Imperial College Business School Discussion Explores the Future of DEI Beyond Fear and Organizational Change

Company: Imperial Business School

Speaker in a patterned dress presents in front of a screen displaying text including "END DEI?" and "Discontinuing".

Programming example

The backlash against DEI is loud.What is louder, if you listen carefully, is fear.Fear of getting it wrong.Fear of being labelled.Fear of speaking.Fear of staying silent.Last night at Imperial College Business School, Dr. Poornima Luthra brought her research on exactly this into conversation with Charlotte Sweeney OBE and Lee Chambers.Her book, Can I Say That?, was the anchor.The real question in the room was harder:Where do we go from here?As a member of the audience, Three things stayed with me.1️⃣ Beneath the noise, resistance and polarisation, every human being wants the same three things:to be valued for their uniqueness, fairness, and belonging.That is what diversity, equity and inclusion was always meant to be about.2️⃣ The answer to fear is not to go around it.It is to move through it.With openness.Curiosity.Vulnerability.Courage.Resilience.Not perfection.3️⃣ And this was one of the moments the room felt most.Organisations that made genuine progress on inclusion still risk losing it when the work lives mainly in individual leaders rather than in systems, processes and culture.When those leaders leave, the momentum often leaves with them.Charlotte named it plainly:this is not only a DEI challenge.It is an organisational design challenge.I have seen this too. Repeatedly across sectors over many years.The intent was real.The commitment was genuine.And yet the progress proved fragile because it was never fully embedded into how the organisation actually operated.Recruitment.Promotion.Decision making.Performance conversations.Everyday team culture.This kind of work is slower.Less visible.Far less performative than banners, statements or annual campaigns.But it is also the kind of work that survives leadership change.And perhaps that is the real test of whether inclusion was ever truly embedded in the first place.Alt text for images have been added to each image.

Communities

  • All

Formats

  • Fireside Chat & AMA
  • Speaker Presentation
  • Panels

Goals

  • Grow