As economic uncertainty, AI transformation, and political polarization shape the workplace, a number of organizations are retreating from prior diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments. But a new report from Catalyst warns that pulling back on workplace fairness efforts poses serious long-term risks for progress and for business performance.
Catalyst’s recent report, “Risks of retreat: The enduring inclusion imperative“, makes a strong, data-driven case for maintaining and accelerating gender and intersectional equity in the workplace. Key findings include:
- 76% of employees are more likely to stay with their employer long-term if the company continues to support diversity, equity, and inclusion
- 69% of respondents are more likely to buy from companies that support diversity, equity, and inclusion
- 68% of C-suite leaders and 65% of legal leaders say scaling back diversity, equity, and inclusion would create more legal risk for their organization
- 62% of C-suite leaders and 60% of legal leaders say their company is either increasing or not changing its investment in diversity, equity, and inclusion
Catalyst’s findings underscore what EDGE Certification clients already recognize: Progress is not inevitable. Progress must be actively protected and strategically advanced.
EDGE Certification, powered by EDGE Empower®, supports organizations build and maintain this focus and includes:
- A rigorous, analytical framework to help organizations assess their current diversity, fairness, and inclusion status and benchmark to define achievable goals.
- Two-year cycles to set time-bound objectives and track progress.
- Transparency and accountability through third-party verification.
- EDGEplus for a comprehensive view of workplace fairness that considers the intersectionality between gender and other diversity dimensions (race/ethnicity, gender identity, working with a disability, nationality, age, and LGBTQ+).
- A data-driven, proven approach informed by leadership insights and real-world practices, supporting a holistic diversity, fairness, and inclusion strategy.
In a moment where backtracking is a growing talent, financial, legal, and reputational risk, EDGE Certification helps organizations stay accountable, resilient, and forward-focused.
Read the full Catalyst report here: The Risks of Retreat: The Business Case for Investing in Women in the Workplace
