Thriving with Inclusion in a Time of Retreat

Advice from Shane Windmeyer on Leading with Courage, Strategy, and Equity in 2025

By Shane Windmeyer

If you’re reading this in 2025, you already know what the headlines say. “DEI is dead.” “Companies are retreating.” “Inclusion has gone too far.” The backlash is real. And for many business leaders—especially those trying to do the right thing—it’s deeply disorienting.

But let me offer this truth: now is not the time to shrink back. Now is the time to lead better. And that starts with putting people—all people—at the center of your business decisions.

I’ve spent the last two decades helping organizations build cultures of belonging. I’ve seen what works when equity is treated as a core strategy—not a trend. And I’ve also seen what fails when leaders abandon their values at the first sign of controversy.

So if you’re asking: “How do we thrive when DEI is under attack?” Here’s my answer.

1. Reframe Inclusion as a Business Imperative—Not a Political Statement

Let’s start here: inclusion is not political—it’s operational.

Every company, regardless of industry, is made up of people. Those people come from different identities, cultures, backgrounds, and lived experiences. When they feel safe, respected, and seen—they do better work. Period.

If you strip away the slogans and legislation, inclusion is about building systems where your people thrive. It’s about reducing friction, increasing collaboration, and unlocking innovation.

The companies that will survive this climate are the ones that understand that belonging isn’t just a moral win—it’s a business advantage.

2. Audit Your Values, Not Just Your Budget

When the economy tightens, the first question most CEOs ask is, “What can we cut?”

But the better question is, “What must we protect?”

Your values are your company’s backbone. So instead of quietly scaling back inclusion efforts, now is the time to audit them honestly.

Ask yourself:

Are our equity goals tied to measurable outcomes?
Do our leaders know how to manage across difference?
Are we supporting historically excluded employees with more than words?

If the answer is “not really,” don’t panic. Just recommit. A course correction done with transparency builds more trust than silence.

3. Invest in Inclusive Leadership, Not Just DEI Job Titles

It’s true: some companies are eliminating DEI roles under pressure. But removing a title doesn’t remove the responsibility.

In 2025, every manager is an inclusion leader. Or they should be.

This means:

Training people leaders in inclusive hiring and retention
Building feedback systems where identity-based harm is acknowledged and addressed
Teaching your executive team how to speak about equity with clarity, not fear

If your DEI strategy relies on one person or department to carry the full load, it’s already broken. Inclusion has to be everybody’s business.

4. Protect Your People—Especially When It’s Inconvenient

When culture wars heat up, companies tend to go quiet. But silence doesn’t protect you. It just exposes who you’re willing to let get hurt.

I’ve seen queer employees censored, Black professionals overlooked, trans workers misgendered—and then asked to smile through it because “now’s not the time” to speak up.

Let me be clear: your marginalized employees are watching. And they’re paying attention to who shows up when it counts.

That doesn’t mean you have to release a statement every week. But it does mean you need clear internal policies, affirming practices, and a willingness to act when harm occurs.

Your culture is built not by your intentions—but by your decisions.

5. Stop Performing and Start Embedding

“Performative DEI” became a buzzword for a reason.

If your equity strategy is limited to heritage month events and social media posts, your employees know it. And they’re tired of it.

Now is the time to embed inclusion into how your business actually runs:

Build equity into your product development and marketing.
Diversify your supply chains and vendor relationships.
Tie inclusive practices to business outcomes like retention, engagement, and brand loyalty.
Offer mental health resources, flexibility, and mentorship for marginalized staff—not as perks, but as strategy.

Inclusion doesn’t need to be louder. It needs to be deeper.

6. Navigate Legal Rollbacks with Creativity and Courage

In some states, new laws make DEI language risky. But equity isn’t illegal—it just has to be smarter.

Here’s what I tell clients:

Reframe programs around leadership, culture, and ethical decision-making
Focus on outcomes: increased retention, reduced bias, better team cohesion
Remove jargon but retain intent
Maintain commitments under different names—“employee experience,” “wellbeing,” “inclusive growth”

You don’t have to compromise your values. You just have to adapt your approach.

Courage is not just about defiance. It’s about strategy.

7. Be Transparent About What’s Changing—and Why

If your company is adjusting its inclusion strategy, tell the truth.

Nothing erodes trust faster than pretending everything is fine when people can feel the shift.

Hold a town hall. Share what’s changing, why it’s happening, and how your leadership remains committed to equity—even if the approach looks different.

Invite feedback. Make it clear that you’re still listening, learning, and acting.

Remember: transparency builds belonging. Evasion destroys it.

8. Lead Like the Future Depends On It—Because It Does

Finally, let me leave you with this: Leadership is not about what’s easy. It’s about what endures.

The backlash we’re seeing now will pass. But the people watching how you respond—your employees, your customers, your community—will remember.

The future is being built every day, not by the loudest voices, but by the most consistent ones.

So lead clearly. Lead boldly. Lead with your values intact.

Because inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do. It’s how we all move forward—together.

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Shane Windmeyer is a nationally respected inclusion strategist, speaker, and advisor to executive leaders across sectors. He lives in North Carolina and works at the intersection of justice, belonging, and sustainable leadership.