CSR Professionals Survey the Political Landscape for DEI -

Most corporate social impact leaders who responded to a recent survey anticipate their company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility will either stay the same or increase under the current U.S. administration.

“We are seeing members adjust the language they use when describing DEI-related programs — instead of using DEI, they are using terms like ‘inclusion’ and ‘belonging,’” Jeanne L. Metzger, the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals’ (ACCP) vice president, membership, marketing & communications, told Convene via email. “They are reviewing their programs to ensure they are inclusive. And they are communicating less externally about their corporate social impact work.”

Her observations are based on the results of a pulse survey that ACCP, which advocates for social impact professionals and purpose-driven companies, conducted in March. Nine out of 10 of the 141 corporate social impact leaders who participated in the survey said that they anticipate their company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility will either stay the same or increase under the current U.S. administration. However, three out of 10 said that they anticipate an increase in legal oversight of their work.

The most profound impact, the survey revealed, is expected to be around DEI initiatives. While most respondents (nearly seven out of 10) expect their company’s commitment to DEI will either remain steady or increase under the current administration, this reflects a 28-percent decrease since 2024, when 96 percent of respondents expected their company’s commitment to DEI to remain flat or grow. According to the survey, “CSR professionals anticipate shifts that move away from DEI-focused programs and a move to more non-partisan and neutral issues, as well as initiatives that are aligned to overall business strategy.”

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ACCP noted that “despite political pressure and shifts in public sentiment, a majority of respondents indicated that their company’s commitment to DEI is steadfast, albeit with changes to communications and programs, because of the positive impacts such initiatives have on the business.”

The theme for the 2025 ACCP Annual Conference, taking place Sept. 15-17 in Atlanta, is “Leading Boldly” — “a reflection of the type of leadership needed in today’s environment,” Metzger said.

Michelle Russell is editor in chief of Convene