Inclusive Excellence: Bridging Diversity and Meritocracy

In today’s workplace, the debate over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) versus meritocracy and excellence in hiring (MEI) is heating up. But what if organizations didn’t have to choose between them? Let’s explore Inclusive Excellence (IE) - a concept that embraces the idea that diversity and excellence can (and should) go hand in hand.

What is Inclusive Excellence?

Inclusive Excellence (IE) was first introduced by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in 2005. It’s a framework designed to integrate diversity and inclusion efforts into an organization’s core operations. It has especially been adopted by educational institutions to ensure that diversity isn’t treated as a separate initiative but as a key part of the organization’s everyday functions. By applying Inclusive Excellence, diversity becomes central to processes like recruiting, hiring, training, and even how administrative practices are structured.

Adopting the Inclusive Excellence model shows that an organization understands diversity and inclusion are critical to achieving excellence. Rather than being isolated efforts, these values are embedded throughout the organization’s mission and work, moving from the margins to a central role in everything the organization does.

The challenges of Inclusive Excellence

While IE sounds like an ideal solution, it’s not without its challenges. Some critics worry that it blurs the line between merit and diversity, making hiring decisions feel less transparent. If organizations don’t clearly define what success looks like, IE could be misinterpreted as prioritizing diversity over qualifications.

Another challenge? Execution. Companies that embrace IE must be willing to do the hard work - training managers, ensuring accountability, and committing long-term resources. Otherwise, IE risks becoming another corporate buzzword rather than a real driver of change.

And then there’s the question of perception. Employees who feel left out of diversity efforts may see IE as an unfair advantage for some rather than a strategy for ensuring that everyone has a fair shot at success. Overcoming these concerns requires open communication and a clear, transparent approach to how IE is implemented.

The benefits of Inclusive Excellence

Despite the challenges, Inclusive Excellence offers a path that benefits everyone. By recognizing that talent comes from all backgrounds and ensuring that hiring and promotions are both fair and inclusive, organizations can:

• Drive innovation – Diverse teams bring fresh perspectives, leading to more creative problem-solving and better decision-making.
• Improve retention – Employees who feel valued and included are more likely to stay with a company, reducing costly turnover.
• Strengthen brand reputation – Yes, no matter what’s happening in the world right now. Research from Glassdoor still shows that 76% of job seekers - especially Gen Z and millennials - consider a company’s DEI efforts before accepting a job offer.
• Enhance performance – Research consistently shows that inclusive workplaces outperform those that are less diverse.

What are people saying about IE?

The conversation around Inclusive Excellence is lively. Advocates argue that it’s the best way to ensure fairness while achieving organizational excellence. They see IE as a necessary evolution of workplace culture - one that acknowledges historical barriers while keeping the focus on excellence.

Critics, on the other hand, caution that IE needs to be carefully managed to avoid becoming performative or undermining merit-based standards. Some fear that, if not handled properly, IE initiatives could create divisions rather than unity.

Why Inclusive Excellence is worth the effort

At the end of the day, IE (like DEI) isn’t about lowering the bar - it’s about making sure everyone gets a fair chance to reach it. As businesses navigate talent shortages, technological disruptions, and shifting workforce expectations, an inclusive approach to excellence is more important than ever.

By embedding fairness, opportunity, and accountability into the way we hire and promote, we’re not just building diverse teams - we’re building stronger, more successful organizations. And that’s a win for everyone.