Do or DEI: Why Most Diversity Programs Fail and How To Succeed Instead

WHY SO MANY BROAD-BASED BLACK ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT (B-BBEE) AND DEIB PROGRAMMES FAIL

“And in a world where everyone strives to act, think and look the same — being different is truly something to be proud of. That’s why I’m very proud to be autistic.” – Greta Thunberg.



We make the business case for Social Design &

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging


Study after study concluded that traditional diversity programs are not only largely ineffective, but in some instances have the opposite effect of increasing implicit and explicit biases. These problems are exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic; majority of job losses have been to women, causing some experts to predict that women’s advancement has been set back by a decade or more.


Reasons cited for this are manifold, but they basically boil down to these three:


  • Lack of commitment from the top of the organisation is a sure-fire way to fail at increasing diversity.

    believes the organisation is a meritocracy, it’s quite likely that leadership will continue to look like the CEO; it’s human nature to believe those with attributes we share are the most meritorious unless there is willingness to challenge one’s assumptions. And despite the unassailable business case that more gender and diversity of all kinds results in more profits, it’s not likely that anyone in the currently largely white and male power structure is going to relinquish their power voluntarily. 


    As a result, BCG managing director Matt Krentz found:


    “Half of all diverse employees stated that they see bias as part of their day-to-day work experience. Half said that they don’t believe their companies have the right mechanisms in place to ensure that major decisions (such as who receives promotions and stretch assignments) are free from bias. By contrast, white heterosexual males, who tend to dominate the leadership ranks, were 13 percentage points more likely to say that the day-to-day experience and major decisions are free of bias.”

  • Focusing on the problem instead of courageously having the conversations that can lead to solutions.

    Focusing on the problem instead of courageously having the conversations that can lead to solutions. It’s easy to discuss the data about the lack of diversity and to default to shame and blame. That’s depressing, energy sucking. And it simply reinforces a culture where Black, Indigenous, and other people of colour and all women don’t see that they will be treated fairly as they work to achieve their career intentions.

  • Failure to change the culture to one where all feel they are valued.

    Let’s face it: it’s hard to change a culture while you are living in it. I’m not saying it’s easy. But the primary reason so many underrepresented folx bail out of the corporate world at mid-career has much more to do with discomfort with the culture than with the prevailing assumptions that they leave for childbearing reasons. Similarly, white supremacist culture is often not even recognised as a deterrent, and you can’t change what you don’t see needs changing.


    Why our DEIB Program is intentionally different — and why valuing differences provides solutions: We promise new research, practical tools you can use right away, and powerful networking. Here are just a few examples, addressing the three problems above.


    We have created a framework to ensure an action-oriented approach to systemic change for which EVERYONE is responsible. We offers an approach that is top to bottom and bottom up and invites actual structural changes to create an ecosystem of success for all members of an organisation. As such, this is a roadmap for change that can be adapted to any and all organisations.”

Why our DEIB Program is intentionally different — and why valuing differences provides solutions:


We promise new research, practical tools you can use right away, and powerful networking. Here are just a few examples, addressing the three problems above.


We have created a framework to ensure an action-oriented approach to systemic change for which EVERYONE is responsible. We offers an approach that is top to bottom and bottom up and invites actual structural changes to create an ecosystem of success for all members of an organisation. As such, this is a roadmap for change that can be adapted to any and all organisations.”


IBPC's comprehensive training programs, coaching, role models, and thought leadership uniquely eliminates internal barriers to women’s advancement by transforming women’s relationship with power from the traditional narrative of oppressive “power OVER,” to generative, expansive, and innovative “power TO.”


This shift cracks the internal code that holds us all back. It mitigates the effects of the patriarchal power over the narrative, racial privilege, turns culturally learned implicit biases into their superpowers, and teaches us all to dismantle systemic barriers.


The shift in thinking about power is actualised by leadership tools and skills that prepare us all to succeed. Individual strategic leadership action plans elevate intentions about their lives and leadership roles. It allows women to quiet the external and internal noise and decipher who they want to be in this world. Not who everyone else wants them to be!


Share by: