Diversity and Inclusion is alive and well – Here we prefer to polder rather than polarize

Lately, it feels like we’ve collectively landed in an episode of Black Mirror: opinion pieces, news reports, and analyses warning us about an American anti-DEI wave that will inevitably reach our shores. The suggestion? That diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Netherlands and Europe could be thrown out the window at any moment.
Spoiler alert: it’s not that bad.

I work with organizations on DEI policy every day – from government agencies to SMEs, from universities to tech companies – and believe me: no one is waiting for a copy-paste version of the American backlash. There’s no secret admiration here for the Republican playbook “How to Sabotage an Inclusive Society in Ten Steps.”
What I do see? Organizations following developments in the U.S. with a healthy dose of discomfort.

The European context is no utopia, but it’s no Texas either. The professionals and executives I speak to aren’t caught up in ideological culture wars, but focused on practical questions:
How do you make sure everyone feels at home in the workplace?
How do you create policies that are both fair and sustainable?
And how do you stay on course in a world that sometimes shouts more than it thinks?

These aren’t trendy whims or political statements. They are serious, lived-through efforts – often quiet, but resolute.
Not DEI as ideology, but as a way of relating to one another in society. Grounded in data, practical experience, and – very uncool – evidence-based policy.

So let’s not lose our heads over American headlines. The fear may drift across the ocean, but the policy doesn’t have to.
Here we prefer to polder rather than polarize.
Stick to your own path – grounded, persistent, and with a touch of boldness.