As someone who has lived through the challenges of balancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) both in my personal life and as a leader, I’ve witnessed firsthand how meaningful DEI initiatives can transform workplaces. 

At ThinkEDI, we’ve worked with numerous organizations to embed DEI into their company culture, and the results speak for themselves. Below, I’ll share five real-life examples of how DEI has been used to the advantage of businesses, along with some statistics that back up the power of inclusion.

1. Inclusive Recruitment Practices Lead to Better Talent Retention

One company we worked with struggled with high employee turnover, particularly among employees from underrepresented groups. 

By revamping their recruitment process to remove unconscious bias—implementing blind recruitment, diverse interview panels, and outreach to a broader talent pool—they saw a notable difference. Within a year, the company’s retention rate among diverse employees improved by 20%.

This aligns with data from the Harvard Business Review, which found that inclusive companies are 1.7 times more likely to be innovation leaders in their market and experience 22% lower turnover rates in comparison to companies lacking DEI initiatives. Inclusion starts with recruitment, but the lasting effects ripple through the organization.