THE MPN DEI PULSE SURVEY
Pulse Survey Insights
In light of the recent DEI backlash in the U S and its ripple effects on global strategies, The MPN sought to understand how these shifts are impacting workplaces worldwide. We invited individuals to participate in a brief, 5-question anonymous survey to share their perspectives on the evolving DEI landscape The results are highlighted below:
Pulse Survey Insights
The survey ran from 7 February to 31 March 2025 and captured 548 perspectives from professionals across multiple regions. The insights gathered were aimed at helping us better understand emerging trends and challenges in DEIB
Pulse Survey Insights
The majority of respondents were from Australia, accounting for 82% of the total responses. The survey captured a broad representation of job levels, with the largest proportion being individual contributors at 35%, followed by middle managers at 29% This diverse range of job levels provides a comprehensive view of the DEIB landscape across different professional experiences.
58% reported a decrease in their organisation’s focus on DEI since the U S backlash
This suggests that many organisations have reduced their emphasis on DEI initiatives following the political and media backlash in the U.S., indicating a broader global trend of scaling back DEI efforts
68% anticipate a significant decrease in DEIrelated funding and resources over the next year This highlights concerns that DEI efforts will be deprioritised, leading to fewer resources allocated to initiatives and possibly impacting the scope and effectiveness of DEI programmes.
44% said their organisations are scaling back DEI communication and initiatives
This reflects a trend where organisations are not only reducing DEI resources but also cutting back on communication and outreach, potentially diminishing the visibility and impact of their DEI work
79% expect a reduction in public DEI commitments as the most significant shift ahead This points to the anticipation of organisations retreating from visible public statements or commitments to DEI, as they may fear backlash or want to avoid political risk, focusing more on internal initiatives
The survey was promoted through multiple channels, including our community newsletter, the SEWF Global Newsletter, People and Planet First Global, SECNA, WASEC, SENVIC, and across our social media platforms, ensuring it reached a wide audience
Only 18% remain public and proactive in promoting DEI efforts
This highlights a stark contrast between a small minority of organisations that are continuing to openly and actively promote DEI and the larger trend of retreating from such commitments.
88% personally believe the rollback of DEI is a step backward
This reflects the belief among respondents that scaling back DEI efforts is detrimental, reinforcing the idea that DEI initiatives are essential for progress in equity, inclusion, and organisational culture
The majority of respondents are from Australia (82%), with a broad spread across job levels – most being individual contributors (35%) and middle managers (29%)
This indicates that the survey responses were predominantly from Australian professionals, with a good representation of employees at various levels within organisations, ensuring a broad range of perspectives
The survey reveals a global ripple effect, with organisations increasingly deprioritising DEI, shifting from public commitment to cautious, internal-only approaches.
While the survey sample provides valuable insights from a broad range of professionals, it should be noted that the results may not be fully representative of the global population or reflect the experiences and perspectives of all industries or regions worldwide
