Global Business Summit 2025: Redefining diversity and inclusion at GBS 2025

When some countries are experiencing a backpedalling on DEI initiatives, business leaders at The Times Group ET NOW Global Business Summit 2025 articulated a strong business case for doubling down on diversity, equity, and inclusion as a business need. The panel discussion “Business of Belonging: Why DEI Matters Globally, Locally, and Personally” was a star-studded affair featuring global leaders who engaged in a debate about how businesses can drive change in the face of complex cultural and political landscapes.

The hospitality industry, which provides jobs for millions of people globally, was the industry used as a powerful example. Dimitris Manikis, President of EMEA, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (UK), highlighted the success of the industry depends on actual human interactions: “We’re the happy industry. We are the industry that provides happiness. It has nothing to do with gender, colour, or religion. It has to do with loving what you do. In our industry, it’s all about loving people.”

DEI initiatives are transitioning from a compliance-driven framework to becoming a strategic business imperative. Pamela Thomson-Hall, Head of International at WTW (UK), explained how their global architecture is localised across 140 nations: “We believe in managing our colleagues from end to end. We have a global talent management framework that we embed in our everyday lives for our employees, regardless of what role they play.”

In the public sphere, i.e., in the police force, the path towards inclusion still has special challenges. Former Maharashtra Police Commissioner, Dr. Meeran Chadha Borwankar, expressed strong opinions on shattering the glass ceiling: “The first time my file went to our chief minister to be posted as the district police chief, he returned it twice. He was not comfortable. But today, we are on the road where we are being encouraged by policymakers and a very aware citizenry.”

Francesca Gatti’s personal anecdotes from UN peacekeeping missions “In a meeting, a general said that gender concerns are like makeup, unnecessary and superfluous. But after prolonged interaction, the same general was the first one who approved the first draft to establish a gender directorate within the Ministry of Defence.”

Government efforts are significantly contributing to promoting DEI in India. Sumita Dawra, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, emphasised recent achievements: “Female participation in the workforce is an economic imperative, also a social imperative. More than 40% of the female labour force participation rate in the country has gone up to about 42% today.”

Moderator Kalki Subramaniam, Founder of Sahodari Foundation, expressed a personal observation: “I, as a transgender woman, see a lot of changes, especially in a country like India. There are lots of other marginalised groups as well who are benefiting, and their lives are changing for the better because of DEI.”

The session emphasised that progress has been made, but sustained commitment is necessary. As companies navigated a more complicated world, the message was clear: DEI is not about checking boxes or meeting quotas—it’s about creating long-term, inclusive cultures that drive business results while enabling real belonging for all stakeholders.

As part of the summit’s “Evolve | Emerge | Expand” theme, the discussion emphasised that companies need to continue to evolve their DEI initiatives, emerge as inclusive culture leaders, and expand their impact globally. DEI has never been more influential, and leaders here will be well-positioned to thrive in an increasingly diverse global marketplace.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author/authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of ET Edge Insights, its management, or its members