Getting Real About DEI: Lessons from the Workforce of the Future Summit

Wednesday (April 23, 2025), I had the privilege of speaking at the Ally Energy Energy Workforce of the Future Summit, hosted at the stunning Expand Energy facility. From the very start, Katie Mehnert` set a bold tone, telling us we were going to “get real”—and we did. What followed was a day of truth-telling, vulnerability, and powerful storytelling that reminded me exactly why culture work matters.

While I had the privilege of working with Shan Escobar to lead a powerful session on growth mindset and learning from failures, I'm going to focus on a different session for this blog post. 

That Dirty Word: DEI

As someone who helps organizations build authentic, values-driven cultures, I was especially drawn to the session titled “The Real Deal – That Dirty Word: DEI.” It featured a candid conversation with Katy Hall of NES Firecroft and Melody Kelleher of Baker Hughes, moderated by Katie Mehnert.

Katie kicked off the discussion with a surprising insight: when she asked ChatGPT for examples of companies standing firm on DEI, Baker Hughes came up. That wasn’t by chance. Melody explained how DEI at Baker Hughes isn’t a standalone initiative—it’s a core part of the company’s five strategic goals. These goals are deeply embedded across the employee lifecycle, from recruitment to compensation.

Melody emphasized a critical truth: DEI isn’t something you “switch on or off.” It’s about building systems where fairness and equity are the norm. It’s not about quotas—it’s about quality, sustainability, and business integrity. She shared her personal experience living through apartheid in South Africa, describing both the deep pain of systemic exclusion and the joy that comes when a society begins to heal. Her story moved the room and sparked powerful reflections from other attendees, including stories of life under dictatorships elsewhere and the resilience of communities who’ve experienced oppression.

The Business Case for DEI

Katy Hall brought the conversation to a sharp business edge. At NES, she said, abandoning DEI would be like “turning the lights off and asking people to innovate in the dark.” The cost of not creating equitable environments is real—U.S. companies spend over $600 million a year fighting discrimination cases. She also pointed out that 60% of Americans support DEI efforts—a strong signal that companies who walk away from inclusion are walking away from both their workforce and their customers.

We also looked at the consequences in real time: Target is facing backlash and losing revenue after rolling back DEI efforts, while Costco is thriving with a more inclusive approach. The data is clear—companies that integrate DEI into their core operations see stronger recruitment, better retention, and greater innovation.

DEI Cannot be an Add-On

Here’s the heart of the issue: when DEI is treated like an optional add-on, it’s easy to abandon. But when it’s integrated into your company culture, it becomes part of how you lead, grow, and thrive. The backlash we’re seeing now may not be against DEI itself—but against the performative versions of it that never truly changed anything.

Real DEI work focuses on aligning your values with your employee experience. If you’re unsure how to align your values with your employee experience—or whether your values even reflect the culture you want to build—we’d love to help. At Culture Grove, we guide leaders in embedding values and equity across the full employee journey, creating real change, not performative programs.

Ready to build a culture that lasts?
Schedule a call today and let’s get started.