Is Inclusion Just Branding? The Real Cost of DEI Retreats

Jan de Vries · 2026-05-29

Corporations across the United States are quietly stepping back from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) commitments. It's a shift that feels like a punch to the gut for many women who believed these promises were real. You've seen the headlines. Major companies are scaling back programs, cutting DEI roles, and softening their language. But what does this actually mean for the workers who were told they mattered? ### The Promise That Faded When companies first embraced DEI, it felt like a genuine turning point. There were pledges to close pay gaps, diversify leadership, and create truly inclusive workplaces. Women, especially women of color, started to believe that the system was finally changing. But here's the thing: when the economy gets tight, those commitments often get tight too. It's easy to make a promise when the stock is high. It's much harder to keep it when budgets need trimming. ### What's Really Happening Let's look at what the retreat looks like in practice: - Companies are eliminating DEI departments and reassigning staff - Public DEI goals are being removed from annual reports - Training programs are being cut back or canceled entirely - Leadership accountability metrics tied to diversity are disappearing This isn't just a branding problem. It's a trust problem. When you tell your employees that inclusion is a core value, then quietly drop it the moment things get tough, you're sending a clear message: those values were never really that important. ### The Real Cost for Women Workers For women who built their careers around these promises, the impact is deeply personal. You might have taken a job because the company's DEI stance felt authentic. You might have referred friends or mentored junior colleagues based on that trust. Now, you're left wondering if any of it was real. The emotional toll is significant. It's not just about feeling disappointed. It's about questioning your own judgment and wondering if you can ever trust a corporate promise again. ### More Than a Marketing Play Here's the uncomfortable truth: for many companies, DEI was always more about optics than genuine change. It was a way to look good in the press, attract top talent, and check a box. But when the real work needed to happen, they folded. That doesn't mean inclusion is worthless. It means we need to hold companies accountable. Real change requires sustained effort, not just a press release. ### What Can You Do? If you're feeling frustrated, you're not alone. Here are a few things to consider: - Look for companies with a long track record of DEI work, not just recent pledges - Talk to current and former employees about their real experiences - Pay attention to how companies handle tough times, not just good ones - Support businesses that walk the walk, even when it's hard ### The Bottom Line Inclusion was never just about branding. It's about creating workplaces where everyone can thrive. When companies retreat, they don't just break promises. They break trust. And rebuilding that trust takes a lot more than a new marketing campaign. The question isn't whether inclusion was ever more than branding. It's whether companies have the courage to make it real.