DEI Trends in 2025: Leadership Engagement.

Insights on optimising leadership engagement in DEI from our latest WCS Insights Report.

Co-authored by Coda Nicolaeff

This article is part of a series diving deeper into the We Create Space Insights Report | DEI Insights & Trends in 2025. In this instalment, we explore how leadership engagement is pivotal to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.

Leadership engagement is the foundation of successful DEI initiatives. Leaders, from C-suite executives to line managers, influence the strategic direction of DEI and its perceived importance within the organisation. With 82% of business executives identifying diversity initiatives as critical to their strategies, leadership’s role in embedding DEI into performance metrics and decision-making has never been more vital. Practitioners agree: without active and accountable leadership, DEI efforts risk being perceived as superficial and ineffective.

Securing Buy-In: Balancing External and Internal Pressures

Practitioners noted that securing leadership buy-in often requires leveraging both external client expectations and internal organisational needs. External pressures, such as diversity metrics in RFPs, have become powerful motivators for leadership investment in DEI.

“In most organisations, there is no one way to approach securing buy-in… Sometimes it’s about doing what’s right from a social perspective, other times it’s making the economic argument… And often, it’s the client perspective that drives it.” - Practitioner in law

Internally, linking DEI to tangible outcomes like employee retention and engagement strengthens leadership commitment. Practitioners emphasised that DEI must align with long-term organisational goals rather than reacting solely to external demands.

“Traditionally, DEI is seen as non-revenue generating. So when it comes to leadership, I try to hit them where it hurts—their P&L. I focus on metrics, like retention… Metrics like these have really made a difference for us as a business.” - Practitioner in entertainment

Partnering with Leadership: Accountability and Continuous Communication

Embedding DEI into leadership accountability measures is essential for sustained engagement. Tying DEI outcomes to performance evaluations ensures that leaders at all levels remain committed and responsible for their contributions.

“How do we actually hold leaders to account? A lot of us still haven’t reached that stage… Getting that balance right is really tricky.”- Practitioner in travel

Continuous communication between DEI teams and leadership was identified as a key strategy for maintaining momentum. Practitioners recommended providing regular updates—even when leadership is not actively seeking them—to keep DEI on the agenda.

“We need to communicate our impact as much as possible… Structurally and for leadership, it’s crucial to receive feedback on what employees like, not just what frustrates or disappoints them.” - Practitioner in private membership

Moulding Leaders into Advocates: Leveraging Strengths and Visibility

Practitioners acknowledged that not all leaders are natural DEI advocates but emphasised the importance of leveraging their existing strengths. By aligning DEI with leaders’ skills—whether in marketing, sales, or operations—practitioners can drive engagement and advocacy.

“There will always be people whose minds you can’t change… So how do I tie it to something they do care about? That’s been a challenge for me, but I’ve started to focus on leveraging leaders’ strengths… It’s less about filling gaps and more about utilising strengths to get leadership more engaged in DEI.” - Practitioner in technology

Visible and proactive leadership also sets the tone for organisational culture. Examples such as “real talk” sessions, where leaders discuss personal challenges like mental health or substance recovery, create safe spaces for dialogue and demonstrate genuine commitment to inclusion.

“What’s been quite powerful is this series of real talks… Leaders talking about vulnerable topics… That really creates space for others to say, 'Okay, if this individual can get up and share, maybe I can too.'” - Practitioner in finance

The Path Forward

To strengthen leadership engagement and foster meaningful DEI progress, organisations should focus on both strategic alignment and cultural transformation:

1. Integrate DEI into Leadership Metrics: Tie DEI progress to KPIs and performance reviews, ensuring accountability for diversity, inclusion, and talent retention at all leadership levels.

2. Leverage External Pressures: Use client and industry demands for diversity to drive leadership buy-in, linking DEI initiatives to business outcomes like securing bids and enhancing reputation.

3. Offer Ongoing Support: Provide leaders with continuous development opportunities, such as workshops, mentoring, and peer learning, to strengthen inclusive leadership and accountability.

4. Ensure Regular Updates: Share consistent DEI progress updates with leadership, highlighting successes and areas for improvement to maintain engagement and urgency.

   
   

By embedding these practices, organisations can ensure that leadership engagement transitions from a strategic imperative to an intrinsic part of organisational culture, driving sustainable and impactful DEI outcomes.

This article is part of the We Create Space Insights Report | DEI Insights & Trends in 2025 series. To learn more, check out the full report here. Stay tuned for further instalments that explore practitioner insights on leadership, global challenges, and wellbeing in DEI work.

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