We unpack what diversity, equity, and inclusion mean in the workplace and how related concepts like belonging, accessibility, and justice fit in.

Whether you call it DEI, EDI, JEDI, DEIB, DEIA, IDEA, or another variation, the last few years has seen major momentum and major setbacks for this work. 2025 was uniquely challenging with political, corporate, and public opinions pulling in every direction.

We’ve seen a range of responses from organizations to this moment. Some have scaled back commitments and programs. Others have softened their initiatives to avoid scrutiny. Thankfully, many remain steadfast, following through on promises and even increasing their investment.

With so many versions of the acronym and different approaches to the work, it can be challenging to know what each letter represents and how best to speak about it. That is why clarity matters.

At Center Desk Consulting, we use the acronym “DEI” and approach it as a comprehensive lens for understanding and improving employee experience and various workplace outcomes. We also recognize how concepts like Belonging, Accessibility, and Justice are related and connect to them. Together, they create a fuller picture of what meaningful change can look like.

Because this work is always evolving, so is the language we use to describe it. Understanding how these acronyms developed over time helps explain why there are so many variations today, and why clarity matters when we define what DEI means to us.

Rooted in civil rights and employment equity work of the 1960s-80s, the term “diversity” entered management and HR discourse in the early 90s, focusing on increasing representation of women, racialized employees, and other underrepresented groups. Going into the 2000s, “diversity and inclusion” (D&I) became the default framing across many organizations. From the mid- to late-2010s, the inclusion of “equity” started becoming more widely recognized across industries, with Canadian research and education sectors formally adopting “equity, diversity, and inclusion” (EDI) and many other organizations many workplaces embracing DEI as the most common framing.

Today, here’s how we define diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Defining DEI

• Diversity – The many ways we differ as individuals, shaping whether we experience systemic advantages or barriers. This includes the social groups we are part of, with visible characteristics like gender expression, age, skin colour, and body size and type, as well as invisible characteristics such as sexual orientation, nationality, religion, socio-economic status, and lived experiences.
• Equity – Allocating resources and supports in ways that meet the unique needs of individuals and communities while acknowledging the advantages and barriers present in our society. Equity is about fair distribution tailored to specific needs. When equity is missing from the acronym, it could signal that systemic barriers aren’t being considered, risking performative efforts.
• Inclusion – Creating spaces where people feel welcome, supported, heard, respected, and valued. Inclusion ensures that participation is meaningful and that all voices are part of decision-making and culture.

Other Related Terms and How They Fit Into DEI

• Belonging – The result of strong inclusion. It is the feeling of being accepted and valued for who you are.
• Accessibility – The degree to which environments, programs, resources, or products can be used by people of all abilities. Accessibility is a specialized field, and we value the expertise of leaders in this area, such as Sydney Elaine Butler of Accessible Creates, a member of our collective. We view accessibility through an equity lens, working to identify and remove barriers to participation.
• Justice – Where equity addresses barriers, justice removes them. Justice is about systems change. These systems of oppression operate on multiple levels, and our work focuses on making meaningful shifts for our clients, their people, customers, and communities. We are proud to support organizations like Phoenix Youth Programs, which lead powerful justice-focused initiatives to improve housing, food security, employment, mental health, and more for youth.

Sometimes the acronym includes an additional A for allyship or action. Variations are common, with letters added or reordered for mostly marketing or aesthetic purposes. We can debate endlessly about the order and inclusion of different concepts, but what matters most is not the arrangement of letters but the depth and quality of the work under this title.

Our Commitment

At Center Desk Consulting, DEI captures the essence of our work and values. Where appropriate, we incorporate belonging, accessibility, and justice-oriented interventions and ensure that we’re adapting to our client’s usual language and priorities with while holding firm to the principles that drive meaningful change.

Whatever acronym you use, the goal remains the same: to create environments, workplaces, initiatives, and programs that improve experiences and to do so in ways that address and remove barriers.