Seemingly every organization has a committee, initiatives and programs geared toward enhancing its diversity and inclusion goals. These efforts may hit the mark when launched, but often fail to yield long-term results. In order to effect the much-preferred sustainable change, DEI policies need to be enacted and given equal deference with other company policies.

As if it were a requirement, nearly every law firm or company after the events of the year 2020 emphasized, somewhat rhetorically, how “diversity is threaded throughout the fabric of their organization.” Yet, when the yarn unravels, there are only discrete programs offering temporary employee satisfaction with no lasting impression on the company’s operations. Alongside these public pronouncements of corporate DEI commitments, diversity professionals were hired, but many were only expected to continue the feel-good programming during Black History Month, Pride Month and similar cultural observances. With all of the momentum behind DEI in the last two years though, it is hoped that every diversity professional used their capital to shepherd policy through the governing bodies of their organization.