By Business & Finance 
Pictured: Coco Brown speaks on the backlash against DEI initiatives
Industry leaders examined the complex balance between business goals and personal values, debating the real-world challenges and future direction of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the corporate world.
By Rye Baker
At this year’s Dublin Tech Summit, a provocative debate titled “DEI Catch-22: Business vs. Belief” brought together thought leaders to confront the turbulent future of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in business. As economic pressures force some companies to dismantle DEI policies, the panel wrestled with a critical question: is DEI still a corporate imperative or simply a fading trend?
The Panel Exchange
Moderator Carmel Crimmins, host of Reuters Econ World, opened with a clear observation: “DEI policies are under attack.” This subject of conflicting business values mirrored a broader global trend where numerous corporations were reevaluating or scaling back their DEI initiatives. This shift was influenced by a combination of political pressures, legal challenges, and internal assessments of the effectiveness of such programs.
Steven Fuller, Group Community Director at The IN Group and founder of Race in STEM, highlighted how the DEI landscape has shifted dramatically. “I think that the way companies perceive DEI in 2025 is different to even 5 years ago … DEI might have had its own presence, now it’s maybe aligned with HR … How you report DEI is very different now. The United States has had a ripple effect. Organisations do have a stance now on how they attain data.”
Also citing the United States, Coco Brown, Founder and CEO of Athena Alliance, called out the cyclical nature of public sentiment: “What’s happened in the US is a reaction to a pushback against DEI … We swing pendulums …. There has been this huge backlash. Those who genuinely believe and have for a long time in embracing diversity and creating a space of belonging, are maybe dropping acronyms and just using ‘Inclusion’. … The popular media is picking up this sentiment that no one cares, which isn’t true.”
Frank Starling, VP Chief DEI Officer at LIONS, warned against performative practices. “There are companies maybe that used DEI as window dressing … the performative elements of DEI, I can’t see them staying … We can’t de-prioritise DEI, it’s a business risk … How do we add inclusivity into our business strategy?”
Finally, Furkan Karayel, author of Inclusive Intelligence and an award-winning Global Diversity Inclusion Leader, emphasized the need for authenticity. “My clients have said nothing is changing … In this climate, artificial inclusion I call it, artificial inclusion is over. It is time to be able to demonstrate if organisations really want to do it …. Organisations keep doing it, maybe they don’t use the titles, but it’s evolving.”
Looking Forward
As the corporate world redefines its values, the panel left the audience with one certainty—DEI is at a crossroads, and the path forward will demand both belief and bold strategy.
Read More:
AI innovators, creators and a famous drummer draw the crowds at Dublin Tech Summit
