IADS White Paper - DEI at a crossroads

In its new White Paper, “DEI at a crossroads in retail”, the IADS examines how DEI is being applied across the global retail sector at a time of political, social and economic pressure. This white paper examines how DEI has moved beyond compliance to influence day-to-day operations, leadership decisions, and business outcomes, including profitability, retention, and productivity. It also addresses the backlash and uncertainty surrounding DEI—particularly in the United States—and shows how retailers across regions are responding to evolving regulations, workforce expectations, and customer behaviour. Drawing on research and concrete retail examples, the White Paper highlights both effective practices and cases where progress has slowed or reversed, underlining the importance of consistency and long-term commitment.

The report includes or quotes the following retail companies:

Abercrombie & Fitch, Alibaba, Amazon, ASOS, Ben & Jerry’s, Best Buy, Bloomingdale’s, Carrefour, Carrefour Brazil, Chalhoub Group, Costco, El Corte Inglés, Falabella, Galeries Lafayette, Gap Inc., Gucci, H&M, IKEA, Inditex, John Lewis Partnership, Kohl’s, Lotte, Lowe’s, Macy’s, Marks & Spencer, McDonald’s, Nike, Nordstrom, PepsiCo, Sephora, Seven & i Holdings (7-Eleven), Shoprite, Shinsegae, Starbucks, Target, Tesco, The Mall Group, Ulta Beauty, Unilever, Victoria’s Secret, Walmart, Wayfair, Wegmans Food Markets, Woolworths, Wesfarmers.