DEI in telecoms: building diverse & inclusive workplaces through intentional, top-down strategies

In recent years, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) have become central themes in corporate strategy across industries - and telecoms is no exception. Amid growing global awareness of social justice issues, many telecom companies have responded by launching DEI task forces, initiatives, and programs aimed at fostering more inclusive workplaces. However, these efforts have sparked debate, with big-name tech players cutting DEI teams altogether.

While it is true that if a company truly embraces DEI principles at its core, special initiatives and teams shouldn't be needed. Instead, DEI should be woven into the fabric of an organisation's culture and leadership. Let's explore that notion, the crucial role of leadership, and why intentional, top-down strategies remain essential to achieving real DEI progress.

The DEI pushback

The pushback against DEI initiatives can be linked to the belief that their existence signifies something is fundamentally broken in an organisation. After all, if diversity and inclusion are already inherent values, why would companies need specialised teams or task forces to drive them? Critics argue that many DEI programs are performative—a box-ticking exercise that doesn't address the systemic issues beneath the surface. DEI programs can also be divisive, potentially creating resentment among employees who feel that promotions or opportunities are being awarded based on diversity criteria rather than merit.

If DEI flows naturally from a company's mission, values, and leadership, formal initiatives should be rendered unnecessary. However, it's important to acknowledge that the telecom sector, like many industries, has historically struggled with diversity. Leadership positions are often occupied by individuals from similar socioeconomic and educational backgrounds, creating an unconscious bias towards homogeneity. In such cases, DEI task forces can catalyse change—necessary temporary measures that help break entrenched patterns and accelerate progress.

Leadership as the cornerstone of DEI

Leaving aside the debate around DEI initiatives and task forces, one thing is clear: leadership is critical in fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. In the telecom sector, where innovation and global reach are key, leadership teams must embody the principles of DEI to drive cultural transformation. Without a commitment from the top, even the most well-intentioned DEI initiatives are bound to falter.

Leaders set the tone for an organisation. When executives demonstrate inclusive behaviour and prioritise equity, it signals to all employees that DEI is not just a buzzword but a business imperative. This goes beyond issuing public statements of support or forming a task force—it requires actively creating opportunities for diverse talent, listening to employees from all backgrounds, and building a culture where different perspectives are valued.

Moreover, leaders must be held accountable for DEI outcomes. This means integrating diversity metrics into business performance reviews and ensuring that diversity targets are tracked just as rigorously as revenue or growth goals. A lack of accountability in leadership often explains why DEI initiatives fail to produce lasting change.

Building the right team to drive DEI

In addition to leadership, having the right team in place is essential for driving DEI forward. Telecom companies must ensure that those responsible for hiring, managing, and promoting employees are well-versed in the challenges faced by people from different backgrounds. This includes understanding how unconscious bias can affect recruitment, retention, and career advancement opportunities.

A diverse leadership team is better equipped to recognise and address the unique obstacles employees from underrepresented groups face. Simply hiring more diverse employees is not enough if the environment is not supportive or inclusive. The right team will create policies and practices that break down barriers, allowing individuals from all backgrounds to thrive.

It's also essential to empower middle management to play their part. While senior leadership sets the vision, middle managers often interact directly with employees and shape the day-to-day work experience. Ensuring that managers understand and embrace DEI principles is critical to embedding diversity and inclusion into every level of the organisation.

That is very much a cultural thing. As a leader, manager, or line manager, you have to be able to look at why colleagues or candidates are behaving in a certain way and ask what they are trying to convey. Whether it's the need for flexible working to accommodate career responsibilities, accessibility requirements to cater to a disability, or adaptations to an interview or onboarding process for someone who is neurodiverse, it's about creating a supportive environment and psychological safety for those who don't fit the mould.

While training and education in these areas are vital, DEI principles should be embedded within the organisation through leadership style and by modelling an inclusive culture; otherwise, those learnings will fade.

The need for intentional, top-down strategies

Companies must now comply with broad legal frameworks, anti-discrimination laws, and DEI guidelines. Still, these are simply a by-product of the society we now live in and can be considered another box-ticking exercise. For DEI to be genuinely effective in the telecom sector, it cannot be an afterthought or confined to a dedicated task force. It must be at the forefront of company thinking; it must be visible and well-defined. It has to be tracked, and people have to be held accountable. Organisations need an intentional, top-down strategy that aligns with their core business objectives. This requires a multi-layered approach.

Telecoms are evolving rapidly. The MVNO-in-a-Box market will surpass $1 billion by 2029, with advancements like eSIM and AI driving greater personalization and flexibility in connectivity solutions. Diverse teams are positioned to tackle the challenges of this transformation, bringing fresh perspectives that fuel innovation and adaptability.

DEI must be embedded into company values, ensuring that diversity and inclusion are part of an organisation's mission and vision. It's then essential to equip leaders and managers with the skills and understanding they need to propagate that vision, enabling them to implement hiring processes that remove bias and promote a diverse talent pool, for example, or to create a truly equitable and inclusive working environment. Employees, too, should be encouraged to develop support systems that enable employees from different backgrounds to connect and support one another. Lastly, data-driven accountability is vital: putting metrics in place to measure progress and identify areas where further action is needed.

DEI as a core business principle

While DEI task forces can serve as useful stepping stones, they should not be the endpoint. For telecom companies to achieve real progress, DEI must be embedded into every aspect of the business—from leadership to entry-level roles. By building the right leadership team, fostering a culture of inclusion, and implementing intentional strategies, telecom organisations can create workplaces where diversity is not an initiative but a core value that drives innovation and success.