This Edelman executive believes DEI will survive the current backlash. Here’s why

Efforts to diversify workplaces and promote equality are under attack—most recently with a sweeping crackdown from the Trump administration. But advocates and professionals who’ve dedicated their careers to diversity, equity, and inclusion are still committed to seeing the work continue.“We’ve been here for years,” said Amira Barger, executive vice president of communications and head of DEI advisory at Edelman. “I’m still encouraged, even in the midst of all this backlash.”While a number of prominent companies have recently changed or scaled back their DEI initiatives, other big names have worked to reinforce commitments to diversity and inclusion. Barger expects the majority to find a way to continue these efforts and stresses that leaders need to stand up and defend the work now more than ever.Barger recently spoke with the Associated Press. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.Q: Tell me about your work at Edelman.A: I actually wear two hats here at Edelman. So 50% of my time is focused on communications specifically for the health ecosystem. That’s everything from pharma to hospital systems, medical schools, you name it. And then the other 50% of my time is broader U.S. DEI advisory, which is sector agnostic.Every day is a little bit different—depending on what’s happening in the world, what our clients are focused on and the goals that have been set for the year. Our teams work to help counsel clients on anything from executive orders that might come out around DEI rollbacks and initiatives, like we’re seeing today, to how to frame a particular communication for a multicultural audience in ways that are honoring people’s lived experiences.Q: We’ve seen a handful of big names pull back from their DEI efforts recently. What has that been like to witness?A: The pendulum continues to swing on the world of diversity, equity and inclusion. And what I’m feeling right now, in this moment of pushback that has been happening in this space, is that we’ve been here before.A lot of people earmark 2020 as a milestone for corporate DEI efforts—in the movement following the murder of George Floyd. But we’ve been in the background doing this work quietly and sustainably for decades, going back to the writing of the Civil Rights Act. With all of the backlash and executive orders we’re seeing today, I think that’s probably what’s going to happen again. The work will continue, but executives might be a little more quiet about it.I foresee the majority of companies to continue efforts, but they might change the words or evolve in other ways. We’re seeing a lot of that, and it’s not new. We’ve also seen some big names reinforce their commitments to DEI, like Costco and Apple.Q: What other impacts do you anticipate from Trump’s actions to dismantle DEI initiatives at the federal level?A: Specific language from Trump’s recent executive orders dismantling federal DEI initiatives labels these efforts as being forced “illegal and immoral discrimination programs.” My concern here is that it undermines progress and ignores the systemic inequities that these programs are trying to address.And the orders may carry several implications for federal contractors. DEI initiatives could be deprioritized or deemed less relevant in the bidding process. Companies might encounter compliance or restructuring challenges. Suppliers that promote DEI principles may also face reduced preference in government contracting, potentially impacting existing partnerships. And businesses may find themselves navigating polarized stakeholder reactions.Q: What message would you give businesses navigating all of this?A: When DEI initiatives are attacked, companies need to be prepared to address the criticism by being really clear about demonstrating positive impacts of this kind of work. That means defending the work with facts. From increased innovation to a greater sense of belonging among employees, there are very real outcomes that companies can use to show measurable progress because of the existence of these programs. And it’s also important to invite input and take it seriously.What we need in this moment are leaders who have the nerve to be brave and to stand up for this work. There’s a lot of fear-mongering and uncertainty right now—and I think that can drive people to do things outside of what they might believe is true or right—so we need leaders to show that nerve in really big and powerful ways. My hope is that we’ll see some of that over this next year, even in the midst of a new administration that is clearly very anti-DEI.

—Wyatte Grantham-Philips, AP Business Writer