DEI stands at a point, but it is not the first. From the global civil rights movements of the 1960s and 70s to the huge wave of change of the 2020s, there have been four waves of DEI in a long-term, transformative movement. But in recent years, DEI initiatives have faced increasing scrutiny. What started as a movement for equality and inclusion has at times become fragmented, dogmatic, and difficult to measure. The Fifth Wave of Fairness is here to refocus our efforts on what really matters—creating meaningful change that benefits individuals and organisations alike.
Everyone in this debate agrees that we should be rewarding MERIT but we simply disagree on what this looks like.
Defining and measuring merit in practice is complicated.
Diversity and merit are not in conflict.
Diversity as a driver
Performative activities
Individual biases and mindsets
Narrow representation targets
Marginal group inclusion
Diversity as an outcome of fair systems
Impactful strategy
Fair, inclusive and unbiased systems
Metrics across the talent and career lifecycle
Inclusion and Enablement for all
The FIVE Framework is a sustainable model based on Targeted Universalism, focused on creating lasting change through measurable, evidence-driven actions.
It promotes fairness, inclusion, voice, and enablement through data-driven, outcomes-based actions that benefit all. The approach integrates policy, process, technology, and behaviour, aiming for universal impact and coalition-building.