How Does Talking About Food Allergies Help Address Systemic Inequities?

As organizations shift from focusing on DEI to fostering belonging at work, we’re expanding what diversity means. Belonging acknowledges the differences that shape someone’s sense of inclusion—from neurodiversity to mental health, introversion, and even food restrictions. 

This shift has clear benefits: it brings more people into conversations about thriving at work and makes belonging relatable to more experiences. But there’s a challenge: in widening the lens, we risk losing focus on dismantling systemic racism and sexism—deeply rooted barriers that still dictate who holds power. 

This tension raises a critical question for 2025: How do we expand belonging while also tackling systemic inequities? 

I don’t have the answer—but that’s why I’m inviting more voices to join the conversation. While I can’t solve this alone, I can offer insights on belonging and the future of DEI to spark ideas. Let’s tackle this critical question together. 

A Meaningful Step Forward on an Ongoing Journey

The shift from DEI to belonging didn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s a response to backlash, budget cuts, and the reality that many people have decided they’re too busy to prioritize DEI. These challenges pushed organizations to refocus on what truly matters: our fundamental human need to feel valued, accepted, and like we belong. 

Belonging has proven to be a powerful framework for fostering meaningful conversations about what each of us needs—not just to hold a job, but to genuinely thrive in it. Over the past year, it’s become a refreshing and important milestone in the evolution of DEI work. 

But here’s the truth: belonging isn’t the final solution. It reflects what we’ve learned and adapted from DEI, but it’s imperfect by design—and that’s a good thing. Imperfection forces us to keep thinking, striving, and evolving. The vision of valuing differences and achieving equity is one we may never fully reach, but the act of trying and adapting brings us closer every step of the way. 

Belonging is a significant step forward, but it’s just one step on the ongoing journey to make our workplaces—and ourselves—better. 

What is Imperfect is Also Powerful

The focus on belonging at work is a step forward, but it’s not the finish line. While it fosters inclusivity and engagement, belonging risks shifting attention away from the systemic inequities that persist. Consider these stark realities: 

• People of color hold only 10% of CEO roles in Fortune 500 companies.
• Women earn just 84 cents for every dollar men make in similar roles.

During a keynote I was delivering on the topic of belonging at the Wisconsin Association of Corporate Council earlier this year, one question from a Gen Z attorney stood out: “Isn’t belonging watering down progress?” Their courage to highlight the limitations of belonging reinforced an essential truth: belonging isn’t the destination—it’s a bridge to deeper, more transformative conversations. 

This broader engagement sparked by the interlocution of belonging at work is refreshing, but it also demands reflection. Are we unintentionally sidelining efforts to dismantle the barriers that perpetuate inequity? This tension is what makes belonging both imperfect and powerful. 

Belonging’s imperfections compel us to keep pushing forward. They require us to ask uncomfortable questions, embrace complexity, and engage in dialogue where perspectives differ. As I shared in a recent LinkedIn article, real progress happens when we lean into hard conversations—not avoid them. Avoiding disagreement and complexity isn’t an option if we want to move forward. 

The Big Question for 2025

As we move into 2025, here’s the real question we need to ask: How can we both broaden engagement with belonging efforts and continue to drive meaningful systemic change? It’s not an either-or—it’s a both-and.

The future of belonging isn’t a perfect destination—it’s a path we create together, one conversation and one action at a time. Each step broadens our understanding, deepens our commitment, and edges us closer to workplaces that genuinely value every individual.

By engaging with this work now, we lay the foundation for meaningful change in 2025 and beyond. Let’s embrace the imperfections and use them as fuel to keep moving forward. The time to start is now.