In 2025, DEI discourse was shaped by heightened federal scrutiny and shifting public expectations, prompting companies to reframe DEI strategies to align with legal requirements while safeguarding their brand values.
Gravity Research’s latest report highlights the five data points that most clearly defined corporate DEI over the past year, offering a comprehensive view of how programs shifted in response to federal activity, activist pressure, and evolving risk thresholds. Drawing on benchmarking data and survey results from Gravity Insiders — an executive panel including communications leaders across the Fortune 500 — this analysis outlines how corporate communicators recalibrated in 2025, and what those shifts signal for 2026.
Key Findings
40 corporations made public DEI changes post-inauguration. Droves of companies adjusted their DEI policies, with many making changes immediately after President Trump returned to office. However, private sector changes slowed in subsequent months as corporate callouts became limited to FCC probes.
80% of brands reaffirmed company values when implementing changes. The vast majority of organizations that changed policies emphasized ongoing commitments to inclusion, belonging, or accessibility in public statements. While only about one quarter of firms explicitly tied changes to the administration’s executive orders, 85% cited shifting social, political, or legal environments as catalysts for program changes.
The term “DEI” fell 98% across Fortune 100 communications. Gravity’s analysis of more than 1,000 corporate documents from January 2023 to May 2025 shows steep declines not only in references to “DEI,” but also in terms like “diversity,” “equity,” “inclusion,” and “racial equity.” This shift suggests that companies are increasingly relying on more neutral framing to maintain internal priorities while navigating heightened scrutiny.
Download the full report to understand how leading organizations are adapting DEI programs amid increased federal pressures and preparing for the year ahead.
