DEI principles
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a framework focused on ensuring that people of all races, genders, abilities, or socioeconomic backgrounds are represented, treated fairly, and genuinely valued. Diversity brings a range of perspectives to healthcare teams; equity adapts systems to account for different starting points and lived experiences; and inclusion ensures that every individual feels seen, heard, and empowered to participate fully in both care and workplace culture. The following are core tenets of DEI:
DEI is defined by outcomes, not good intentions. Aspirational goals without measurable results can mask inaction. Impact must be prioritized over effort.
Equity is not the same as equality. Equity accounts for different starting points and lived experiences, tailoring supports to achieve comparable outcomes.
Representation is not redistribution. Simply diversifying who is “in the room” is insufficient without sharing decision-making power, influence, and access to resources.
Power is embedded in systems. Power dynamics shape access, opportunity, and voice. DEI requires naming, examining, using, and ceding power intentionally.
Inclusion is felt, not claimed. A workplace or institution is inclusive when those most marginalized say it is—not when leaders declare it to be.
Historical inequities must be actively dismantled. DEI strategies must address root causes, not just symptoms, of inequality—especially those rooted in colonization, racism, and systemic exclusion.
Knowing what doesn’t work is critical. Mistakes, failures, and unintended harms offer crucial learning. Negative expertise, especially from lived experience, strengthens DEI practice.
Intent without structural change preserves inequity. Policies, practices, and institutional norms must be redesigned to produce equitable outcomes.
Privilege makes inequity hard to see. DEI requires those with power to believe and act on perspectives they may never experience firsthand.
Culture change requires policy change. Cultures don't shift through values statements alone. Rules, incentives, and accountability mechanisms must reinforce DEI goals.
Harm reduction is part of equity. While systemic change is long-term, DEI must also identify and interrupt ongoing harm in the short term—whether interpersonal or institutional.
Feedback is data. Complaints, dissent, and discomfort—especially from marginalized people—are vital sources of truth.
DEI is not neutral. Seeking “neutrality” often defaults to preserving the status quo. DEI is about making just, and sometimes disruptive, choices.
Inclusion without safety is performative. People from marginalized groups may be invited in but remain unsafe, unheard, or unsupported. Psychological and cultural safety is foundational.
One-size-fits-all solutions rarely work. DEI must be context-specific, recognizing intersectionality and the unique barriers faced by different groups.
Intentional inaction is a decision to maintain the status quo. Avoiding conflict or discomfort in DEI work often equates to reinforcing existing hierarchies.
Metrics matter—but not all that matters can be measured. Stories, relationships, and trust are equally crucial indicators of progress.
DEI work should center those most affected. Those who experience the greatest harm should lead the design and evaluation of equity-focused changes.
Justice is not a checklist. DEI is ongoing, evolving work. There’s no endpoint, only deeper alignment with justice, accountability, and care.
DEI must be resourced to be real. Equity cannot be an add-on. It requires sustained funding, leadership buy-in, staff time, and institutional commitment.
