When Business Leaders Retreat from Their Values, Who Really Pays the Price?

The E Word

Send us a text

Deloitte says “everyone is welcome”—but just scrapped its DEI goals, transparency reporting, and inclusive programming in the U.S. In this episode, Brittany and Karen confront the contradiction and ask: what happens when companies eliminate the very tools that make inclusion measurable?

From the quiet ban on pronouns in email signatures to inconsistent global policies (Deloitte UK is still all-in on DEI), we explore how these moves erode trust, fracture brand identity, and risk driving away top talent.

The conversation also tackles shady hiring tactics like fake-remote job listings used by some companies, and the broader question: can innovation thrive in a culture built on shaky ground? If trust is missing, what are we really building?

CONTINUED LEARNING

• The world’s biggest accounting firm is killing its DEI programs
• Are Deloitte UK & Deloitte US Doing DEI Differently?
• Deloitte US asks consultants to drop gender pronouns in email signatures
• Deloitte Culture Page

Stay With Us

• Watch and Subscribe to The E Word on YouTube.
• Follow Karen on LinkedIn and learn more at Colossal Work.
• Follow Brittany on LinkedIn and learn more at BND Consulting Group.

Chapters

1. When Business Leaders Retreat from Their Values, Who Really Pays the Price? (00:00:00)

2. Introducing this week's E-Word episode (00:01:03)

3. Deloitte sunsets DEI initiatives despite "welcome" message (00:01:37)

4. Business case for maintaining DEI goals (00:05:06)

5. The consequences of removing transparency (00:09:16)

6. Global inconsistency: Deloitte UK vs US (00:16:51)

7. The domino effect on talent and retention (00:22:26)

8. Bait and switch recruitment tactics exposed (00:28:05)

9. Trust as the foundation of leadership (00:32:33)