Diversity, Equity and Inclusion aka DEI was a concept theorized in the mid 1960s to combat injustice and discrimination faced by employees but it has become a sort of a buzz word in the past decade. While companies kept it as sub component of human resource, now it has taken the shape of a core concept, upon which companies have been built.
But does that mean we have actually been able to understand the concept of DEI? Does that mean various marginalized communities are no longer met with injustice in the workplace? To really end discrimination, it is imperative that we understand the importance and the intersectionality of these three terms, to learn to use them effectively.
Diversity essentially refers to the heterogeneous nature of humanity. Some may say that diversity is what divides us but acknowledging the fact that we are all humans, at the end of it is what it truly means to be united in our diversity. It is only when we understand that our diversity makes us unique, not incapable of doing certain things will we truly be able to leverage the diverse human resource we have.
The concept of equity on the other hand stresses on the importance of a level playing field for people who have been at the far end of the social ladder for decades. While equality assumes that opening opportunities to these communities is enough, equity acknowledges that the openings are of no use if suitable candidates are unable to access them. Equity is a more grassroots approach that begins with ensuring that people are given the means to become productive human resource, such as access to education.
Inclusion is rightly the last piece of this puzzle that truly creates a well rounded approach to leverage diverse human resource. Acknowledging diversity and giving them equity of opportunity to develop skills to become that resource will only be beneficial if they are given an inclusive environment to thrive in.