This past week, the news that Microsoft had fired its team of diversity has gained great repercussions. The company has invested more than 175 million dollars in the area in recent years, but has stated that DEIP (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging) "would no longer be critical to the business as it was in 2020". A few days later, Microsoft clarified that only two positions had been eliminated and that the board and the DEI areaP continue to operate.
There is a polarized movement against the area of diversity, with some American companies deprioritizing it. However, this number is not significant and has little impact on the Brazilian market. Many companies are restructuring, analyzing the cross-cutting nature of the area and looking for make it more strategic and focused on tangible results.
In times when everything revolves around EBITDA and results, the same is expected from area of diversity. This raises concerns about budgets, and the landscape is being redrawn. Diversity generates many benefits for businesses, but in addition to research by major consultancies, it is essential to look at how diversity has supported team engagement and loyalty, improved brand visibility and reduced spending on image risks and whistleblowing. If all this can be measured, the time has come to direct diversity areas to be more driven by data and results.
Recently, at the Conexão e Gestão Plural event, large companies such as Quinto Andar, Nubank and B3 debated the future of the area. One unanimous point was that diversity is moving towards being more intentional, based on data and transversal.
Interestingly, in the same week, the global list of more inclusive companies of the world, and another major technology company took first place: Google.
Although there is news on both sides, there are many doubts and a moment of uncertainty. However, one thing is clear: we are still living in a time when companies are increasingly looking for business results, and diversity generates these results, as long as it is measured and monitored consistently.
It's worth remembering that a few years ago, the innovation area was also an issue. Companies debated whether they should create a specific area, since innovation should be present in everything. Diversity is going through the same thing, and there is no recipe. The important thing is that it is seen as a strategy, and not just as a "nice to have".