The term diversity is often used strategically as a solution to equity fatigue, as it is seen as less confrontational and more in line with the organization’s ideals and pride

Therefore, diversity can become detached from the equity issues it intends to address, which can lead to situations in which the concept of diversity is used primarily for its attractiveness or branding value

To achieve equity, diversity workers must re-attach the term diversity again to terms like justice and equality

Although organizational commitment towards the underlying diversity aim (i.e. equality and justice) is essential and diversity workers are trying to achieve this, this commitment depends primarily on how the term diversity is currently used within the organization

Race equality policies often serve as “evidence” of an institution’s performance, compliance and commitment to diversity to enhance its public image rather than a tool to foster actual equality

There is a substantial disconnect between what institutions state in their diversity documentation and the actions genuinely taken by these organizations

Organizations may view themselves as diverse, but the actual experiences regarding racial equality within these institutions often differ from this. This discrepancy can impede the acknowledgment of underlying racial institutional issues

Equality policy documentation often masks forms of racism; however, this documentation can also be used strategically within organizations by empowering practitioners to expose the gap between words and actions

Adopting ISO 37000:2021 governance standards can contribute to addressing challenges such as greenwashing and diversity washing

Independent Directors can be pivotal in highlighting attributes like power, potential, position and the evidence to drive the adoption of ISO 37000:2021 standards

The study presents a conceptual model designed to enhance reporting disclosure and transparency. This model aims to support societal development and promote the integration of sustainable development goals and reporting as nonfinancial metrics for assessing business performance

By applying the ISO 37000:2021 standards and the proposed conceptual model, companies are expected to attract more sustainably responsible investors

The DEI narratives companies promote are often far from their real actions concerning employee diversity

Diversity-washing companies are more likely to violate discrimination rules and deal with negative publicity about their employees’ treatment

Companies that practice diversity washing receive higher ratings from evaluators regarding ESG, which attracts investments from ESG-minded institutional investors. So, ESG reporting can mislead stakeholders about a company’s genuine commitment to diversity initiatives

Diversity and inclusion have become prominent in the policies of public and private organizations, reflecting their social responsibility. Modern inclusion policies emphasize valuing diversity and respecting differences, moving beyond merely combating exclusion. Public organizations strive to balance Unity with diversity, companies aim to enhance their public image and local governments want to modernize their public policies accordingly

The widespread adoption of diversity and inclusion policies can be attributed to (1) isomorphism (i.e. organizations mimic each other, sometimes under regulatory pressure, adopting similar policies to gain legitimacy, (2) diversity-washing processes (i.e. implementing superficial policies to improve their public image without actually achieving social change) and (3) strategic initiatives (i.e. genuine strategic initiatives to align organizational practices with changing societal values and needs)

Higher education institutions often publicly declare their commitment to diversity, but there is a noticeable disconnection between their statements and actions

Using the terms equality and diversity broadly hides racial inequalities. It creates an illusion of comprehensive inclusivity while allowing institutions to selectively address less contentious issues

The voluntary nature of the REC means there is no penalty for noncompliance, which can result in institutions only superficially addressing racial inequalities

The equality and diversity staff members generally believed their roles were crucial for achieving social change within their organizations, but they often felt their efforts were not fully appreciated and sometimes regarded merely as fulfilling regulatory obligations rather than a sincere dedication to social justice

Diversity initiatives may attract underrepresented groups by promising inclusion, but could also make overrepresented groups feel more excluded and threatened

These initiatives can create a false sense of fairness for underrepresented groups, making discrimination more difficult to detect and address. Conversely, these efforts could make it seem unfair to already well-represented groups, potentially causing traditionally privileged groups to see themselves as discriminated against

These initiatives might suggest that underrepresented groups require assistance to succeed, possibly implying they are less competent than their more privileged peers

This study categorizes four types of CSR washing, including diversity washing, and illustrates them with real examples from companies to enhance understanding of the forms and implications of these deceptive practices

For each type of CSR washing, this article provides a set of best practices designed to help companies implement CSR effectively, emphasizing transparency, measurable goals and a commitment to honest reporting and communication

CSR washing can erode public confidence in CSR initiatives and potentially damage the reputation of the involved corporations

Companies manage conflicting external demands by using multivocal communication, presenting information that can be interpreted in multiple ways, and simultaneously serving audiences with different views on the business value of diversity versus the social justice importance

This article introduces the term “business case washing,” which describes how diversity initiatives are communicated to stakeholders primarily interested in economic benefits, in contrast to “diversity washing,” which typically aims to satisfy advocates of social change

This article characterizes organizational diversity communications as aspirational talk, presenting forward-looking visions that have not yet been realized

There is a gap between how firms market diversity and their actual diversity practices, focusing on the access-and-legitimacy approach and presenting minimal commitment to diversity and equality measures. As a result, diversity becomes primarily a commercial asset to boost a firm’s market image and appeal to a more extensive clientele

These companies do not have substantial internal policies or practices regarding diversity. Their external claims have more to do with compliance and image management, which implies that human resources practices are impacted mainly by external branding needs

The author argues that many major US corporations publicly emphasize diversity and receive awards for it, but fail to implement these principles in practice genuinely

Many corporations showcasing impressive diversity policies and awards on their websites should be scrutinized more closely, as these displays often stem from past or ongoing anti-diversity lawsuits

US companies emphasize their pro-diversity policies more publicly than non-US companies

The perception of a brand’s image and consumer purchase intentions are more negatively impacted when advertising claims are vague compared to more concrete claims because vague claims will be more likely perceived as diversity washing

Stronger parasocial interactions led to stronger consumer diversity-washing perceptions in the case of vague claims

The perception of diversity washing significantly deteriorates a brand’s image, reducing consumers’ purchase intentions

This article presents three ways how organizations frame diversity on their website: as a competitive advantage and a catalyst for business performance, as a key asset that is promoted through corporate values and human resources, and as a mechanism that is supported by diversity and inclusion initiatives such as mentoring and training

The effectiveness of these supportive initiatives to actually foster diversity remains questionable

Corporate websites, regardless of the type of organization, often employ similar linguistic and semiotic strategies to portray diversity, primarily demonstrating the organization’s symbolic dedication to diversity. This approach is designed to shape stakeholder perceptions and enhance the organization’s public image

Activists conduct their norm-critical activities through three discursive tensions, namely personal and public issues, safe and unsafe spaces, and creative and conventional methods, which inspire new approaches to repoliticizing diversity within organizations

The performative potential of activist practices in organizational settings is discussed in this article, as they can enable the repoliticization of diversity through continuous negotiation and recognition of different norms

Norm-critical activism, which challenges the underlying politics that enable discrimination and disrupts prevailing norms, is essential for achieving transformative organizational change and creating space for diversity

Organizations may consider synthetic data to diversify datasets for machine learning and artificial intelligence applications. However, real-world diversity is rooted in cultural, qualitative factors. Adding synthetic data risks “diversity-washing,” superficially addressing diversity without genuinely improving dataset representation