Due DEI-ligence

In this rapidly changing legal and policy landscape, business leaders are facing increasingly complex commercial, legal, political and social pressures related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to navigating this environment, our experts have pulled together some questions to help guide your thinking as you assess your organization’s efforts:

• Make sure your policies are driven by your business strategy.

  • Do your policies and programs contribute to your business’s success and long-term growth?

  • How do these initiatives align with your organization’s core values and mission?

  • Are senior leadership and Board members aligned on objectives?

• Know all of your stakeholders’ needs.

  • Who are your key stakeholders (employees, shareholders, customers, etc.) and what are their perspectives on DEI?

• Identify related risks and vulnerabilities.

  • Are your policies compliant with current law?

  • Are there substantive changes that need to be made?

  • Have you developed a crisis plan or playbook to identify future risks and be prepared?

• Establish a communications strategy.

  • Are there any changes you should make in internal and external messaging?

  • Are your DEI-related communications consistent across all your organizations' channels?

  • If you are making changes, have you considered where those changes are likely to garner feedback from stakeholders and how to address?

While these questions are a great starting point, navigating the current DEI environment will require a more in-depth analysis. To learn how our team can help you refine your organization’s approach and manage associated risks, contact USDEITeam@fgsglobal.com. 

The creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has sparked mixed reactions among Americans, with significant differences in opinion across political lines. At the heart of the debate are broader concerns over the involvement of billionaires like Elon Musk in influencing government policy and the public's perception of government inefficiency and red tape. Our Research and Insights team has gathered some data that explore the differing viewpoints:

• When it comes to the creation of DOGE, 39% of Americans disapprove of the new advisory board, while 29% approve and 19% don’t know enough to form an opinion. 

  • Republicans: 58% approve

  • Democrats: 29% disapprove

• Americans are split on views toward Elon Musk – the sole head of DOGE – as 43% hold a favorable opinion and 47% hold unfavorable opinions.

  • Republicans: 83% favorable.

  • Democrats: 85% negative.

  • Independents: 48% unfavorable; 38% favorable.

• Most Americans (60%) believe it’s bad for the president to rely on billionaires for policy advice; 28% see it as neutral.

  • Republicans: 35% consider it bad; 44% neutral.

  • Democrats: 78% consider it bad.

  • Independents: 61% consider it bad.

• Nearly half of Americans (51%) believe Musk has a lot of influence within Trump’s administration. While 46% don’t want him to have any influence at all, 25% would like him to have a little.

  • Republicans: 69% want Musk’s influence (26% a lot, 43% a little).

  • Democrats: 90% say Musk has influence, 80% oppose it.

  • Independents: 42% don’t want Musk’s influence, 32% want some. 

• Nearly half of Americans (49%) oppose eliminating entire federal agencies while 40% oppose eliminating large numbers of federal jobs.

  • Republicans: 44% support eliminating agencies, 54% support cutting jobs.

  • Democrats: 72% against eliminating agencies, 62% against cutting jobs.

  • Independents: 24% support agency cuts, 25% support job cuts

• At least half of Americans see the issues that DOGE has been tasked with remedying as major problems in the federal government, including government corruption (70%), inefficiency (65%) and red tape such as regulations and bureaucracy (59%).

  • Republicans: 81% think inefficiency is a major problem.

  • Democrats: 55% think inefficiency is a major problem; 47% think red tape is a major problem.

With persistent threats of a Canada-U.S. trade war, the imminent resignation of Prime Minister Trudeau and the possibility of a federal election this spring, Canada is entering a period of considerable uncertainty. Businesses will need to reassess their strategies to navigate this volatile environment.

With all this disruption underway, corporate leaders should take action in five key areas:

1. Secure access to US/Canada policy analysis: Good decisions require accurate information and sound analysis. With profound changes underway, it is vital to ensure your company has the resources and expertise to monitor and analyze the shifting political landscape.

2. Scenario-planning: Sound scenario planning allows companies to prepare for a range of broad possible futures and positions them to successfully manage risks and seize opportunities.

3. Engage key stakeholders: Proactive communications with investors, policymakers and regulators, employees, unions, customers and vendors can establish a foundation of trust and common purpose during difficult and unpredictable times.

4. Review business operations planning: As a corollary to scenario planning, updated business operations planning that is responsive to a range of possible futures provides some insurance against a changing business environment.

5. Update communications and crisis planning: Effective communications help companies navigate a difficult business environment and manage a crisis (if the situation deteriorates to that level). As with business operations planning, communications and crisis plans should be synchronized with scenario planning efforts.

For more information, contact FGS’s Canadian public affairs team at CanadaPA@fgslongview.com.