How to spot whether a company's DEI policy is real or just PR
by Nadira Kamarudin·May 22, 2026
Six things I now check before joining any company that makes DEI claims:
1. Who's actually in senior leadership? If every C-suite and VP is the same demographic, the policy is aspirational at best.
2. Is there a dedicated budget? Real programmes cost money. Ask where the investment is.
3. How do they handle reports of discrimination? Ask directly what the process is. Vague answers are a red flag.
4. Does the company publish data? Pay gap reporting, representation numbers, companies serious about this publish it even when it's uncomfortable.
5. Talk to people from underrepresented groups who work there. Not HR, not the hiring manager. The actual people the policy is supposed to protect.
6. How long has the initiative existed and who runs it? A new initiative run by one junior person isn't structural change.