9:00 am because they are caregivers to children, or an ailing parent, or a spouse.

The Impact of Niceness on Feedback Conversations

An overly “nice” approach can prevent managers from being brave and clear during feedback, thus impeding employee growth. Nice can get in the way because it keeps us from being brave. A truly inclusive and impactful leader is someone who is intent on being clear, naming the behavior and the impact, and sharing specific examples of what needs to be done differently.

Choosing Nerve over Niceness

Nerve challenges, Nerve disrupts, and Nerve holds boundaries. Even if people call you difficult, disruptive, or angry, that’s Nerve. Inclusive leaders have the opportunity to utilize the insights shared in this interview to help better navigate the workplace as a change agent.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the concept of niceness can be detrimental to inclusive leadership and effective feedback conversations. By choosing nerve over niceness, leaders can create a more inclusive workplace and foster growth and development among their employees. As a next step, reflect upon and document the scenarios and interactions where niceness played a pivotal role and essentially impacted the ability to be as inclusive as desired.

FAQs

Q: What is the definition of niceness according to Merriam-Webster?
A: Polite, kind, pleasing, and agreeable.
Q: What is the title of Amira Barger’s upcoming book?
A: The Price of Nice: Why Comfort Keeps Us Stuck—And 4 Actions for Real Change.
Q: What is the definition of inclusive leadership?
A: Leadership that is clear, honest, and growth-oriented because it doesn’t avoid hard conversations or dilute necessary feedback.
Q: What is the concept of being entrusted to care?
A: Seeing, understanding, and knowing the whole person and understanding that people have lives, dreams, and desires outside of the four walls of the workplace.
Q: What is the definition of nerve?
A: Nerve challenges, Nerve disrupts, and Nerve holds boundaries.

Ryan Coogler’s latest movie ‘Sinners,’ continues to dominate the box office and be a hot topic on social media as well. The film earned $48 million domestically in its opening weekend, which was the most successful opening for an original film this decade. In its second weekend, the movie only had a 6% drop in sales, in comparison to drops that are typically in the range of 40-50% in the second weekend. Thus far, this horror movie has already grossed over $160 million worldwide. Among the many fans praising the film and providing commentary on social media and Reddit were acclaimed actors Tom Cruise and Kevin Bacon.

Representation Matters

Representation has long been a topic of discussion in both media and marketing, as consumers continue to express their desire for more of it. One research study showed that 76% of consumers said representation in marketing is important for the brands they engage with and buy from. With Sinners’ predominantly Black cast and Black director, fans who are part of the Black community went out in larger percentage of numbers. This isn’t just the case for Sinners’. The same thing happened when a predominantly Black cast and director were introduced into the Marvel Universe with Black Panther. The film shattered records and as of 2018 when it was released, it was the highest-grossing superhero film of all time in the U.S.

Examples of Successful Representation

Black Panther was the first Marvel Movie many people saw, and it was a cultural phenomenon. Other underrepresented and underserved communities showed up to the box office in large numbers when there were casts that were predominantly from their culture. Crazy Rich Asians, which featured a predominantly Asian cast and director and was released in 2018, was the highest-grossing romantic comedy of the decade. And Coco, a movie produced by Disney Pixar and featured an all-Latino cast, was at the time the highest-grossing film of all-time in Mexico (beating out Avengers), and won two Academy awards.

Representation Doesn’t Limit Your Audience

Another common misconception that often prevents brands from engaging in making their marketing more inclusive is the notion that if you feature more people from underrepresented and underserved communities, you’ll limit your reach. The thought behind that belief is that if people who aren’t Black, Asian, or who have a disability see people who are Black, Asian, or have a disability in an ad, media, or film, they will feel like it “isn’t for them” and won’t engage. But that notion isn’t true, and the success of Sinners’ and other movies mentioned in the previous section prove that’s the case. While the Black community turned out in high numbers to see the Sinners’ film, the film wouldn’t have achieved the success it has if that community was the only group of people going to see it.

Broader Appeal

The film has had broad appeal with a broad diversity of audiences. That’s not just true in the U.S., but worldwide also. The film’s grossed almost $170 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Showcasing talent from underrepresented and underserved communities does not niche your content to only be relevant to those communities. There are plenty of examples of talent in both media and brand campaigns where talent from underrepresented and underserved communities have had mass appeal and often headline general market campaigns.

Consumers Want More Nuanced Stories And Depth Of Characters

Representation matters. But not all representation is created equal. One of the things consumers have said many times is their desire for characters who are like them, and that move away from traditional stereotypes and tropes. Consumers, particularly those from underrepresented and underserved communities want to see more main character energy from the talent brands and filmmakers put forth. One of the remarkable aspects of the Sinners’ movie is that it is an original story, a departure from the remakes and adaptations that plague Hollywood of late.

Depth and Originality

And through this original story, there are a number of different characters that have a degree of depth to them, that fans have been compelled to take to social media to process, share notes, and provide commentary. When you give people, especially those from underrepresented and underserved communities the kinds of characters and storylines they crave, they will help promote your product for you. The amount of earned media you’ll gain will skyrocket. The Sinners’ movie, like other standouts before it, showcased that if you give consumers what they want, they will reward you for it handsomely.

Conclusion

The success of Sinners’ and other films with diverse casts and storylines highlights the importance of representation in media. It shows that representation is not only important for underrepresented communities but also for the success of a film or brand. By showcasing diverse talent and telling original, nuanced stories, brands and filmmakers can appeal to a broad audience and gain a loyal following.

FAQs

• Q: What is the significance of the movie Sinners’ success?
  A: The success of Sinners’ highlights the importance of representation in media and its impact on the box office.
• Q: Does representation limit the audience of a film or brand?
  A: No, representation does not limit the audience of a film or brand. In fact, it can lead to broader appeal and a more diverse audience.
• Q: What do consumers want from media and marketing?
  A: Consumers want nuanced stories, depth of characters, and representation that reflects their own experiences and communities.
• Q: Can featuring underrepresented communities in media and marketing lead to commercial success?
  A: Yes, featuring underrepresented communities in media and marketing can lead to commercial success, as seen in the examples of Sinners’, Black Panther, and Crazy Rich Asians.