DEI initiatives are quickly disappearing south of the border, both in government and business, following an executive order from the President who has been blaming DEI for all of the country’s ills from wildfires to plane crashes. The growing list of U.S. companies rolling back Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs includes a who’s who of major brands such as tech companies Google and Meta; retail brands Amazon, Target and Walmart; automakers Ford and Toyota; McDonald’s and even iconic former Canadian, Molson Coors.

Disney is the most recent major brand walking back DEI. The family-friendly media giant is changing DEI programs to put more focus on business outcomes. These changes include replacing DEI employee performance with a new talent strategy focused on driving business success as well as shortening content advisory disclaimers to, “This program is presented as originally created and may contain stereotypes or negative depictions.” Disney has also made changes to its web presence by removing its Reimagine Tomorrow initiative and website that had focused on stories and talent from underrepresented communities.

U.S. brands staying committed to DEI, such as Apple, Cisco, Costco, Delta and Microsoft, say that DEI reflects their company’s values, is critical for their business success and that having a diverse workforce is a big benefit for them.

Canada is not immune to all the discussion around DEI. The University of Alberta has shut down its DEI initiatives saying DEI is about excluding and highlights what divides us rather than what unites us. Some agencies that introduced DEI a few years ago have scaled back their programs but the majority remain committed to DEI as a way to drive future innovation and growth for their businesses.

Devon MacDonald, president of Cairns Oneil, says that it’s troubling to see recently how many businesses, including agencies, are capitulating to costs or political pressures in the United States around diversity. “Diversity is not a fad. We believe diversity of talent directly equates to strength of thought and product. We recruit new talent from a broad range of communities and focus on ensuring that we have broad representation within our agency and leadership. As a member organization and board member of the ICA, while also chairing of the ICA Media Council, we’re looking again at the ICA PRIME (Purpose & Responsibility in Media Economics) manifesto to work with all industry partners to support diversity in media in Canada.”

Independent agency group Horizon Media has taken a broad and deep approach to DEI. Latraviette Smith-Wilson joined the agency three years ago as its first Chief Marketing and Equity Officer. She created an operational model that removed DEI from HR as a primary talent function and put it under marketing as an enterprise business function. Her team sets the strategic DEI vision but all agency departments and business units are responsible for the plan’s successful execution.

“We don’t see DEI as a separate program or initiative, a siloed function, or a series of activities that run parallel to main operations,” Smith-Wilson says. “We are integrating it as a core part of our business strategy as we continue to advance on our path as an Agency of Belonging. We ensure that DEI is thread through our ecosystem as a strategic driver, not an afterthought or a box to check.

“It’s how we’re thinking about driving future innovation, building authentic connections, delivering real value, and being intentional about equity, whether it’s through the stories we help our clients tell externally or our internal talent approach. We also focus on measurable outcomes, recognizing that progress is only meaningful if it’s tied to accountability and impact.”

She believes that eliminating, decreasing, or downsizing DEI is short-sighted and risks undermining the future growth and competitiveness of any company because in reality the world is increasingly diverse. As demographic shifts continue to redefine workforces and consumer bases, she suggests companies that fail to reflect the diverse realities of these communities are ignoring the risk of alienating those who expect more accountability and inclusion, which can lead to missed opportunities for growth.

Last month, Publicis Groupe appointed someone to lead DEI in the U.S. Tiffany Edwards is based in New York as chief Impact + Equity officer. She was previously the agency group’s EVP Integrated Growth and Business Acceleration. In Canada, Stephanie McRae is head of DEI, Publicis Groupe Canada. She supports and is building on the DEI mandate of education, outreach, talent management and giving back that the agency group launched in 2020.

McRae says the dedicated DEI team collaborates with leadership and employees to bring the mandate to life. “Our people-centric approach has resulted in attrition rates significantly below industry standards, with an impressive average employee tenure of 6.2 years and a retention rate of 88%. By the end of 2024, the company will have hosted over 150 educational events to ensure ongoing dialogue and knowledge-sharing. Additionally, partnerships with school boards have helped inform over 4,000 students about advertising careers through our This is the Job initiative.”

To further support of those objectives, Publicis Groupe Canada recently welcomed Aliska Torvic as Inclusion and Learning Manager in Quebec where she will play a key role in driving DEI initiatives and building partnerships in that province.

For IPG Mediabrands Canada, parent of UM, Media Experts and Initiative, DEI is a major part of the business and has introduced programs that include employee development and recognition of the value of building deeper engagement with newcomers and multicultural audiences.

Shelley Smit, CEO, IPG Mediabrands Canada, says the agency group remains firm in its dedication to building an inclusive culture where team members are celebrated for the unique qualities they bring to the organization and the communities they belong to. “The power of IPG Mediabrands is in our people. Drawing from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives creates the perfect environment for new thinking and fresh creativity. For us, a diverse and inclusive workplace is a business imperative.”

Emphasizing this commitment, IPG Mediabrands brought on Rayyan Kamal in 2022 to lead its DEI portfolio. Under his leadership, the focus has been on developing employee programs that bring inclusion education to the forefront and workstreams that empower and enable the network to incorporate greater diversity, equity, and inclusion into the ways it works.