Negating the Noise: Strategies for Inclusive Practice from UK and EMEA Perspectives

In the U.S., diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work is under scrutiny, not only in public discourse but also in the legal arena. High-profile rollbacks of inclusion programs, ongoing targeting of DEI programs at major corporations and universities, combined with targeted activism challenging the value of inclusion initiatives, have placed many leaders and practitioners on the defensive. In response, some organisations are watering down their language, retreating from public commitments, or questioning whether their strategies can withstand the storm. But this backlash, while loud, isn’t global, and its ripple effects aren’t uniformly received.

From where Gamiel Yafai sits, the picture looks different. As an MBE awardee and founder of Diversity Marketplace, Gamiel has spent decades supporting organisations across the UK and EMEA to build inclusive cultures that go beyond compliance. In this episode of Translocating Inclusion, he joins us to reflect on how companies are actively strengthening their inclusion work through leadership development, policy-informed strategy, and evolving allyship programs — even as terminology shifts from “unconscious bias” to “conscious inclusion,” and from “diversity” to “culture.” We explore how legislative frameworks like the UK’s Equality Act offer both guidance and protection, but also why policies alone are never enough.

Together, we’ll examine what all practitioners, whether based in the U.S., UK, or EMEA, can learn from their global peers, how organisations are using this moment to build deeper internal capacity, and what it means to lead inclusively in a time of reactionary noise. For those seeking a path forward — not just politically, but strategically and ethically — this conversation offers clear-eyed insights and a much-needed dose of global perspective.