Recent reports have shown companies pulling back from implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). A leader in global communications has spoken out against the matter. At the 2024 Women of Color Connecting Summit, hosted by the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership, Edelman CEO Richard Edelman led the session titled “Data Matters.” During his presentation, he shared findings from “Edelman’s Trust Barometer Special Report: Business and Racial Justice,” according to the virtual summit’s website. While relaying the findings was to inform allies, investors, and policymakers, Edelman took a moment to address the misconceptions about DE&I. “This is one of the big problems in America. We lack reliable information,” Edelman said, per a news release. He continued, “I have heard so much about ‘let’s drop DE&I as a phrase; let’s just focus on sustainability.’ Nonsense. We have to defend DE&I as an important part of the equation of ESG [environmental, social, and governance]. ESG...