5 Things Sustainability And DEI Have In Common

Dr. Nika White • April 14, 2022

For too long, the sustainability and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) sectors have been considered separate industries with very different goals and interests. Justice and equity-minded folks have been forced to choose between the two. You’re either into sustainability and saving the environment. Or you’re into diversity, equity, inclusion and helping people. But the time has come to see these two disciplines as co-equal partners in the pursuit of a more just, and equitable world. They have more in common in their approach to change than people think. Here are 5 things the sustainability and DEI sectors have in common and how the two disciplines can work together to make lasting change.

Both Focus On Lasting Solutions Rather Than Band-Aids

In sustainability, the focus on creating lasting solutions that positively impact the environment in the future is a key pillar. We see this in the worldwide effort to rid the ocean of harmful plastics, the investment in clean energy like solar and wind, and the fight for environmental justice.

The same goes for DEI. While improving diversity, equity and inclusion are the ultimate goals, DEI professionals focus on lasting cultural and social change that promotes safety, equity, and equal justice for all. From the legislative level down to the grassroots, DEI professionals are focused on decreasing discrimination against certain identities, building psychologically safer spaces, and bridging the gaps in resources and understanding. Both disciplines know that dedicated solutions are the way to make lasting change.

Both Value Intersectionality

Both sustainability and DEI focus on intersectionality and building cross-disciplinary partnerships. Both understand how change isn’t made in a vacuum and connecting across industries and identities is essential to making progress.

Sustainability advocates know that reducing carbon emissions on our warming planet isn’t just about driving fewer cars. But it’s also about reaching into the agricultural sector to reduce animal emissions or partnering with the fashion industry to reduce pollution.

DEI professionals know that working to eliminate discrimination against LGBTQIA+ folks goes beyond sex and gender but also involves analyzing the intersections of race, class, faith, and ability.

Both disciplines acknowledge that no issue is two-dimensional. In order to make real progress, we must see the larger web of interconnectedness and work across difference to actualize change.

Both Take Into Consideration Impact Versus Intention

In DEI, impact vs intention is a huge conversation. While many people don’t intend to cause harm with their words or actions, they may. DEI professionals seek to raise awareness about the difference between impact versus intention. The goal is to get individuals to become more mindful and respectful in their cross-cultural interactions.

The same goes for sustainability. While most people don’t intend to release a plastic bag into a river or stream nor do they intend to increase air pollution by driving their kids to school, that may be the impact. Sustainability advocates also seek to educate the population on how their actions impact the larger environment and how they can pivot to become more environmentally friendly in their day-to-day life.

Both Offer Actionable Steps To Improve Lives

Both DEI and sustainability focus on simple steps individuals can take to make a change. It’s not about overnight success or immediate transformation, it’s about slow progressive steps that improve life as we know it.

DEI focuses on how educating ourselves, becoming more conscious about our actions, and facing our own biases and prejudices can help us become better allies, partners, and friends. With thoughtful everyday actions, DEI advocates believe we can all adopt an inclusive and equitable mindset in our personal and professional lives.

The same goes for sustainability advocates. By reducing our dependence on cars, being mindful of our waste, and moving consciously through the environment, we can preserve it one individual at a time. A number of small steps can lead to great results.

Both Promote Harmony, Peace, And Cooperation

The end goal for both the DEI and sustainability disciplines is to live in a world that’s harmonious, peaceful, and just. DEI advocates dream of a world where many identities can live alongside one another in peace and harmony. The same is true for sustainability advocates who dream of living in a world that’s clean and harmonious with nature. Both disciplines want nothing more than a planet that feels safe and equitable for everyone and everything living on it.

Final Thoughts

Although the sustainability and DEI industries have historically been in opposition, the time is now to join forces and build a world that works for all of us. We have a unique opportunity with the issues facing our world to join together and form solutions that make a lasting change for everyone and everything. Infusing DEI into sustainable businesses or adding more sustainable practices into DEI organizations can be the first steps towards building partnerships across these two disciplines and creating the world we want to see.

Read more from The Human Shift on Substack, where I share long-form essays on leadership, culture, and how we work and live.

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