Diversity Isn’t Optional. It’s a Measure of Conscious Leadership.
As the cultural landscape surrounding DEI becomes more and more charged, some leaders are choosing to go quiet.
We’ve watched as some companies are stripping DEI language from their websites. Others are pausing initiatives behind closed doors.
Their thought? If we say less, we risk less.
But here’s the truth about navigating this moment as a conscious leader:
Backing away from diversity and inclusion doesn’t eliminate risk - it redistributes it. To your culture. Your reputation. Your people. Your future.
Conscious leadership doesn’t include avoidance. It embraces alignment, clarity, and expansion. You have the choice to reinforce inclusion as a lived value or raise doubts and questions about whether it still exists.
When Leadership Aligns with Impact
Companies with leaders who choose to stand firm in their commitment are earning trust and accelerating alignment with both their people and consumers.*
Marriott received over 40,000 messages of appreciation from employees after reaffirming their DEI commitments - a reflection of deep cultural trust that aligns with its industry-leading 90% employee retention rate, far exceeding the hospitality average of 57%.
The NFL continues to deepen its diversity pipeline, with Commissioner Roger Goodell affirming that inclusive hiring “makes the NFL better.” In 2025, 7 minority head coaches and 7 minority GMs reflected great progress, with over 53% of league staff identifying as women or minorities.
And when it doesn’t.
Target scaled back its DEI positioning and $12.4 billion loss in market value, alongside consumer backlash and a class-action lawsuit. The company's shares are down over 40% since last year and Target also experienced a 6.2% drop in foot traffic for eight weeks after announcing its DEI rollback.
Amazon, which previously pledged to be “Earth’s best employer” with a focus on inclusion and diversity, quietly removed that language from its 2024 annual report. In the months that followed, a grassroots-led boycott over labor and equity concerns prompted a temporary dip in stock price and contributed to a broader 20% decline from its February peak - part of a larger reckoning with consumer trust and shifting market sentiment.
Real-World Client Story
Zach Nolte, COO and President of Voda Cleaning & Restoration, leads in a field that’s traditionally male-dominated. From day one, he’s been committed to building a culture of diversity and inclusion across his team.
In early 2025, as public pressure mounted around DEI, Zach doubled down - not by retreating, but by asking better questions to support his team. During ongoing coaching, we explored how to meaningfully support the women in his organization.
We started by identifying rising women talent across the business and created a plan to empower one of his rising stars to take the lead.
The result? With Zach’s support, this female leader launched a company-wide women’s group focused on culture and peer support. They call it The Voda WAVE: Women Advancing Voda through Empowerment. Strong. Forward moving. Connected. Like water, the women of Voda are a force.
It’s now a thriving internal community where women at Voda connect on monthly calls and create a space to uplift and support one another.
“Sarah helps you create a path to enhance culture and execute with clarity, alignment, and intention in mind. She helps connect the dots so you can prioritize what actually matters.” - Zach Nolte
This is what a conscious leader looks like who is willing to act on his values and unlock something great for his team in the process.
Where the Horizon Meets You:
Your clarity and commitment sets the tone. Ask yourself:
What core values actually matter to you?
Where are you choosing silence instead of creating positive ripples of impact?
Where are you truly aligned with the spirit of inclusion?
This is about how your values and voice show up in action - through the culture you foster, the policies you support, and your communication with your employees, your customers and the public.
If you haven’t taken a stand, now’s the time. There’s a portal available to you. Let it expand you and pull you upward.
*If you’d like to review the source material or citations for any of the information shared here, please email concierge@fruehlingcoaching.com. We are happy to provide them upon request.