Lots of people treat “D&I” (Diversity & Inclusion) and “DEI” (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) as interchangeable. But in reality, the shift from D&I to DEI is more than a matter of letters – it signals a deeper commitment to fairness. D&I emphasises two things: the mix of people you bring into an organisation (diversity) and whether those people feel included (inclusion). DEI adds the third layer, equity: making sure that different people, with different barriers, have a fair chance at success.

Here’s a metaphor often used in HR: diversity means being invited to the party; inclusion means enjoying the party; equity ensures everyone can get through the door. When leaders grasp that difference, their strategies change. In the UK, for example, 57% of organisations now see EDI (a variant on DEI) as a strategic priority, recognising that culture and fairness are linked to performance.

Defining Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity is about who is present – bringing in people of different genders, ethnicities, ages, sexual orientation, disabilities, neurotypes, religious or cultural backgrounds, life experiences and more. It is grounded in the awareness that many groups have long been under-represented due to systemic exclusion.

Representation alone isn’t enough. Inclusion is about how people are treated once they are there: whether they feel respected, safe, heard and able to contribute. Inclusion is both cultural and practical – designing accessible meeting spaces, respecting religious observances, creating feedback mechanisms, giving voice to minority viewpoints, and more. Inclusion without fairness can leave outcomes skewed. That’s where equity steps in.

What Is Equity – and Why DEI Adds It

Equity means designing processes and policies so that people with different starting points or structural challenges can reach similar outcomes. It differs from equality, which gives everyone the same, regardless of need or disadvantage. The classic illustration: equality gives everyone the same box to stand on; equity gives different support so that all can see over the fence. In practice, equity might look like flexible working for caregivers, targeted mentoring schemes, tailored leadership development for those from under-served backgrounds, or review of pay and promotion data by demographic groups.

In the UK, the gender pay gap is still telling: the Office for National Statistics reports a 7.9% mean hourly full-time pay gap in 2022. Even with equality laws in place, barriers remain. Organisations that simply treat everyone identically may inadvertently perpetuate disadvantage. Equity forces deeper scrutiny of outcomes.

D&I vs DEI in Practice

On the surface, a D&I programme might focus on recruiting more women, more people from ethnic minorities, or more people with disabilities; offering unconscious bias training; and launching employee resource groups (ERGs). Such measures are valuable – but they sometimes rest on the assumption that providing the same resources to everyone is enough. A DEI-centred approach begins with outcomes. It might require a pay audit broken down by gender, ethnicity, seniority and disability. It might lead to redesigning job criteria so that they do not unnecessarily privilege candidates from certain backgrounds. It might involve structured sponsorship programmes for people underrepresented in senior roles.

In the UK, findings suggest only 40% of workers feel their place of work is truly inclusive. That signals a gap: people may be present but not empowered. A DEI strategy that surveys underrepresented staff, listens, then acts – e.g. changing promotion pathways – can close that gap and boost engagement. The business case is compelling too. McKinsey’s 2023 ‘Diversity Matters’ report shows that companies in the top quartile for gender and ethnic diversity are 39% more likely than their lower-diversity peers to exceed industry average profitability. BCG finds firms with above-average leadership diversity earn 19 percentage points more revenue from new innovations. Organisations that root D&I in equity may outperform those stopping at representation.

Job candidates also respond. Glassdoor reports 76% of job seekers see workforce diversity as a deciding factor in choosing employers. In short: DEI is not just moral – it’s strategic.

Why Equity Makes the Difference

Equity is the connective tissue that stops diversity efforts from stalling. You can hire diverse people (diversity), but if they are excluded, undervalued, or blocked from advancement, inclusion fails too. DEI insists on fairness in outcome, not just in access.

Imagine two companies that decide to hire more people from ethnic minority backgrounds. Company A stops at setting targets and celebrating recruitment. Company B audits promotion rates, mentors minority staff, reworks evaluation criteria to reduce bias, and monitors pay differentials. Over five years, Company B sees not just diversity, but equitable leadership progress. Company A sees limited upward mobility, frustration and attrition.

Equity matters also in perception. If employees see that inclusion is shallow, they lose trust. Research suggests that feeling of belonging is essential: 94% of employees say it matters. But some resist the term DEI, seeing “equity” as favouritism. The trick for leaders is to communicate equity isn’t special treatment, it’s fair treatment.

Bringing DEI to Life Through Speakers

The difference between D&I and DEI gains power when it’s heard through lived stories. That’s where speakers are essential; they turn strategy into empathy and theory into reality.

Dame Inga Beale’s leadership at Lloyd’s wasn’t only about increasing female C-suite representation. She embedded inclusion by openly advocating for LGBTQ+ employees through Pride@Lloyds, showing that representation without cultural change is hollow.

Nicola Adams speaks about inclusion in sport as a right, not an afterthought. Her message is clear: women and LGBTQ+ athletes should belong fully, on and off the field. Ade Adepitan, Paralympian and university chancellor, frames accessibility as leadership rather than compliance. He challenges teams to design products, venues and careers that disabled people can genuinely use.

Jean Tomlin shows DEI at operational scale, drawing on London 2012. She explains how the Games recruited and trained a workforce that welcomed disabled volunteers and first-time jobseekers; it’s a blueprint for fair hiring that teams can copy. Martine Wright turns post-trauma recovery into practical lessons on inclusive culture, from reasonable adjustments to psychological safety.

Other speakers on our roster carry narratives of facing barriers, refusing silence, and creating space for others to follow. Their stories land best when woven through the themes of equity, inclusion and diversity, not tacked on at the end. When organisations bring these speakers into workshops, conferences or leadership retreats, they move beyond box-ticking. Employees engage emotionally, leaders grasp the complexities, and policies are grounded in lived truth.

Conclusion: Action Beyond the Acronym

DEI and D&I both aim for fairer, more welcoming workplaces, but DEI makes equity explicit, ensuring outcomes are just as well as opportunities. A truly inclusive organisation doesn’t stop at representation; it creates belonging and removes systemic barriers so everyone can thrive.

At The Diversity & Inclusion Speakers Agency, we work with some of the world’s most inspiring voices, from Maggie Alphonsi, Derek Redmond, Baroness Floella Benjamin, Kehinde Andrews, and many more all carry narratives about facing barrier, refusing to be silent. Their lived experiences bring these principles to life, turning ideas into real change. Call us on 0203 9816 297, or alternatively fill out our online contact form to discover how you can book a Diversity & Inclusion speaker to inspire lasting inclusion in your organisation.